All Forum Posts by: Dylan Long

The tan linked is a nice color, though it may ultimately look a little bland since the tile and countertop aren't are dissimilar color. I suppose for a rental that may not be the worst thing, since it will be really neutral. 

Whatever color you choose will likely look better than the dark blue.

No problem Kyle. I like the look of butcher block too, and like how it's relatively inexpensive. It does have its downsides, but can be a great way to punch up an interior. 

Thanks Tom!

OP, if you do buy new cabinets consider adding a full length next to the fridge if there is room. Could add some valuable pantry space that appears to be lacking.

Also consider that right now your kitchen space is defined by the change in floor. With a seamless floor, that space is no longer defined, thus you are able to steal room for the kitchen from what I assume is the living room. IMO most people would gladly lose 1-2 feet from a living room to gain it in a kitchen, assuming the kitchen is cramped to start. 

PS again this is a quick build/render, so there are some obvious issues (such as the overlapping upper cabinets). :) 

Here is kind of what I'm thinking. Only spent a few minutes on this, so a lot of stuff is off/wonky like lights. I just threw on some colors. Mainly wanted to illustrate the white cabinets, bigger island, and one floor. Finish of floor, counter tops, etc could all be done better to tie in a nice scheme, but just tried to work something up between the gym and dinner.

If it were me I'd do something like the following:

• Nice laminate flooring throughout. No separate flooring in any area but the bathroom. Will make it seem larger and will hold up better to wear/tear than carpet.
• I'd likely move the island out 2 ft to the left (assuming there is space, hard to tell given the camera angle) and double the size of it. This would give much more workspace, and you could add an overhang on the end opposite the fridge and fit two stools comfortably for an eating area.
• New countertop if you can afford it. You could do the main countertop is something more expensive, and then the island in butcher block to save money and add some variety to the finishes. 
• Replace the $20 globe lights with some nicer fixtures. 
• Paint cabinets, new handles/pulls. 
• Plan on repainting walls to match the style/scheme of whatever you choose. Plus I imagine the paint looks dated as is. 
• Bathroom isn't terrible, but the off-white tub/toilet/sink instantly date it. 

If you give me the dimensions of the kitchen/living room and a rough floorplan drawing I could whip you up a 3d design pretty quickly illustrating what I'm talking about. 

I would definitely be removing some drywall, if only to see if the mold is on the side of the walls/in the insulation. 

I know the goal is the make money, but I couldn't in good conscience move forward on a property if there was any doubt in my mind about mold being present behind the walls. 

Do you know WHY the basement flooded? Leak in the foundation, water line leaking inside a wall on the upper floor, combination thereof? 

I'm sure someone here has been through something similar before, so they'll likely have better advice. But I'd definitely ask the listing agent what they know. 

Portland's permitting office is over on 4th avenue by the university science/engineering center. 1900 SW 4th Avenue, first floor. Someone there may be able to give you more information on the property. I used to work in that building oddly enough. 

Can the listing agent provide any information on what work was not permitted? 

 Hey Brain,

Turnaround time largely depends on how busy I am with my primary line of work, so it's hard to say reliably. That said, I'm a pretty quick worker and can usually turn around an initial design in 1-2 days. It really depends on how complex the property is. I am doing one locally for a Victorian attic, and it had a lot of complicated lines due to the roof structure that took a bit to get right. If they're simple "square" rooms. When I built these for Gary I didn't actually build the whole house floorplan, I just created standalone rooms and added some extra walls to give the appearance that it was part of a bigger house. 

As far as info goes; the more the better! I can work with as little as a room shape and some rough dimensions, but if you have more specific dimensions, ideas on finishes/colors, etc I can get closer to what you want on an initial shot. 

Right now I'm getting a decent bit of local interest and starting to make some money on this side business, which is all exciting. One home I did a small design for is part of a historic homes tour this year, so I'm going to sneak in my card and a tablet with a slideshow so people walking through can see. 

That said, I'd be open to helping another BP'er to develop the portfolio more, as long as they're patient and willing to provide some before/after if they move forward building the project. 

Thanks for the kind words! It was fun working with you too. Totally understandable that projects and needs change. Can't fault anyone on doing what's right for their budget. 

Hopefully we can collaborate again in the future! 

For anyone interested . . . here is the layout/concept we came up with for a few of the rooms:

Kitchen:

Bathroom Concept 1:

Bathroom Concept 2 (same dimensions as #1, just a different floorplan: