We answer three homeowner questions that come up often during design and construction: how to handle change orders, how to design a house around real life, and how much resale value should influence personal design decisions.
We start with an ADU owner who has received several change orders, including a $7,000 increase for tile and fixtures selected from the builder's own options. We explain that allowances need to be realistic and itemized from the beginning. A single $52,000 finish allowance does not tell an owner whether the budget for plumbing, lighting, appliances, tile, or other finishes is reasonable. When a change order arrives, it should also be written and itemized clearly enough for the owner to understand what changed and why.
We also stress that owners should not feel pressured into approving changes immediately or agreeing verbally because of schedule concerns. Taking time to understand the cost is reasonable. When several change orders have already appeared, it can be helpful to sit down with the contractor, review the past changes, understand the current one, and ask what additional changes may still be coming. Homeowners should also understand the consumer protection requirements that apply in their state and make sure payments remain connected to work actually completed.
Our second question is about designing for real life instead of designing from attractive images. We explain that homeowners do not need to arrive at an architect's office with every answer. A large part of the design process is figuring out how people actually live. That includes when they work, how they entertain, how they exercise, whether guests stay overnight, what pets need, and how spaces might need to change over time.
We also talk about inspiration images. The important question is not simply whether someone likes a photo. It is what they like about it. The answer might be the light, materials, layout, color, or relationship between spaces. Images of things people dislike can be just as useful. AI generated images require additional caution because they may show rooms or proportions that could not actually work in a real building.
Finally, we consider resale. We believe a home should first support the people living in it. If someone expects to stay for many years, personal finishes do not always need to be selected around a future buyer. There is a difference, however, between a distinctive tile choice and a fundamental layout decision that limits how the house can function. The bones of the house deserve more consideration. Finishes can be more personal.
(00:00) Intro
(00:13) ADU contractor change orders
(03:05) Why allowances should be itemized
(05:23) Do not rush to approve a change order
(06:58) When builder option lists exceed the budget
(09:12) Having a clear the deck meeting with your contractor
(10:27) Consumer protections and homeowner leverage
(12:27) How to design a home for real life
(13:23) Why homeowners do not need everything figured out
(16:50) Balancing specific needs with flexible spaces
(18:47) What does entertaining actually mean?
(20:00) How architects use inspiration images
(21:33) The problem with AI generated design images
(23:05) How much should resale matter?
(26:53) Personal finishes versus major layout decisions
(29:11) Designing for yourself while protecting the home's bones
(30:17) First floor primary bedrooms and aging in place
Speakers: Sheri Scott & Marilyn Moedinger
Marilyn Moedinger (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to a mailbag episode of Home: The Second Story. I'm Marilyn Moedinger of Runcible Studios, which is located in Boston, Massachusetts in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Sheri Scott (00:13):
And I'm Sheri Scott from Springhouse Architects in Cincinnati, Ohio.
And we're going to start today with a question literally from Reddit. We were looking through the home building part of Reddit, and I thought this was a great question that we've kind of touched base on or we've definitely dealt with a lot.
This person writes, “My ADU contractor keeps adding change orders. What should I have done differently?”
So, their story is:
“We're about halfway through a detached ADU build, so far, we've gotten four change orders. The latest one is about $7,000 for tile and fixtures. But the thing is, we already picked everything from the builder's own option list (red flag). Our contract had a $52,000 finish allowance now they're saying our picks came to around $69,000 and nobody told us while we were choosing.”
“I know some changes are fair, like if they hit something underground or whatever, but this time feels different. For anyone who's done this, what should I have put in the contract up front, and what should a change order show before I sign it?”
Marilyn Moedinger (01:28):
There's so much good stuff in there. We could do a whole episode just on this.
Sheri Scott (01:29):
No kidding. So, top level, like we can't get too much into what a change order is. A change order is a price difference from what the contract is that you’ve signed. So, what this person is saying is they chose tile and fixtures that were more expensive than what was in their contract. The catch is that the contractor presented these options to them and didn't tell them that they cost more.
Marilyn Moedinger (01:58):
That's not cool. That’s really not cool (laughs). This person's asking what they should have put in the contract up front. So, something to keep in mind is when you are signing a contract, if there are finish allowances, which happens all the time, and those allowances mean, “Hey, we haven't picked out the appliances or the tile or the whatever, but here's a dollar amount that we're holding that you owner are going to go shopping with later to buy those things. And if you spend more, you have to pay the difference and if you spend less, you get the difference (fun fact).”
