To cornice or not to cornice?

Question

So I'm about to start rehabbing this house, and in my opinion adding a cornice all around would make the house not look as boxy and add character for little money. Maybe even add siding. My contractor is trying to talk me out of it, saying that I might find myself having to re-shingle the 2-year old roof because it would be hard to match siding exactly. He suggests oversized gutters instead, paint the block, and forget about siding. What are your thoughts on this?

Account Closed · Answer

@Dzmitry Zakharau This is a completely local issue. What do other houses in the area look like? Are you wanting to rent or flip the property?

Dzmitry Zakharau · Answer

Thanks a lot for all the advice! @Jim Adriancontractor thought that the porch is oversized for the size of the house as well, so we essentially came up with the design below. Just like you, I would like to see block covered up if possible. But my choices are as follows:1) Siding. It would have been my preferred choice, but to go this route I have to do cornice since it will bring the walls out and there is no eave at all right now. There is also a possibility of block cracking (house was built in 1947) and us having to revert to alternate choices after all. So, the expenses would look like this: 2.5K cornice + 10k siding + Extra boxing on windows + potential for re-roof.2) Stucco. It would still dramatically change the look, and would only cost 8.1k with no significant extras and no cornice. However, there are still quite a few folks that run away from stucco and it's not all that common in GA. My wife does not like the idea at all, I don't mind it, so I figured I'd reach out here and gather more feedback samples. 3) Repairing the block, sandblasting, and painting it. This would only be around 3k for repair+sandblast. Obviously, painting would have to be done no matter what route I choose.I do like the addition of the brick to the bottom, I pondered that from the start, and if I go with option 3 there will be plenty of room to have it done.

Kevin Kroll · Answer

Based on the little familiarity I have with Athens I would vote not to add the cornice. It might be a nice feature, and make the home look a bit nicer, but since it is a flip you have to be thinking about every $100 you spend along the lines of whether it will make someone want to pay $150 more for the house?There will be some people who this will really appeal to, but not everyone, and it will likely be less important at the lower price point I assume this home is at.I'd either apply the money elsewhere, or hold on to it so you can sell the house for cheaper and still hit your return targets.

Neal Collins · Answer

I don't know if a cornice would really be the update you're looking for. Maybe. I like the idea of adding columns instead of the iron rods.

Jack Tucker · Answer

just got a nice cash injection so probably not much wholesaling for now. I love buying. In Process of Closing 2. Currently Running 3 rehabs. May sell 1 or 2 of those. Doing my first owner finance sale using a sub 2 I just closed. Learning all along the way. I can wholesale some heavy cashflow large 4+ bedroom condos. Rents at $2700/month at $180k price. Also a 5 bedroom at 90k that rents 1250-1400. Condos have added nice chunks to my income snowball in the last 12 months. I'm trying to stay focused on my large MF goals but since that's an asset class that's very rare to find, in the mean time there's solid hold value in the Athens condo market.

Dzmitry Zakharau · Answer

@Marian SmithI like the way you think, if all goes well, timing should allow for plenty of color.

Dzmitry Zakharau · Answer

@Jack TuckerWhat makes you think they'd want the headache? I'm sure they'd rather move on to the next 3 as well. Besides, learning by doing is by far better than learning by watching. And, BP allows me to have wonderful unbiased advice from folks around the country that might produce something even the master haven't considered, you know? Speaking of the next 3, what you got?

Marian Smith · Answer

I vote for beefier columns...to add substance to the porch...the porch isn't too large for the house, it is too large for the spindly columns. and add 2 large matching cement planters to flank the entry overfilled with red geraniums. Classic look. You could add 4 planters, two taller on the porch and slighly smaller flanking the door. The house is nice, it just needs a few pops of color. A blooming crepe myrtle would be nice too....on the corner with the smaller window, a small tree is needed there anyway. Flowers...huge bang for the buck.

Jack Tucker · Answer

Lots of uncertainty. Sell to Duke or Ellis. Or partner with them. Offer to hold it while they work it up. Then sit back and see what the masters do. Move on to the next 3 that don't require this much mental toil.

Dzmitry Zakharau · Answer

Thank you, Jim Adrian and Jeff Berg for suggestions. I'll look into getting this puppy dressed up and continue working on the front porch. Jean Bolger it would be nice, but I can't touch the front door way because there's a structural beam in the middle of it above and all solid concrete around and on sides supporting it. I'm afraid it might compromise integrity of structure.