WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.120 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 2 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:12.359 KFI AM six forty, AFI AM forty Live, Dreaming in 3 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:17.559 h D everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Dean Sharp The 4 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:22.519 House Whisperer Live every Saturday and Sunday morning Saturdays from 5 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:27.719 six to eight Pacific time, Sundays nine to noon Pacific time. Hey, 6 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:32.359 follow us on social media. We only do the good kind, uplifting, informative, 7 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:37.039 inspiring social media. It just follow us on social media. 8 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:40.920 We're on all the usual suspects Instagram, TikTok, Facebook x, 9 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:43.759 Home with Dean, same handle for them all. And of 10 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:48.399 course this very program is the house Whisper Podcast that 11 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:54.560 you can listen to anytime, anywhere on demand, hundreds of episodes, 12 00:00:54.600 --> 00:00:59.320 all searchable by topic. It is your home improvement reference library. 13 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:02.799 And lastly, if your home is in need of a 14 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:07.680 little more personal house Whisper attention, yeah, you can book 15 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.519 an in home design consult with me and the tea 16 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:16.840 at house Whisperer dot Design. Just go to house Whisper 17 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:19.200 dot Design. Yeah, we'll come on over to your place, 18 00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:23.959 stand around, look at that problem thing, help you get unstuck. 19 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:27.519 We helped a very very lovely couple get unstuck yesterday 20 00:01:27.719 --> 00:01:31.319 and they were very grateful in a good time was 21 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:36.840 had by all. It's always fun. All right, y'all, let's 22 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:39.879 get back to the phones. We're talking. By the way, 23 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:44.200 if you just joined us about tracked homes this weekend, 24 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:49.840 specifically tracked home weaknesses and as a result of understanding 25 00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:53.519 what those intrinsic weaknesses are, I've got a whole list 26 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:58.200 for you, specifically on tomorrow's show for things that you 27 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:02.159 can do, include in your rema to get a huge 28 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:07.599 disproportionate win from a relatively small time and money investment 29 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:11.240 to when it comes to plugging those holes and fixing 30 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:13.840 those weaknesses. But today we're laying the groundwork of what 31 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:17.800 those weaknesses are. We'll get back to that discussion, but 32 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:21.560 right now I am taking calls and I want to 33 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:24.840 talk to Shirley A Sureley. Welcome home. 34 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:28.840 Hi, sir, I'm going to have to keep it short. 35 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.439 In a buffet line, but I promise you I know 36 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:32.280 what I'm going to say. 37 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:34.960 You're in a buffet line. 38 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:40.280 Yeah, so nass, but I'm sorry about that. Anyways, I 39 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:44.759 have a short front top of my home. It's ten 40 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:49.080 steps three yards each, so it's thirty feet completely at 41 00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:51.639 the front. It's small home. Is there a way I 42 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:52.879 could do a wrap around porch? 43 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:57.039 Could you do a wrap around port? 44 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:02.919 Yeah? Versus a veranda, super small property. So I'm just saying, 45 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:05.639 I just like that coziness that I don't know if 46 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:08.080 I should do like a veranda type porch or a 47 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:11.039 wrap around because that was one of a Walton's type 48 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:13.080 porch and that's just may not be all. 49 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:17.280 Oh yeah, yeah, Okay, so one or two story house. 50 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:22.199 One it's it's so small. You come in when you're 51 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.759 almost twenty seat, twenty steps out to the backyard. 52 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.000 Okay, I hear you, I hear you. 53 00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:32.280 Now the most important question of the well, there are 54 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:34.599 two important questions. One, you know, we'd have to take 55 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.400 a look at the style of the house to see 56 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:39.039 if a wrap around porch will work for it. Assuming 57 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:44.360 that it does. The only other limitation would be whether 58 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:49.479 your small house is sitting right on its setback lines. 59 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:53.759 In other words, for the city. Okay, because a just 60 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:57.400 building out a porch, just a porch, not a problem. 61 00:03:57.479 --> 00:04:02.199 A porch is considered sort of a flat hardscape addition 62 00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:05.159 to the property, and you know that that's something that 63 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:10.159 could for most municipalities, stick into the setback zone of 64 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:16.279 your property, but putting the roof on it all right now, 65 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:20.480 we are technically ending the envelope of the house. So 66 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:24.319 let's say you've got a twenty foot setback for your house. 