But the thing is, a lot of times, builders who are maybe not quite as on the up and up will put tiny little allowances in to make their number look better. So, you need to be looking at the allowances and making sure that they're realistic.
Sheri Scott (02:53):
In the contract.
Marilyn Moedinger (02:54):
In the contract, right. So, if they said $2,000 for all of the appliances for the kitchen, then that's not realistic, and it's just making their number look better against the other guys. So, that's something to look at right away.
Sheri Scott (03:05):
And it's interesting, and I don't I don't know anything more than what I read to you. But they said, “Our contract had a $52,000 finish allowance.” So, one thing I would look for is to get an itemized allowance list, because $52,000 lumped in one big lump is not very helpful. Like how would you know if that's enough or not as a first time or one time or third time builder? You just don't know.
So, if you saw a line item that said $2,000 for plumbing fixtures or $500 for all of your light fixtures, that would show you a red flag. And that's probably what happened here was some of the allowances were appropriate and some of them weren’t, but you didn't know the line items.
Marilyn Moedinger (03:53):
And I think as far as what to do now, now that he's looking at these change orders, is to say, “Okay, well, how do I decide whether to sign them or not? They should be itemized.” So, you can always ask. I always say that whoever's paying is allowed to ask as many questions as they want about what they're getting for what they're paying for.
So, there's a limit to that, though. So, I'll just say this, like when you go to the restaurant, you get an itemized receipt. It says you ordered the cheeseburger with a side of fries, and those fries were two dollars extra because you didn't get the whatever.
But you're not getting an itemized receipt saying, “Well, this was the flour that we used to make the bun of the cheeseburger.” So, keep in mind that that itemization doesn't go down to how many nails and screws, you're just looking for these are the plumbing fixtures, this is the plumbing labor. So, sometimes what will happen is they'll say, well, the allowance was for the plumbing fixtures and labor.
So, how do you navigate that if you've never done it before? Well, our answer is always going to be the same. You need to get a designer or an architect who's on your side, who understands these things, who can walk you through it. Hands down.
You are not going to be able to learn all this stuff on your own. That's just the way it is. That said, if you don't have that person on, asking for an itemized change order is really important. So, that's what this person should do right away, is ask for an itemized change order.
Sheri Scott (05:23):
Yeah, I agree. Don't be pressured to sign it fast. That's one of the tactics I see. And I don't want to say it's always like here, sign this, don't ask questions or you're going to delay your project in an adversarial way. But a lot of times, change orders are under time pressure.
Feel empowered to say, “Wait a minute, I'm taking 24 hours to understand this, digest it, talk to people, and then sign it.” 24 hours is not going to kill anyone's schedule. The person probably won't show up tomorrow anyway. So, just take your time and make sure that you understand it.
The other thing I've seen from unscrupulous contractors is because of a time schedule, forcing them to just verbally agree. It's going to be $7,000, you picked these things, just let me know if we can go ahead and just get started. We'll do the paperwork later. My God, in horror stories, I hear that all the time. In a good project, you don't hear that.
A change order is processed, it is written, it is itemized. You're given it. They say, “Let me know if you have any questions.” And they give you time with it. If you're going to fight back, fight back against having to do anything rash or quickly. Make sure that you ask for all of the information that you deserve to have. It's your money. It's what you're paying.
Marilyn Moedinger (06:58):
Absolutely. And what I don't understand here, there's a little nuance going on here where they said that they chose all of these finishes from the builder's own option list. So, why didn't the builder say, “Hey, you're choosing the gold package, but we priced the silver package, like you're picking things that are more expensive.”
That is a completely legitimate thing to say, is, “Hold on. You didn't tell me when I was picking these things that these are more expensive.” And that's where the time comes into because then oftentimes, the unscrupulous builder will say, “Well, now it's too late. If you choose something else, yes, it'll save you money, but it's going to take me three weeks to get that in.”
And that's the problem with working with a one-stop shop builder. You have no ability; you're just in their world. You can't do anything else. And you have no sort of leverage to do anything else. So, I think that is hard to avoid if you're already in that contract with them.
But you can say to them, “Wait a second, you didn't tell me what these cost. You didn't tell me I was picking the more expensive one. I'd be happy to choose something that was more in line if you give me three options that are in my budget.” And if they're like, “Oh, well, we can't give you any options in your budget.” And you're like, “Well, you said this is what this would cost.” So, definitely push back.
