You Think You Got it Bad (Part 1)

I was reading another home renovation blog this morning: The Dread House and it gave me flashbacks to a renovation I did a year or two ago. A friend of mine and I got a chance to renovate the place on the owner's dime - we just put all our labor and design ideas into it and then got paid once it sold. Typically a risky proposition, but the place was owned by my dad so I wasn't too worried about getting shafted on the deal. No, he didn't live there - it was a property he owned and rented. The people living there were there for about 10 years and put NO effort into keeping it in good shape, as you'll see from the "Before" pictures.

Like any good House of Horrors, you have no idea what hides behind each door. From the outside, the place is a somewhat generic looking condo (top right of the building). Well maintained exterior, although a little dated.




Step on in and visit Satan's Garage Sale. All this crap was waiting for us on day one of the renovation, the day we wanted to remove the cat piss stained carpet and other misc items which were getting replaced, including the bathroom vanities, counter tops, etc. Here, my buddy and his wife (who was VERY lucky to suffer from cat allergies so she couldn't stay and help) survey the mess.




The carpet is skid-mark brown, almost the same shade as the carpet in my current house. I hated it in the condo, I hate it in my house.




I still haven't figured out who's cleaning supplies these were. The PO sure never used them. Cigarette burns on the cultured marble vanity tops - classy.