All language subtitles for Windy City Rehab - 2x03_track1_eng

Alison: Tonight on
"windy city rehab"...

This is awful.
From here in,

it does look very,
like, murder-y.

-Ugh.
-It's soaking wet.

I don't think this is
gonna be savable.

Donovan: We can't take
this entire house down.

Alison: I'm hearing
two different stories

on something
that is structural.

I'd be lying if I said

I felt good about
continuing this partnership.

All I want to do
is get ahead, and I can't.

I'm just constantly stopped.

♪

I am alison victoria.

Chicago is my city.

I was born and raised here,

and now I'm rehabbing houses
with my crew.

This is what I love doing,
to build a house

that looks like it's been
in chicago for 100 years.

Does it look amazing out there?
-Oh, yeah.

Alison: But it is not
for the weak.

I'm working on so many projects
at the same time.

That's just how
this business is.

It's gonna cost us
additional $25,000.

Anything at this point
is coming out of my pocket.

This is not a test
that I will fail.

I got it.

Bigger risk...

It's in my brain and
in my blood to design.

...Bigger rewards.

-It's perfect.
-This is gorgeous!

-Oh, my god.
-Look at this.

Woman: It's amazing.

♪

♪

what's up?

I think I have
a good one for us,

but we need
to act quickly

because they're about to put it
on the market.

Broker called,

said that they'll give us
first shot at it.

Okay, where is it?
It's in ravenswood.

I haven't done
anything out there.

It's a cool area.

Yeah. It's a two-flat
right now.

I think we can actually
get this one

for under $500,000.

That's way cheaper
than normal.

But the only thing is,

they're probably gonna go
to market this weekend.

So we got to get over there.
There's a lot of competition.

It's getting really hard
to buy the stuff.

So we've got to get in early
before other people get to it.

Text me the address and then
I can probably meet you there

in like 45 minutes.

Yes, I'll see you there
in a little bit.

Okeydokey.
Okay, bye.

Sometimes, when the brokers
know each other

and they know they're gonna
bring a buyer

who's a cash buyer
who doesn't mess around,

they'll keep it off the market
just to get an easy deal done.

But we've got to make sure that
we're not overpaying, as well.

♪

so, today we're headed
to berenice.

It's a little further north
than a lot of our properties,

but a lot of good restaurants
and bars.

It's just a really great
family area.

It's a quiet one-way street,

potential single-family
renovation.

We're gonna be the first ones
to walk through the property.

At first glance, on paper,
it looks like a good deal.

Alison: There's a ton
of opportunity

when you look
at a house like this,

and you just have to look
at the houses surrounding it.

So, this is the one
that needs the love.

It's the only one,
actually, that needs love.

So why would we not?

What?!

This is a funky street.

Yeah, it's a short, little
one-way street.

Driving here,
everything's kind of like

that cottage style.

Everybody's doing it.

You just have
the same look everywhere.

This one's the only one
that isn't.

But I don't see anything
I love on the exterior.

There's not much
to write home about.

I think the main thing
that I'm nervous about

getting into a quick deal

is not knowing how much
the construction's gonna cost,

just because it's not
a fully masonry building,

which a lot of the ones that
we renovate are all masonry.

So there's definitely
some unknowns

that are gonna come
with this property.

It's got the faux, you know,
stone, clearly over brick.

It's not in good shape.

I mean, it's got
a great, great yard.

This is pretty big,
and it's quiet.

I kind of like it.

Right now, it's a two-flat
with a basement.

We'll turn it back
into a single-family.

It's not a big
rental market area,

so single-family
is the way to go.

I mean, it needs dimension.
I do like this pop-out here,

but we need to do,
like, a really cool overhang,

something like that.

Alright, let's go see it.
Alright.

Donovan: We really have
to quickly get a handle on

what the construction costs
will actually be.

At least it's different.

Ahh.

I mean, this is, like...

Whew! Very '70s.

Alison: I mean, it is
'70s throwback.

Draperies and fabric
wall coverings.

This is awful.

We found some stuff.
Found some crutches.

Hey, these are
old-school.

Let me see
if these work for me,

'cause they don't
work for you.
Let's put it this way.