67 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:27.319 If your house proper right now is sitting right on 68 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.199 that setback line, then I mean you conchect with your city. 69 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:33.879 But the chances of putting a wrap around porch with 70 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:37.600 with an extended roof covering over it, They're going to say, Nope, 71 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:39.759 you're in your setback. You can't you can't do that. 72 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:43.319 But if you are well back of your setback, both 73 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:47.720 front and on your sides, then wrapping a porch around 74 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:51.759 with its you know, a tending covered roof, there's no 75 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:56.519 If it's not a zoning land usage issue from the city, 76 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:58.639 and you can just find out by giving them a call, 77 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:01.720 then then it just comes down to whether the house 78 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:03.959 can handle the style. And I agree with you, I 79 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.519 think they're beautiful, and your little thirty foot house, by 80 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:13.000 the way, will grow in size visually as a result, 81 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:15.800 because if it's truly a rap around and not just 82 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:18.519 a front facing porch, but if it wraps, if it 83 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:22.040 turns the corner and wraps around. Then the depth of 84 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:26.360 that porch, let's say, you know, eight feet or so, 85 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:30.839 is going to add another sixteen plus feet to the 86 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:34.600 overall you know, front presence of your home. So it 87 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:36.680 could be a big win for you. But the key 88 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:39.480 is to find out where your setbacks are and whether 89 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:42.120 you can build into that space. Again, if it's just 90 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:45.079 a porch, then it would be considered more of a deck, 91 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:49.199 and in almost all cases that can be pushed out 92 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:51.600 into the setback. But you put the roof over it, 93 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:54.240 and the city is like, now you're extending the envelope 94 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:58.120 of your house and we want you to keep it 95 00:05:58.199 --> 00:05:59.240 inside the setback. 96 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:03.480 Awesome, thank you sir, giving me enough to think about, 97 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:05.600 and I want to wish you a wonderful day. Thanks 98 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:06.120 for your time. 99 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:09.439 You're well, tell me what you're looking at on that buffet? 100 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:12.000 What's the what's what's going to be in primary? 101 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:16.279 Okay? Uh, the extra heavy cream with coffee and then 102 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:19.800 scrambled riggs with a whole mushrooms that are not from 103 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:22.360 the can. You could tell they were grilled, and then 104 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:27.560 stick belf pepper barely grilled. That impressed me. So I'm 105 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:29.800 gonna wait till I'm done with even moments like that. 106 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:36.720 Next Sorry, surely enjoy your breakfast. Thanks for the call. 107 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:39.920 Oh now I'm hungry. Now I'm hungry me too. 108 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:42.959 That sounds really good. Geez, Heather, why are we standing 109 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:46.920 in a buffet line? We need a home buffet like 110 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:48.839 we need an outing to a buffet. 111 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:54.160 I agree, all right, more of your calls when we 112 00:06:54.360 --> 00:06:55.040 uh well. 113 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:56.319 Right after Heather gives us the. 114 00:06:56.279 --> 00:07:00.720 News, can't bye, hes darp the house with We're at 115 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.240 your service. Thanks for joining us on the program. Today, 116 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:07.759 we're gonna get back to our conversation on the intrinsic 117 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:13.680 weaknesses design wise of a tract home, and that lays 118 00:07:13.720 --> 00:07:17.560 the foundation for us taking it further, especially in tomorrow 119 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.759 show or for your podcast listener to the next episode 120 00:07:21.319 --> 00:07:26.199 of what are some of these magical elements that we 121 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:28.920 can add to a tract home remodel to get a 122 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:33.680 disproportionately big win for a relatively small amount of effort 123 00:07:33.800 --> 00:07:38.240 and or money. Big list. Most of that comes tomorrow. Today, 124 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:43.000 we're just laying the foundation of understanding tracked homes better, 125 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:45.480 especially their weaknesses. But right now I just want to 126 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:48.319 finish up calls I've got time for maybe one more 127 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:53.680 call today, and who's it gonna be. I think we're 128 00:07:53.720 --> 00:08:02.240 gonna talk Tordaura, Hey, Laura, welcome home. 129 00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:07.879 Hidine. I currently have rubber molt around my house when 130 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:10.759 it doesn't fade like wooden molt and that kind of stuff, 131 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:14.519 so it always holds its dark color. But I'm looking 132 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:17.920 at replacing it because I'm assuming that rubber mult next 133 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:20.319 to your house is probably not a great idea when 134 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:23.240 you're in a buyer zone. So I know you spoke 135 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:27.560 about pea gravel the other day. We have had two 136 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:34.320 landscape