I find people, builders, even the best ones, will often push owners towards things that are easiest for them, easiest for their schedule, easiest for … and I say this with all the love for good builders in my heart, but that's what happens. Because they're trying to execute the project and get in and get out and do a good job, but make sure that their job is execution.
So, standing up to that is really, really, really important, even if it does mean a delay. What's a three-week delay if it means saving tens of thousands of dollars or getting tile that you love instead of some expensive thing that you don't want.
Sheri Scott (09:12):
For this in particular, I would encourage the person to ask for an office meeting where you're sitting down at a table and say, “Bring all of the paper. Let's sit down at the table, I want to understand what the change orders were in the past. I want to understand this change order right now. And I want to understand what change orders we can expect in the future. Because contractor, you've been through this 50 times, you know what's going to be coming up, and I would like to know what's coming up.”
And I just think you have to have a “clear the deck” conversation at this point because now, he's like this is our fourth change order. Well, you may have 20 more coming, I don't know. And maybe it's just time to have a clear the deck conversation and come with your expectations and tell them, okay, we were kind of running loose up until now, but from here on out, I want everything in writing, just like our contract says, I want everything itemized.
If your contract didn't call for it being itemized, for everyone else out there that's listening, make sure that's in your contract.
Marilyn Moedinger (10:27):
I also want to point out too that there are laws in different states or different every state, but that generally that protect homeowners. There's a whole set of laws under consumer protection that protects people in situations with builders and contractors.
The law is there because they recognize that people are spending a lot of money on something that they're not an expert in. So, there are laws for consumer protection and things like that, like the builder must, in many states, must keep a cost estimate, and must itemize it. And that's the law. And that must be part of the contract.
And if they aren't doing that, then they may be in violation of consumer protection laws. So, that is also worth it to look into that. That is not to say you go into a sit-down meeting, and you start guns blazing with the law and “I'm going to sue you.” I am not saying that. What I'm saying is there are protections in place, and it would be worth understanding what your rights are.
And the last thing I'll say because I know we need to move into our next question, is your only leverage as an owner is payment. That is the only leverage you have. And if you are unsure about paying something because you don't know what you're getting or you don't know what's going on, then you need to not pay if you don't have a clear understanding of what you are getting in return.
I am not advocating to not pay people for work that has been done or to go against your contract, I'm not saying that. But I am saying that that is your only leverage, and you should not have paid for 75% of the project, for example, when it's only 25% done. And you should not be paying for change orders unless you understand what's in them. So, that's that (laughs).
Sheri Scott (12:25):
Okay. What else you got?
Marilyn Moedinger (12:27):
Alright, let's see. Next question. This one's fun.
“How do we design for real life? I save lots of beautiful images, but I know that liking a photo online is not the same thing as designing a house that works for our family. We entertain often, both work from home sometimes, and have aging parents who may need to stay with us. How do homeowners figure out what they really need instead of just what looks good in pictures?”
Love that question.
Sheri Scott (12:54):
Yeah. Yeah. It's complex, honestly. We always strive to design for how you're going to live. And everyone lives differently, surprisingly. There are a lot of commonalities that we all have, but that's why there's a custom home industry, because if you're able to design for the actual way you live, then that's really the ultimate that you can get to.
Marilyn Moedinger (13:23):
Absolutely. And one phrase I want to pull out of here that I think is really crucial — the person ends this question by saying, “How do homeowners figure out what they really need?” Well, homeowners are not alone. So, one of our continual themes here is throughout all of our episodes is call your architect, hire a good designer.
We are here. You do not need to come to us with everything figured out, everything organized, everything ready to go. You can come to us with a pile of problems and a pile of things that you cannot figure out how to fit together. We don't just draw up plans; we figure that out with you.
So, a good architect and a good designer can take all those things. I'm not saying everything will be exactly perfect because you do have to compromise if you're not living in 30,000 square feet, and even then, you still have to compromise.
So, I think step one to answering this question, in my mind, would be hire someone to help you figure that out, an expert, an architect or a designer who's an expert.
Sheri Scott (14:28):
I'll give you an example. It just happened last week. We had an initial meeting. So, a client had called, did a quick “are we a good fit” on the telephone. It seemed like we were. We met out at their site because it was a renovation project.
And so, we walked through this house that they were just taking occupancy of. It was totally empty; the people had already moved out. And they were throwing out ideas here and there, and they just were so excited to get in the house. I think they just had occupancy for a day or so.
And so, we walked through the whole thing and they were throwing out, maybe this will be a gym or maybe this will be our office, and lots of different things. And then through us getting our contract and doing their existing conditions drawings, then they came in for what I call the real first meeting.