You know
I'm in the market for crutches.

Recently, I had
a small fracture

to the sesamoid
of my right foot.

It's a dying of the bone.

So I have been looking
for crutches.

And I just --

you're trying to do
a crutch fight?
[ chuckles ]

like, I'm in it alone.

Alison's like 4'2",

so there's not too many sets
of crutches that work for her.

[ laughing ]

I don't know.

I don't think
any of these walls,

interior-wise, will stay.

This is old-school layout,
but this is a real opportunity

for us to do
an even cooler opening,

we got good
ceiling height.

Great ceiling height.

Alison: Powder room --
old-school, like, plastic tiles.

Oh, my god.
Do you think this works?

This is, like,
the oldest scale.

Alright, everyone knows
you can't wear a purse

when you take your weight.

Oh, god.
That went up a lot.

[ gasps, laughs ]

clearly, it's broken.

Tell me
if this is accurate.

Do you think
that's accurate?

I do, actually.

-Oh, no.
-[ chuckles ]

she says it's broken,

but I think she just lies
about her weight, you know.

The coat weighs
10 pounds.

Uh-oh.

122!

Hold on.
Let me do this.

Yeah.
160.

You're stupid.

I didn't hold the ledge.
Everyone saw.

♪

oh, did you see
this little unit back here?

It's kind of cute.
Oh, my god.

I like this.
Oh, look!

This hardware is sick.

You can't find stuff
like this anymore.

Okay, well,
nothing stays here.

Okay, question for you --

do you think you'd go out
with this sucker?

Donovan: I checked
the footprint online

and we can do an addition
if we want to.

I would absolutely try to get us
like another 10 feet.

Sure.
Addition on this,
opening this up.

This becomes
the main level.

Go outside?

[ windchimes tinkling ]

oh, I hate wind windchimes!
You know what?

This is my least favorite
thing ever.

♪

[ clattering ]

holy moly,
look at that garage!

That's coming down,
obviously.

Then this whole thing
gets removed

and then we go
all the way back.

So crazy, isn't it?
So like...

Like, from here in, it does look
very, like, murder-y.

Doesn't it? Just like...

It's almost like
a movie set.

Alright,
let's look upstairs.

These stairs
aren't to code, either.
No!

Oh, it goes up
another level, too, huh?

There's an attic
up there.

Same layout.

Tiny little room.
Not sure what it is.

How many bedrooms?
Ideally, we want four, right?

Three.
That's it?

Well,
that's pretty typical.

Pretty in pink.

And brown.

And the bathroom's probably
not gonna lay out right here.

No.
Pantry.

Weird long closet.
Closet.

Ooh!
Another very cool stove.

These are
really old, man.

A million bucks says
this works.

[ whirring ]

nice!
See?

Okay, so this will be
a single-family,

meaning all bedrooms
are up here.

Try to get 3 1/2 baths
with the powder downstairs.

If we're going out another
10 feet on this, that's --

we should have
plenty of room.
...Doable.

-Is there a basement
-yeah, we can see the basement.

Think this takes us down.
-Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

The only thing that concerns me
about finishing it

is just that we have a brick
foundation, and realistically,

we have to dig it out,
you know, 18 inches.

So maybe it's an option,
or no?
Sure. Yeah.

Adding a basement in berenice
is gonna cost a ton of money.

But I feel like
when you go to sell it,

that's where you make up.
-It adds a lot of value.

I mean, we typically have
a bedroom down there,

wet bar, family room.

I mean, it can add
anywhere from 800

to 1,500 square feet
to a house.

Ooh, look at this.
What is that?

Oh, it's an old
woodworking table!

Like, old-school.

I have no idea what I would do
with it, but it's cool.

Here, put that in.
I want to clamp it up.

Hunh!

-Okay. Wow, you did it.
-Amped.

I feel like this
could be used somewhere,

at least a part of it.

So cool.

Listen, three bedrooms
upstairs,

possibly
three bathrooms upstairs.

If we could add another
bedroom down here

and do like a real basement
that's finished,

what are we looking at?

Well, I'm hoping
we land

at around $464,000,
$465,000.

That's so cheap.

