HGTV's Brother Vs. Brother Proves Even The Property Brothers Make Mistakes Sometimes
Renovating a current or new home can be time-consuming, challenging, and expensive. A lot goes into fixing up a house, such as adding a new coat of paint, sprucing up the bathroom, changing the flooring, switching out the light fixtures, etc. Naturally, the more remodeling you do, the more expensive it'll be, but if you're not rushing to transform your home entirely, you can start small. On the other hand, if you're on a schedule to renovate your home, you could learn a few things from the Property Brothers.
Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott have renovated homes together for years and have two shows, "The Property Brothers" and "Brother vs. Brother." They've worked together, turning houses into gorgeous living spaces, and worked against each other in friendly competitions. Even though the brothers have years of experience, they've had a few mishaps in their projects. In an episode of "Brother vs. Brother," Jonathan and Drew go head to head to see who can profit most on the homes they bought in Los Angeles. While there were some trophy-worthy upgrades, the duo also made some mistakes that you can learn from.
Didn't consider storage and garages
During their Los Angeles home renovation battle, the brothers remodeled the garages into accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for family members or guests to have extra space to stay that isn't attached to the main house. Even though having additional living spaces is handy for letting guests stay after parties or get-togethers, it eliminates storage space or a place to keep cars. According to Realtor.com, Drew turned the home's toolshed into a small lounging area with a couch, chairs, new doors, and an entire pink interior for $24,000. Instead, he could've saved most of that money and used a small amount to spruce up the toolshed to give it better storage capabilities, like shelves.
Eliminating your garage can actually decrease the value of your home. Even though an ADU gives you additional square footage like a garage, if you decide to sell your home, buyers often consider having a parking garage, especially in cities with high impacted street parking. In addition, garages provide extra security for cars if homeowners live in a risky neighborhood. While it's different with toolsheds, they won't decrease your home's value, you'll have to find additional space to store your equipment.
Don't create an overflow of designs
Another mistake you want to avoid is combining too many colors, patterns, and prints in your home. You don't want to make the mistake of creating clutter in a room with décor as Drew did in his Los Angeles home, per Realtor.com. Drew created a stunning living room with vibrant colors, like green, blue, and pink, mixed with neutrals, like white and beige, but they clashed with floral patterns and wicker textures. While the overall style is a mix of modern and vintage, the number of furniture pieces and décor is too much for the small space. The living room would have looked perfect with a couple of couches and a glass coffee table to open up the room.
On the other hand, it can be expensive to purchase multiple high-end embellishments. While Drew had the budget to acquire the pieces, you can find high-quality pieces at vintage stores or thrift stores at affordable prices to fit your budget. Regardless of the budget, certain interior styles can be too much for some families, so opting for a simple interior design can be considered a safe option. Moreover, it can be an effective one, especially when selling a home.