I said, “Come back in.” And they're like, “Are you just going to start?” I'm like, “No, no, no. You're going to come back in. We're going to sit down at my table and we're going to talk through everything again.” And he's like, “Oh, good.” Because they couldn't remember what they told us, they couldn't remember all those things.
So, we really then got the opportunity to … we didn't even know they had two dogs — no kids, but two dogs. It's like, okay, so now we're getting to the real information. We found out they have two dogs They don't entertain a lot, but if they do, it's only four to six people. They don't have big family, but they work out a lot.
They're both in the medical field, and so they're having a wellness room. Well, how far do they want the gym to be from the wellness room? Well, I don't want to walk because there's a perfect place on the other side of the house to be the gym. But he didn't want to walk all the way through the house to get to his wellness room.
And to a lot of people listening, you're like, “Oh, what problems to have.” But these are the things we get down to because it doesn't cost any money for us to talk about these things at the table and to figure out like, what do you really want?
Yeah, we can put the gym down there. That'd be easy. The contractor would probably like it because it's a clear room. It's next to water, all these things, but that's not how you want to live. That's not what you want your daily life to be like, and this is your one opportunity to speak up and really talk through all of those things.
Marilyn Moedinger (16:50):
Absolutely. And I think that what you're also describing is balancing that type of specificity of the gym where the wellness room is, whatever, with flexibility so that because this person is asking about, we have aging parents who may need to stay with us, we both work from home. So, you need spaces that are super specific to you. Like a wellness room and a gym to those folks, that was really specific to them — but you also need to be able to have spaces that flex.
And the way that we talk about that when we're talking with clients is, “Okay, well, when do these things happen?” So, working from home generally happens between 8:30 and 5:30 or whatever. I had one client who is a consultant, works from home, and all his clients are in Europe. So, he worked in the middle of the night, he was working. And so, we needed to create a space that was very separate from the primary bedroom.
Sheri Scott (17:53):
Yes, because somebody else is sleeping.
Marilyn Moedinger (17:55):
And whatever. So, if he's having a Zoom call at three in the morning or whatever, that he's not waking up his wife. So, that was a very specific thing about working from home. But then in the afternoon, he's not working because he's already done his workday. So, then the spaces where the two of them would be hanging out in the afternoon, we could leave behind the working thing.
So, there's that specificity, but also the flexibility to I mean, he can use his office at any time, obviously, but it needed to be really separate. Whereas if you're working from 8:30 to 5:30, maybe that could also be a guest room or that could also … you can have spaces that do double duty. It's all about timing, it's not just about the space, but when are you using the space.
Sheri Scott (18:42):
Yeah, to talk through your entire day and when different things happen.
Marilyn Moedinger (18:47):
Also, you brought up about this client- you were talking about entertaining but only people in a group of four to six. In my experience, most owners will say we entertain a lot, and I have to find out what that means.
So, for one client, that meant that they have people over to play video games on their hundred-inch TV, and we had to accommodate that. That's like a very different kind of entertaining than we throw dinner parties once every two weeks for 20 people, which is very different than we're the home where all the kids' birthday parties happen.
Sheri Scott (19:28):
Or just Christmas once a year, like that's the only thing when they say they entertain, it's that they're the family host.
Marilyn Moedinger (19:35):
Exactly. So, understanding, getting to the bottom of what you mean by these words will help you translate from the pretty pictures. There's a lot of pretty pictures that have white couches or things that if you have a dog and kids or any … I don't have those things and I don't want to have a house with a white couch. It would be a disaster.
Sheri Scott (20:00):
Talking about the pretty pictures, like understanding there are some pictures that people bring in and the composition is beautiful. And then you say, “What about this picture do you like?” And they've never actually looked at it because there are wood beams, there are chandeliers, there are separated rooms.
And so, when we look at pictures together, I always ask a lot of questions like, “What do you like about this? Do you like this wood? Do you like the light wood or the dark part of it? Do you like those blue cabinets?” And they're like, “Oh no, I hate the blue cabinets, but I just like how the island sits out away from everything else.” I'm like, “Okay, so we need to understand all of that.” And bringing your photographs of things you like and don't like really helps lead the conversation.
Another thing that clients will say to me is we want a big closet. Almost everyone says we want a big closet. That's like how big is a bread box and I always say, “What's a big closet to you?” And some people are like, “Well, I want to have hanging on both sides.” Like, “Yeah, we can do that.”