architects look at our area and recommended decomposed Granted, 137 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:38.480 what's the differences between the pea gravel and deepset Granted 138 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:42.159 it doesn't come in different colors? And then where is 139 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:46.000 a good place for a good source for California native 140 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:49.200 throughout tolerant plants. We're looking at replacing all the plants 141 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:52.720 in our flower beds where all this is going. I 142 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:55.840 can go to our local gardens stores and that kind 143 00:08:55.879 --> 00:09:00.559 of stuff. But is really California native best being in 144 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:04.159 southern California? Or can any drought toler plants be used? 145 00:09:05.159 --> 00:09:08.120 Okay, really really good questions Okay, So as far as uh, 146 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:16.360 pea gravel versus decomposed granite, it's really a stylistic choice. Ultimately, 147 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:21.799 decomposed granite looks like kind of you know, beige clay dirt. 148 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:22.279 Uh. 149 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:26.039 You know, it looks like sort of a you know, 150 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:30.840 sort of a desert Southwest kind of vibe and and 151 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:35.120 or you know, Mediterranean so on uh and uh and 152 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:38.639 pea gravel is gravel. Now decomposed granite it's a it's 153 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:41.840 a little bit more uh. You know, some people find 154 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:43.720 it more stable to walk on because it's just like 155 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.639 walking on a dirt path. It's not dirt, though, it's 156 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:51.840 tiny particulates of granite that have been compacted in Uh. 157 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:58.519 I personally, I lean towards gravel because I it's easier 158 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:05.200 to maintain, it is far less inexpensive to install, and 159 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:09.200 it drains beautifully. And you can get it in any color, 160 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:12.679 just about any color. So when most people think of 161 00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:14.559 peak gravel, they're like, well, I don't want the whole 162 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:18.480 gray blue kind of tint or you know, but that's 163 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:22.480 just standard peak gravel. There's you know, think about aquarium rocks. 164 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:26.039 You know, you can get it in the same browns 165 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:30.519 and beige's that decomposed granite essentially takes on you can 166 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:35.159 nudge it in several different directions. So I'm only a 167 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:38.240 fan of gravel because I'm a fan of gravel. Have 168 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:43.240 I specified and designed decomposed granite for some clients and 169 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:48.159 some designs, absolutely, So it's really about choosing the right one. 170 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:52.960 But just understand decomposed granite it takes more time to install. 171 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:56.039 It has to be installed well, I mean in order 172 00:10:56.039 --> 00:10:59.399 for it to work and not wash away or become unstable. 173 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:02.159 It has to be installed by a pro or a 174 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:05.440 homeowner who is meticulously following the steps. It's got to 175 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:09.559 be compacted down at every turn. And that's why for 176 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:14.720 a lot of instances, the labor there for me versus 177 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:18.480 the resulting product. It's just far easier and a lot 178 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:23.039 less expensive to use gravel because pretty much, once you've 179 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:28.960 got your you know, your base soil leveled and firmed 180 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:32.519 up in the direction of drainage whatever is necessary, you 181 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:35.039 just pour the gravel out, break it out, pour it 182 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:37.480 out a couple inches thick and there you go, and 183 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:43.440 you're done. So that's that as far as native plants 184 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:47.879 versus drought tolerant plants, I am always a fan of 185 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:53.080 using as many native California plants as possible, or wherever 186 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:57.120 you find yourself, using native plants for your region. And 187 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:02.559 that the reason is not just the for California, the 188 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:07.519 drought tolerance and the minimal watering that comes along with that, 189 00:12:08.600 --> 00:12:15.639 but also just habitat bird life, animal life in your yard. 190 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:23.000 It all begins with insect life, okay, birds making a 191 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:27.360 yard a backyard beautiful all begins with whether or not 192 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:32.200 there is nectar and whether there are plants there that 193 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:35.240 insects can utilize. And people are like, eh, I don't 194 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:38.039 line in. It's like, well, if you want a sterile yard, 195 00:12:38.519 --> 00:12:41.759 then just plant completely non native plants. And here's the 196 00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:47.320 reason why. From an evolutionary perspective, insects, the you know, 197 00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:52.600 the food that birds eat coevolved with plants in this region, 198 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:56.279 in every region. And so the problem is that non 199 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:01.120 native plants the vast majority, well oh for ninety eight 200 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:07.240 percent of native California insects have no use for a 201 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:10.360 non native plant, which means they won't be there. And 202 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:13.559 if they're not there, then the birds aren't there. And 203 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:15.559 if the birds aren't there, then you don't have this 204 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:20.080 beautiful outdoor landscape with the life thriving all over it. So, 205 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:24.720 in terms of pure watering, any old drought tolerant plant 206 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:28.519 will do. In terms of building habitat, you want to 207 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:31.480 go native. Now, it doesn't have to be one hundred 208 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:34.799 percent pure. No, my yard is a full on habitat. 