Well, that's why I wanted
to come here quickly.

I think with the basement
and all the other work,

even if we called it
$600,000,

we're all in at just under
$1.1 million.

And then we sell
for over $1.3 million.

So we have a minimum
of a $200,000 profit.

Hopefully more.
If you can get
that number,

I'd love it.
Okay.

-You'll call him today?
-I'm gonna call him right now.

Alright.

♪

alison: So, we ended up
spending a little more

and bought berenice
for $487,500.

And now we're ready to turn
the ugliest house on the street

into the real standout.

I already know
the facade's coming down

and I'm gonna replace it
with a modern outdoor look

and add an overhang
for a really grand entrance.

Faux turf
and evergreen plants

put the curb appeal
over the top.

And curb appeal
in this neighborhood

is just like any other
neighborhood --

very important.

Coming inside, the living room

gives that bay window
a real presence,

and just past that is the dining
room and the powder room

that's gonna feature
a vessel sink

and a reclaimed vanity
that is perfect for the space.

Then you walk into
this gorgeous kitchen --

big, huge island,
great lighting,

and over-the-top range.

I'm also adding a chunky mantel
to create a real living space.

And across from that, ari's
gonna beef up the storage

with a retrofitted cabinet
and open shelving,

which is right next to
a stunning marble fireplace.

It's patinaed,
it is weathered,

and it is gorgeous
in its detail.

Then you've got
the cozy family room

that leads down
into the basement,

and then we're doing
an addition on the back.

I can get a big family room,
wet bar, an office, a bedroom,

a full bathroom,
and a second laundry room.

But I wanted this sophistication
on the inside.

On the top floor,
we're gonna have

three bedrooms and two bathrooms
at the back of the house,

a master suite and en suite
with a huge marble shower

and tub area enclosed in glass.

And you fill your tub from
the ceiling!

And a walk-in closet

with a repurposed center island
for storage.

And you got
the real estate in there --

you can still walk around and
it's still very comfortable.

♪

so, we like to get
as many of our people

in the properties
before we start,

because if there's any issues
that might occur,

we like to know about them
as soon as possible.

So ermin's going over
to berenice to check out

just some basic potential issues
and just kind of snoop around.

Alison: So, I want ermin
to go through this,

like, with
a fine-tooth comb.

I rely on his expertise because
it affects the budget heavily

if there's something
that hasn't been accounted for.

♪

2x4s?
2x4s.

Look at this, begi --
the water damage here.

♪

it's soaking wet.

Soaking wet.

Can you just try to remove
this part here?

Let's see right here
if it's the same thing.

Yeah, we really have to
pretty much reframe entire home,

or otherwise, this is not gonna
be safe to anybody.

I have to make
that nice phone call

to alison and donovan.
Go ahead!

Knock yourself, man.

They will not be happy
about it.

Everything is about the budget,

and but we got to make
a phone call to find out.

[ ringing tone ]

donovan: Hey.
Hey, donovan.
This is ermin.

What's up?
I'm here at berenice.
Right now,

we have an existing here
that's pretty much --

how old is this,
like 80, 90 years?

But all the walls
are not straight.

The walls are 2x4s,

and they are already
in bad shape,

and then also taking water
to the siding.

We cannot leave them
like this.

I don't think this is
gonna be stable.

We really have to reframe
entire new home.

Well, we can't take
this entire house down.

♪

♪

it's soaking wet.

Soaking wet.
[ ringing tone ]

I'm here at berenice.
Right now,

we have our existing here
that's pretty much --

how old is this,
like 80, 90 years?

But all the walls
are not straight.

They are already
in bad shape.

Donovan: Well, we can't take
this entire house down.

I've framed homes of this size
in 2x4 before,

so we have to figure out

how to brace them
and reuse the 2x4s.

We didn't buy this building
to tear it down.

We bought this building
to renovate it,

and gut renovate it,

so that's what
we're gonna do.

If the walls
are open now,

I want to meet you
there on Monday.

That's not a problem.
Alright. Sounds good.

Okay, let me call
alison now.

[ ringing tone ]

alison: Hey.
I'm here at berenice,

and after I open the walls,

I find out that the walls
are in a bad shape,

and also we will
have to replace the joists

on the first
and second floor.

