How much remodeling have you done?

Discussion in 'Sun City General Discussions' started by BPearson, Apr 6, 2017.

  1. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    One of the most often heard comments from potential buyers of Sun City homes is the lament..."the homes are old." In fact, they are right; most have been built from 1060 through 1078. Occasionally you'll find one that has been gutted and rebuilt, and for sure, flippers have upped their game as they've bought up vintage properties and done some pretty nice upgrades.

    The other constant has been the number of buyers who have come in and put their personal touches on Sun City homes. The early years were filled with owners who did half-assed DIY projects that were tacky at best. That all changed in the past 15 or 20 years as buyers weren't afraid to hire companies that did quality work.

    We bought the house we live in 1999. Even though i told my wife it was perfect as is, there's not a door, window, floor or ceiling that hasn't been redone. The kitchen has been remodeled 3 times. The second home we will downsize to is in the process of a complete facelift.

    At times, it all seems daunting. Truth is, it's exciting to watch as the old bones get retrofitted to have a new, fresh look.

    So, the question is: have you done any remodeling since buying in Sun City? If not, will you in the near future?
     
  2. Cynthia

    Cynthia Well-Known Member

    My SC home was mostly original except they had enclosed the long back patio to make it a living room. And did a great job of it too. It wasn't run down and no wallpaper or much DIY. I have updated electrical switches & outlets, new paint inside, all new floors, new door knobs (small change that makes a big difference), LED recessed lights in every room and sconces changed, new ceiling fans. Few other things. Solar is going up right this very minute :cower:. And I haven't moved in yet. When I do move in I'll update the kitchen and not sure about the bathrooms...I hate to clean tile and my original enclosure is in great shape. Will do new windows and enclose the patio, change the red brick on back yard to something else. I don't think I'm taking down any walls. At first I wanted to but I've decided to embrace the crazy angles that my architect, whomever he was, decided was cool beans at the time. Even though I almost run into one wall because them. I could have easily lived in it as was except for the painting, floors and kitchen appliances. But I refreshed. BTW, does the museum have any info on the architects?
     
  3. IndependentCynic

    IndependentCynic Active Member

    We plan to do major remodel when we win the lottery, lol...

    However, in the meantime we did completely gut/redo the Kitchen about 8 years ago + new appliances. Have new roof, new heatpump, exterior & interior paint, added garage door to carport, and revamped the landscaping. Unfortunately, replacement windows, bath redos, etc. are waiting for the rich uncle to pass away.
     
  4. sussea

    sussea Member

    We have painted, installed new ceiling fans, new windows and a new slider.Our plans are to remodel both bathrooms since they have the original cabinets, install new ceramic tile, and remodel the kitchen with new cabinets.
     
  5. pegmih

    pegmih Well-Known Member

    I have lived here 10 years come the 4th of July 2017. Nearly every year I have replaced something - AC, washer/dryer, water heater, stove, microwave, refrigerator, and 2 toilets. The only emergency was the water heater. I don't use dishwasher very often and it is in good condition so no need to replace.

    Just this week I had my courtyard resurfaced and will post pictures.
     
  6. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the comments gang. The fun thing about Sun City is putting your own stamp on the home you buy. There's always something to do and it's fun to do it at your own pace and as you can afford it. The beauty of the community is you can do as much or as little as you want. Even vintage properties are awesome as long as people keep them up. Nice.

    On a side note, toured the KHov models finally. Awesome. Funny thing is there's only 1 lot left, a couple of spec homes and one of the models left for sale. Damn, they did a nice job on them.
     
  7. BruceW

    BruceW Active Member

    Agreed, we stopped by to look at them a few weeks ago while there for a few spring training games. The 2100 sqft unit was really nice. Well out of our desired price range, but we got some really good ideas.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2017
  8. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Too funny BW; we did the same thing...looking for ideas in the remodel. In the end it worked out well in that we found two incredible ideas to incorporate into our remodel on the home we will downsize to.

    Loved the angled island in the second model home and when we remove the wall from the galley kitchen and get the addition on, we will try and incorporate that into the design.

    The other item was the collapsible doors, also in model 2. We were going to use a 16 x 10 sliding door from Window World with a center opening, but while touring the model fell in love with the movable wall of windows. We found the company that makes them in Glendale AZ, called AVANTI. We stopped yesterday and turns out we bought it for the same money as the one we were going to buy from Window World. If you've ever been to the home shows, it's comparable to the Nana Walls on display there and less than half the price.

    Just goes to show it never hurts to go check on designs builders are incorporating into their models to help get ideas if you are remodeling eh?
     
  9. Fiona

    Fiona New Member

    We bought this little shack in 2011 and took it mostly to the studs. We put in new plumbing, electrical, windows etc. We bumped out the living room wall and added two new rooms. Love my house and we are still working on things...the forever remodel. We did most of the work ourselves.
     
  10. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Damn Fi, i'm always impressed when people can do that themselves. I have two tools; a hammer and a bigger hammer and most often reach for the latter.

    It is interesting to note those early years after DEVCO left, there were hundreds of DIY projects that were suspect at best. Way too many guys who remembered shop class from high school and grabbed a buddy and a case of beer or two and put on a room addition (and clearly you could tell).

    Pretty cool how far we've come with folks either hiring professionals or taking the time themselves to do it right. Clearly Sun City is evolving far beyond what the rec centers are doing.
     
  11. Fiona

    Fiona New Member

    We visited a few of the handyman specials here and it gives you the goosebumps lol. Husband a licensed professional, so we sleep well at night. These homes are becoming hard to find in their original state.
     

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