209 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:39.080 And I've got some drought tolerant non native plants in 210 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:41.759 my yard, a few, Okay, I just don't build the 211 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:44.919 entire yard out of them. The vast majority are plants 212 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:48.480 that work here in Southern California. And this rule applies 213 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:51.360 to everybody no matter where you're listening to the show 214 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:56.279 from buy and plant native to your region. And finally, 215 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:01.519 for your last question, here in Southern California, Yeah, undoubtedly 216 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:05.240 the best single resource. Now you can buy these kinds 217 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:08.320 of things just about anywhere, but the best resource for 218 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:14.279 your education is the Theodore Pain Foundation. Theodore Pain Foundation, 219 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:19.279 they have a twenty two acre nursery on the north 220 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:22.000 edge of the San Fernando Valley over in Sunland. I 221 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:28.559 think it's Sunland or Tahunga and Theodore Pain Foundation. They 222 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:35.000 are a one stop showplace for all native California plants. 223 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:38.639 You go there, you'll see displays you can actually buy 224 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:40.840 from the nursery, but you can go there for an 225 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:46.600 education bare minimum and see everything that California has to 226 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:49.919 offer in terms of its own native plant offerings, and 227 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.799 let me tell you, it is vast. It is a 228 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:57.120 lot more than most people think. Laura, great question, Thank 229 00:14:57.159 --> 00:15:01.000 you for your call, and good luck on that landscape. 230 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.039 I like all the moves that you're making. I think 231 00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:06.200 I think you're headed in the right direction. All right, y'all, 232 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.120 let's get back to our conversation on the intrinsic weaknesses 233 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.840 of tract housing and what we're going to do about it. 234 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:14.759 Will all do that? 235 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:15.200 All? 236 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:19.759 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 237 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:21.519 KFI AM six forty. 238 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:29.120 Forty your Home with Dean Sharp, the house Whisper. Thanks 239 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:32.000 for joining us on the program today. We are laying 240 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:35.799 the ground work for our next episode, tomorrow's show, and 241 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:40.200 it's all critically important information. But we're talking about big 242 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:44.080 wins for your tracked home remodel. And what are the 243 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:48.480 biggest wins, the ones that address the intrinsic weaknesses of 244 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:53.039 a tract home, which most of us live in tracked homes. Now, 245 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:56.919 I've already discussed a couple of the biggies in terms 246 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:00.200 of what it is about a tract home that is 247 00:16:00.919 --> 00:16:05.279 an intrinsic weakness. Told you that it has its strength 248 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:10.200 obviously the cost because most of us are living in 249 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:15.320 homes that weren't custom built, and as a result, we 250 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:17.279 get to live in a home. But now that you're 251 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:20.519 in it, you are ready to remodel it. It's time 252 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:23.960 to turn it into that custom home that you always wanted. 253 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:27.879 So we got to address the shortcomings. Orientation on the 254 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:31.960 lot is a massive, massive weakness of a tract home 255 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.399 because it wasn't really designed for the lot. It is 256 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:39.919 sitting on per se and as a result, it's windows, 257 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:44.360 its doors, they don't take full advantage of or fight 258 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:49.440 with the property, the view, the lack of view, the privacy, 259 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.639 so on and so forth. It's not the only weakness. 