And then other people say, “I want her to have her own closet with an island, and then I'll have my own separate closet and I actually have more clothes than she does.” So, then, that's the real-life kind of conversation that we have and that only happens person to person.
Marilyn Moedinger (21:33):
That's exactly right. I want to underline the point about saving images and understanding what about the image speaks to you. That's also really hard. So, we always set up Pinterest boards for all of our clients we're working with. And I actually set up a board within that that's called “Stuff I Hate” because I want to see the things that they don't like.
The other thing, we're having to say this a lot more these days, is just to be really careful with AI out there. A lot of these images are even more troublesome than in the past because in the past, at least they were real spaces that might be doctored a little bit in Photoshop, but now they're completely fake.
And there's millions of images out there, it seems, that are just not even possible in many ways. And so, I think that what do you like about … AI images can be really helpful to talk about mood or color or texture or vibe or whatever. But if you're like, “Oh, I want a kitchen that's laid out like that,” I'm like, “Well, so you can't even fit in it, or that is 10 feet and it should be two feet or whatever.”
So, I think being clear about what you like about those images, recognizing that you don't have to plan it all out, that's what your architect and designer is for. And if you're working with a good architect and designer, they will make sure that we're not just making pretty pictures, that we are considering the realities of your life. What do we have next, Sheri?
Sheri Scott (23:02):
I don't remember what our third question was.
Marilyn Moedinger (23:05):
Oh, here it is. Here it is: “How much should resale matter?” This is a good one. There's some subtlety in here, though. So, this person is asking:
“This may be our forever home, but I also know that life changes. There are design choices we love that may not be the most conventional. How much should homeowners worry about resale when they are designing for themselves?”
Love this. I love all these questions. I know I always say that, but I love all of them.
Sheri Scott (23:32):
I know. Well, because we get them every day.
Marilyn Moedinger (23:35):
That's true.
Sheri Scott (23:36):
To me, it depends, I would ask my clients, and they touch on it. Like that we intend for this to be our forever home, but they understand that things can change and life takes weird turns. So, I feel like my gut reaction, and not specific to anyone, is it doesn't really matter. Unless you're going to do a Looney Tunes house, I don't know.
I think that you spend your money to live in the house. It's not only an investment. Yes, your home is an investment, but you're also spending some of that money. I mean, you spend money to stay in a nice hotel, why wouldn't you spend some money that you may not recoup to live in your house every single day?
Marilyn Moedinger (24:27):
I agree with that 100 million times over. And it also varies according to what we're talking about in the house. So, people will often say things like so we do a lot of high-performance homes, the codes in Massachusetts particularly are very strict. And they'll say, “How long is the payback on this fancy HVAC system?” And I'm like, “Okay, but you didn't ask that about the granite countertops. How long is the payback?”
Because you liked that granite, and it was really special. It was a beautiful piece that was special that we found at the stone yard. So, you can buy things because you like them. Your clothes, your shoes, your car, none of these things appreciate. So, it is okay to buy things for your house that you like.
And when people are going to be living in the house for 10, 15, 20 plus years, then whatever you're doing now someone's going to rip out anyway. So, pick the tile you like. Like if you literally are living in the house for two years because you're flipping it, first of all, you should not be doing a major renovation.
Sheri Scott (25:36):
That's a different conversation (laughs).
Marilyn Moedinger (25:37):
Yes. Like don't do a major renovation and flip the house like that. It's miserable. It's a miserable way to live. But let's just say you're like, “Look, we're doing this.” Sure, go with the white subway tile and classic things that most people don't.
But I will say this, we work with developers on high-end single-family homes, and we put color and texture and all kinds of into them because they stand out from all the gray and white.
Sheri Scott (26:05):
I'm glad you said that. Yes, so you do see all of the flippers, it used to all be gray. Finally, everybody's off of gray. But people say those are safe choices, but I wouldn't say they're safe in terms of resale, they're just bland. They're not offensive.
I mean, it is offensive to me, but yeah, I know. You look at high-end hotels or high-end custom homes, they're not bland, they have personality. And it only takes one person to buy a home. So, there are lots of people out there with personality and I think if you want to live with it, you should live with it.
Marilyn Moedinger (26:53):
Yes. And I think there are certain things too that most people who are asking about resale value are talking about, should I do the wild tile backsplash that I love and someone's going to hate it or whatever? They're not talking about it in terms of, well, I'm going to put the primary suite on the fourth floor, and I'm going to build a house that's 20 feet by 80 feet tall. Like, they're not talking about crazy stuff. They're talking about a few finishes.
