MID-CENTURY MODERN REMODEL LOVE STORY

Mid-century modern has a nice ring.

Whether a chair, a table, or a house, there’s a built in appeal to the name.

Mid-century people are called baby boomers, but you knew that.

And there’s little that gets between a boomer and their stuff.

If something looks like it could have been made in the ’50’s there’s a place for it in boomerlandia.

I knew a guy who collected old telephones. He had friends who collected old telephones and he bought their inventory when they decided enough was enough.

Eventually he had had enough too when his garage filled up like a failed Amway agent.

Now someone else has a huge collection of old phones in cardboard boxes.

But let’s think mid-century bigger.

Mid-Century Modern House Remodel

An interview with the owner of a three bedroom, one bath, single car garage ranch house that’s now a two bathroom house:

Me: How did the remodel go?

Owner: It’s almost done.

Me: Are you happy with the results?

Owner: Yes, over all I’m happy.

Me: Would you do it again?

Owner: Knowing what I know now, probably not. But it’s an investment property and we invested in it.

Me: That makes sense.

Owner: The problem was getting things organized after Covid.

Me: Like what?

Owner: Like finding the right contractors. I had a general contractor who had a team that included plumbers, electricians, and builders.

Me: What did you do?

Owner: I bumped out the master bedroom and added a toilet and shower and closets.

Me: Sounds pretty straight forward.

Owner: On paper. But the permits were a long time coming in a city working short staffed. Building permit, electrical permit, plumbing permit.

Me: That’s a lot of permits.

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Owner: It’s a safeguard. They do the work then inspectors come in with a pass or fail.

Me: Was there a problem?

Owner: The plumber found a rat infestation in the crawl space. They bagged all of the old insulation and installed new after they finished their work. That’s when we learned we had to upgrade our water pipe from the main based on usage points.

Me: Usage points?

Owner: The points are based on how many water outlets a house has. We added a shower, sink, and toilet. Along with the bigger water supply we needed drainage upgrades to avoid back flow.

Me: Sounds expensive.

Owner: It was. As it sits I’ll have to upgrade my electrical panel if I change anything else. It’s maxed out.

Me: More expenses down the line?

Owner: No, I’m done. A mid-century house is built based on the specs of the time. Two by four walls without insulation is common.

Me: A hidden cost for heating.

Owner: I don’t know about hidden, but the remodel needed an architectural plan, poured cement foundation, new gutters, and don’t ask me about the siding.

Me: What about the siding?

Owner: I could either scab together bits and pieces of old siding for the new part, or do the entire back side of the house for consistency all around. Didn’t plan on that.

Me: So you had additional electric and plumbing, rat infestation and new siding. What else?

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Owner: I had it landscaped and built a new shed.

Me: You went all in.

Owner: All new appliances.

Me: What was the most important part of the job?

Owner: They convinced me to paint the garage for more appeal to renters.

Me: Did it work?

Owner: I hired a tenant screener to show the house. It rented in four days. They move in Wednesday.

Me: Now what?

Owner: Now I pay the bills, and there’s lots of them. Paint, tiles, marmoleum, refinished the hardwood floors. New trim.

Me: I want to move in.

Owner: That’s the feeling I’m going for.

Me: Congratulations, you did it.

Owner: It’s not like some HGTV show when it’s going on in real time.

Me: Did you have any help?

The Mid-Century Modern Project Partner

Owner: My husband. He was a huge help just buy listening and suggestions and not questioning the contractors every step of the way.

Me: He’s like that?

Owner: He thinks he can do everything.

Me: Oh, one of those guys.

Owner: He was a big help in keeping the message clear and simple. One of the contractors called him ‘Pretty Boy’ and he didn’t snap. Others baited him by saying he didn’t seem to care about the progress.

Me: Did he?

Owner: He checked on all the work, crawled under the house, cleaned up after them. He made it go smooth.

Me: He sounds like a keeper. First husband?

Owner: What?

Me: Is he your first husband or did you wear a few out before him.

Owner: I see this interview taking a turn, but yes he’s my only husband, a mid-century modern man if there ever was one. He’s a middle boomer, a middle son, and a middling guitar player.

Me: How did you meet?

Owner: You could say we met on line. The moment I saw him I walked a straight line to him. Since then we’ve walked together every step of the way. I couldn’t do what I do without him.

Me: What does he do?

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Owner: Most of all he makes life worth living. He loves to cook, but his biggest brag is finishing making dinner with a clean kitchen after using every pot and pan in the drawer and every utensil in the collection. It’s all cleaned and put away before we sit down to eat. I don’t know how he does it.

Me: So he likes to cook. Does your man do the wash and ironing too?

Owner: He’s the best ironer I’ve ever seen and I’m glad you asked. He takes pride in his ironing skills.

Me: Don’t we all?

Owner: I’ve never met anyone like him. I call him my Renaissance Man.

Me: We could all use one of those.

Owner: They don’t grow on every tree.

Me: Not like a coconut or pinecone.

Owner: More like a rare orchid.

Me: Will you two work together again?

Owner: We’re making plans for the future, yes. And he keeps me warm.

Me: Aren’t you the lucky one.

Owner: We’re both lucky.