260 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:59.440 Maybe second to that weakness of orientation on the lot 261 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:05.680 is is that a tract home lacks Most tracked homes 262 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:10.079 lack any particular architectural pedigree. Now some of you are 263 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:14.160 reacting to that thinking, well, wait my place. I mean 264 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:21.119 it's clearly med it's a Mediterranean house. Okay, Well yeah, 265 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:24.839 quite possible. Okay, I'm not saying every tract home falls 266 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:29.359 under this category, but most do because of the thing 267 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:33.480 I discussed earlier in the show, the desire for a 268 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:38.079 for developers to kind of build the illusion that there 269 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:41.599 are more homes in a neighborhood than there actually are, 270 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:45.519 or more unique homes. You basically, you know, in most developments, 271 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:48.839 you end up with about four different floor plans, four houses, 272 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:51.599 and then to those four houses, you flip them left 273 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:54.640 and right, and now we've got eight house plans because 274 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:56.680 you know, four of them are facing the opposite direction 275 00:17:56.759 --> 00:18:00.680 of the other. And then you take those eight plans 276 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:03.079 or the four the original four, and if you've got 277 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:08.599 maybe four different facades for the front, then you've got sixteen. 278 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:10.680 And then you know, you see how the math works. 279 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:15.799 But it's that interchangeable facade on the front of most 280 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:19.359 tracked homes. That's what I'm talking about about a lack 281 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:24.680 of architectural pedigree. If if you live in a neighborhood 282 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:28.079 where there are some of the homes with Spanish tile 283 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:31.039 on the roof or s tiles something like that, and 284 00:18:31.079 --> 00:18:34.880 then you've got others that have sighting instead of stucco 285 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:39.039 and flat tiles on the roofs. In other words, you 286 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:43.079 may have homes in your tract that kind of look 287 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:46.359 a little Colonial or a little Tutor, or a little 288 00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:51.759 Cape Cottish, or a little Mediterranean or Spanish, and you 289 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:54.559 might have a mix of all of them, all of 290 00:18:54.599 --> 00:19:00.759 those facades going on essentially the same four floor plans. 291 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:08.200 That is not an essential plan, that is specifically one 292 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:12.200 architectural pedigree, you understand, because by definition, if we can 293 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:15.720 interchange the style on the front of the house, then 294 00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:18.920 the structure of the house itself is not designed to 295 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:20.960 be any one particular thing. 296 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:25.079 Does that make sense? I hope? 297 00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:25.160 So? 298 00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:25.960 All right, So. 299 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:31.440 This is more pronounced in latter years than it was 300 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:34.640 a generation ago. By the way, in the nineteen fifties 301 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:38.079 through the nineteen seventies, when the vast majority of California 302 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:42.160 ranch style homes were built out here on the West Coast, 303 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:47.559 California ranch homes were content to just be California ranch. 304 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:52.880 But since the eighties, tracked homes have become far more 305 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:58.720 ambiguous in its pedigree. And you know that is what 306 00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:02.599 it is. They think there's a silver lining hiding in 307 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:06.160 a house with no real architectural pedigree. Do you want 308 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:08.200 to hear what it is, Well, hang tight with me, 309 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:12.279 we'll talk about it day. Hi, King Sharp the house Whisper, 310 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:15.640 Welcome home. Thanks for joining us on the program today. 311 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:18.640 I'm glad that you are here. We've got a beautiful 312 00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:21.279 Saturday ahead of us here. No matter where you are 313 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:25.119 across this great land, it's gorgeous here in southern California. 314 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.759 This is why people pay the big bucks to live here. 315 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:32.960 It is a gorgeous spring day here in Southern California. 316 00:20:33.160 --> 00:20:36.559 I hope that spring is busting out wherever you are 317 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:40.319 as well. And so and I'm glad you're here with us. 318 00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:45.720 We've been talking about the intrinsic weaknesses of tract homes now, 319 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:48.000 you know. And I'm not piling on to a tract 320 00:20:48.039 --> 00:20:51.079 home to you know, poop pooh them, because I'm a 321 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:54.000 custom home designer. That's not my goal at all. I 322 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:57.759 live in a tract home. Chances are you live in 323 00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:01.279 a tract home and and there's there's good reasons for it. 324 00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:04.720 But we've got to understand when we're going to remodel 325 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:07.240 our tract home and make it more hours, make it 326 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:10.319 more custom, we want to address the things that are 327 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:14.720 most intrinsically weak about the home in order to turn 328 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:18.319 it into that dream home that we've always wanted to 329 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:22.119 live in. So we've talked about things so far today, 330 00:21:23.880 --> 00:21:28.759 things like the craftsmanship of a tract home. You know, 331 00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:31.759 when a home is being built by spreadsheet, it's not 332 00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:36.240 going to be the finest craftsmanship in the world. We've 333 00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:38.279 talked about the fact that, on the other hand, the 334 