So, I think there is a world. So, this person says that there are design choices we love that may not be the most conventional. If they're talking about finishes, that's one conversation. If they're talking about, we want to have a bathroom with glass walls that is in the middle of the living room, that would be an unconventional design choice. It's probably not what they're talking about, but that would affect your resale.
Sheri Scott (27:50):
Yeah, I mean, you're right to make that a distinction, because I do, I get the question all the time still about the dining room. Do I need a dining room for resale? That's kind of a 50/50 thing. And my answer is you have to have somewhere for people to sit and a table to set. Other than that, I don't care if it's in a separate room or not. It depends on how you live.
And you're right, we get the question sometimes about having a tub in the primary, and we say you have to have a tub somewhere, and that could affect resale value. I don't know if it will affect the shower tub thing. I don't know if it affects price or value to people, but you might lose 10 people that might have liked the house because they're like, “Oh, I really want a tub.”
Marilyn Moedinger (28:42):
Exactly. And it's also hard to predict what people will respond to. So, that, again, it's moving your house, your personal residence, out of the realm of this is an investment. It's a really weird world that we live in where our primary homes are seen as investment vehicles.
Sheri Scott (29:07):
And they usually are, like where people have most of their money.
Marilyn Moedinger (29:11):
Sure. And that's changing with generational shifts. But if you're going to live there for that long, it really doesn't matter.
So, I think you should definitely be working with a designer or an architect who is going to help you with some of those things. I have seen people do things to their houses that I'm like, “Oh my God, that is so weird. Like that is so weird. That makes zero sense.” But if it's paint or just the way they furnished it or some tile choices, it doesn't matter.
Now, I will say this that when it comes to selling the house, and this is where realtors would have a lot more insight — but when it comes to selling a house, staging it and making it appealing to the most people and not having your red leather couches everywhere, if that's what you like, maybe staging it so it looks a little bit more conventional helps the house sell faster. But that's a sales question, that's not a renovation question.
Sheri Scott (30:17):
Yeah, that's a good take. First floor primary, I do usually recommend that. And that's not for resale, but just for how we age in our homes. I think that that makes sense.
Marilyn Moedinger (30:34):
Yeah, I definitely wish I had one at my house I live in and I don't have … I'm not old enough to not be able to make it up the stairs, but I did have a situation where I needed a cast on my leg for a while.
Sheri Scott (30:48):
Yeah, I was going to say it's not always old age.
Marilyn Moedinger (30:51):
And that was not fun. So, I think that that is something that people increasingly look for, for sure.
Sheri Scott (30:58):
Yeah, because we are aging longer and trying to stay home longer, and I don't have a first floor primary either, and that's the only reason we ever look at real estate. Because if we were to ever find something that would fit us better that had a first-floor primary, we would probably buy it, and I am still scared to build my own house.
Marilyn Moedinger (31:24):
Coming soon to a future episode, we will talk about Sheri's-
[Laughter]
Sheri Scott (31:30):
I know too much of how the sausage is made, I’m scared.
Marilyn Moedinger (31:32):
I know. Well, I renovated my own house, a very serious renovation. And I will say this about this topic though, that house is a family house and it's not getting sold ever. So, it still didn't change many decisions about what I did in it.
I still have like a primary suite with an attached bathroom, and I still have a guest room, and I still have things that people have, and there's only so many things you can do. It's not that huge of a house.
I don't know. In conclusion the resale thing, there's a lot of facets to it and there's a lot of reasons why you might consider it in one way or another. I think the bones of the house, it's good to think about but the tile kind of, who cares?
Sheri Scott (32:20):
The finishes, go for it.
Marilyn Moedinger (32:23):
Well, does that wrap us up today?
Sheri Scott (32:25):
I think so.
Marilyn Moedinger (32:26):
I think so. Thank you so much for joining us today on Home: The Second Story for our mailbag episode. If you have questions for us, if you'd like us to deep dive into a question like this, drop us a line. Also, if you're interested in being a guest, we are booking a next round of guest interviews. You can reach out at admin@htsspodcast.com.
And follow us on Instagram, we're doing all these really cool mini episodes. They're less than a minute and there are hot takes and we're having a lot of fun with them on Instagram. So, join us over there and help us get the word out about these topics that we're talking about.
Reddit is full of people asking these questions, and we're over here answering them. So, we want to help people get the answers that they need. So, thanks again for joining us and see you next time.
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Voiceover (33:12):
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