Flipping In Southlake ~ 4

SO CLOSE & YET SO FAR...

Still lots to do, but the finish line was in sight! I’m always so excited when it’s time for the interior painting to began ~ I just love seeing the colours go up and the design start to come together. I kept the colour palette light, fresh and modern, not too traditional, not too contemporary. I’d love to be completing a whole design with furniture, rugs, window treatments and accessories ~ I can see how great it would look ~ but this is a flip, so I have to get over myself. Maybe the new owners will want my design services!!! Anyway, back to business. The interior painting took about 10 days and included all the ceilings, walls, trim and woodwork, (which was the kitchen cabinetry, new living room built-ins, laundry room & hall cabinets and vanities in both baths).

In the mean-time lots of work was happening outside. The front landscaping had to go, it had been neglected for so many years ~ GONE!!! My landscaper got to work and ripped it all out and then gave the lawn (a whole acre of it!) some much needed TLC then he focused on the trees that desperately needed pruning. The house, path and driveway got power washed, then exterior painting began ~ brick, trim, front door, garage door and the inside of the garage. The transformation was nearly complete and the little house was tuning into the neighborhood jewel.

While all that was going on, I made the trek to the wholesale nursery and tagged all the plantings for the front of the house. My landscaper prepped the beds with additional soil, put in new edging, planted everything from the nursery and mulched. What a difference ~ it hardly looks like the same house!

The final push came just days before the realtor open house and the listing going live. With the painting complete, the flooring contractor installed the wood floors in the entry, office, kitchen, living room, family/dining room, and hall. It took a small army, but it was done in 2 days! I chose a rich, slightly distressed engineered product. The planks are 5” wide, come in random lengths and are pre-finished. It’s an incredibly durable wood product, easy to install and less expensive than custom wood floors. Next the kitchen appliances were delivered and installed. Mean while, the electrician installed all the new light fixtures and fans through out the house, outside fixtures, and switched out all the outlets and switch plates. My handyman put up all the wood binds and finally the carpeting was installed in the 3 bedrooms and closets. DONE, DONE, DONE. It sure felt good!!! It was an quite a transformation ~ the house looks amazing.

There were lots of moving parts, many long & sometimes frustrating days – no construction project goes without a hiccup here and there. You have to expect glitches, mistakes, delays, even the impact of weather. If I have learned one thing in all my years in this business – when faced with a problem, big or small, there’s always a solution. I’m always saying, “It’s not a perfect world & as long as no one got hurt it will be fine”. The key is to take a deep breath, stay calm, circle back around, consider the options, maintain an open mind– but most of all keep a sense of humor! At times the solution sometimes even works out for the better! As always - I couldn’t have done it without an unbelievable crew of contractors – on to the next one!!!!!