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:41.240 engineering of a tracked home far better and any home 335 00:21:41.319 --> 00:21:46.039 being built you know in the last you know generation, 336 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:52.079 far better than you know super ultra custom wonderful homes 337 00:21:52.119 --> 00:21:55.039 built in the nineteen twenties, as far as it's engineering 338 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:58.000 is concerned, in other words, its strength and its resilience 339 00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:03.119 to to handle you know, the elements that it sits in. 340 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:09.200 But at the heart of weaknesses of a tract home 341 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:15.359 lies this idea that very few tracked homes developments have 342 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:19.799 strong architectural pedigrees. Now, somebody was asking during the break, 343 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:24.480 so explain this architectural pedigree thing, And the easiest way 344 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:28.279 to explain it is that to give you an example, 345 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:31.559 let's take a Queen Anne Victorian, which is like a 346 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:35.440 gingerbread y kind of Victorian home that you've all seen, 347 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:37.880 and you're like, you know what they look like a 348 00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:42.079 Queen Anne Victorian, an authentic turn of the century Queen 349 00:22:42.119 --> 00:22:46.279 Anne Victorian home. No one in their right mind takes 350 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:49.960 a Victorian home and tries to turn it into a 351 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.559 Spanish med home because it's the hardest thing in the 352 00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:57.759 world to do. Why because it's a Queen Anne Victorian. 353 00:22:58.119 --> 00:23:01.720 You know, it knows exactly actly what it is down 354 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:07.799 to its bones. It is a Victorian home. So changing it, 355 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:10.480 I mean you might as well. Honestly, if you wanted 356 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:13.119 a Spanish home and you bought a Victorian, you might 357 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:16.519 as well just level it and start over. And the 358 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:19.240 same is true like a craftsman home. There's no taking 359 00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:24.119 a craftsman home and turning it into a Victorian. So 360 00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:29.599 you get these are homes with strong architectural stylistic pedigrees, 361 00:23:29.880 --> 00:23:33.079 and your typical tract home which is really designed to 362 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:37.680 be flexible enough to you know, have a colonial facade 363 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:39.759 on the front, or have something that looks a little 364 00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:42.599 tutor on the front of the same floor plan, or 365 00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:45.400 that has something that looks Spanish met on the front 366 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:48.880 of the same floor plan. If a home that can 367 00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:52.519 take all those kinds of facades doesn't really have its 368 00:23:52.559 --> 00:24:00.200 own strong particular pedigree. Okay, but wait, I actually think 369 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:03.599 that's a silver lining for most of us. Don't see 370 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:06.960 your place as a boring beige box. See it as 371 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:11.440 a blank canvas longing for what it never really had, 372 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:14.119 which is a real identity. So the truth of the 373 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:16.279 matter is, if you're working with a home that was 374 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:20.359 really designed as a hybrid, if you do the research, 375 00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:24.240 if you pile in on the design, the advantage to 376 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:28.000 working with a home of questionable architectural pedigree is we 377 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:30.799 can probably make it just about anything you want it 378 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:34.200 to be, because in one sense, there's only two types 379 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:37.119 of houses, those with pedigree and those without. And those 380 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:40.160 with pedigree know what they're supposed to be and they 381 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:43.519 give us a design playbook to follow in terms of 382 00:24:43.559 --> 00:24:47.119 the remodel. But those without a pedigree, it's a blank 383 00:24:47.160 --> 00:24:51.880 canvas to paint on as we please. And this means 384 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:57.799 that every house has a path forward, every house has 385 00:24:57.960 --> 00:25:01.880 hope of becoming something truly special. And you know, I 386 00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:04.880 used to say this all the time. Most renovations don't 387 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:09.319 need a bigger budget, They just need a better story. 388 00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:14.279 And when that story merges with your story, that is 389 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:17.599 when you are in a position to take an ordinary 390 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:23.160 tract home and make it an extraordinary custom home, built 391 00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:27.720 as if it was built just for you. That's the secret, 392 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:31.759 that's the key. Okay, Now, this was just part one 393 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:34.880 of this two part series. Today we took a look 394 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:38.200 at the intrinsic nature of a tracked home, took a 395 00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:43.079 look at its weaknesses. Tomorrow on The Big Show Sunday 396 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:47.160 Live from nine to noon, we will be taking a 397 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:51.920 look at the whole essence of what are these things 398 00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:54.039 that we can take advantage of. I'm going to give 399 00:25:54.039 --> 00:26:00.240 you a preview. Most ranch, single story bedrooms have some 400 00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:04.200 sort of view into the backyard. That view is typically 401 00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:10.480