I really just need
to get down to money.

What would you have
to add to the budget?

That's all I need to know.

What I think has to be done
is gonna cost us additional

around $20,000 to $25,000.

It's not good news.

I just have to be a little
smarter with the floor plan

and I have to save money
on the addition.

Donovan: You know, "whole thing
has to be torn down."

the whole thing this, that.

The worst thing
you could imagine

is what he's going
to come up with.

We had assumed
to do a lot of work here,

but if we're going
to spend money,

I want to make sure that
it's smart money being spent.

♪

alison: So, while we wait for
ermin to arrive and determine

what needs to be done
with the framing,

I've got ari coming by
to save all the historic items

in this house.
Time to demo this piece.

I mean, it's like
old-school cabinetry,

and, like, the wallpaper
and the carpet --

everything's original.

So to demo this one,
I want to be meticulous.

I want to go through this, like,
with a fine-tooth comb.

Ari, you haven't seen
any of this stuff.
No.

Oh, these are
in great shape.

The cabinets are.
Yeah.

All metal.
Can I take these?

You want them all?
Yeah.

So you'll take these.

So we'll salvage this
for sure.

And then I thought you might
like something in this room.

Go around the corner.

I don't need it
to put back in the house.

So this one's all yours.
The more you take, the better.

♪

got it?

[ grunts ] there.

That's one way
to take it out.
Yeah, there you go.

That might have been
the easiest demo ever.

♪

what's this?

Dinner napkins
in avocado green!

The stoves, both of them,
upstairs, downstairs --

-taking them?
-No.

I'm gonna sell them.
-Okay.

The ranges, you know,
I know somebody

is going to appreciate
those pieces,

but I also know they're gonna
pay me some money, you know?

♪

the minute we walked
in this house

and I saw that piece
in the basement,

I immediately just
thought -- ari.

I don't know why,
but I just thought

you were gonna love it.
Oh, whoa!

The guy loves woodworking.

It's like he lives
and breathes it.

Wow.
This thing's killer. Whoa.

Yeah, this is probably

1840s, 1850s.
It's gorgeous.

Like a kid in a candy store.

This is mine?
Yeah!

I should have put, like,
a bow on it or something.

Yeah, right? This is awesome.
This is the best present ever.

These are called
bench dogs here.

You put a piece of wood in here
and you clamp it together

and it holds like doors
and stuff together.

If somebody were to just
say "bench dog,"

I would immediately think,
like, a dog

that loves to sit on a bench.

Like that, like that.

Then you close it
like this.

He's, like, happier
than I've ever seen him.

Like a brand-new toy
for me.

So, while ari goes through
the rest of the house,

donovan and I have to meet ermin
about the framing issue.

Ermin always drops
these doomsday scenarios on me.

So today we're gonna do
some further investigation

to these exterior walls
in the current structure

and open it up,
see what we find.

-Okay.
-That's 2x4 exterior walls,

which are not
gonna be good.

Yeah, but those are
the dream 2x4s.

I mean, those are when 2x4s
are actually 2x4s.

Listen, I know per code we can
keep the current 2x4s.

The studs that I have seen,

there's no issues
or evidence of dry rot.

Your joists right now
on the floor,

it's a 2x8.

I have to do
the open-web trusses.

We have to have the wall
to support that.

Which means
you have to do this.

I have to do this.

We're getting in there
and immediately, you know,

donovan's like,
"no, we don't have to."

and that's where this dynamic
is a little confusing.

And all I need is facts.

Donovan: I'm sure
that some of the framing

is probably not perfect
over the years,

but I think it's more
of a repair some
of the structure as we go,

and not redo the thing
completely new.

We should be able
to keep the sheathing, though.

Oh, sheathing,
I'm not gonna keep that,

because you're already
taking the water.

Well, yeah, but sometimes
the sheathing can be really good

'cause it's -- I mean,
it's 100 old.

But still we really have to do
two exterior drywalls.

Alison: I'm hearing
two different stories

on something
that is structural.

♪

♪

oh, sheathing,
I'm not gonna keep that

because you're already
taking the water.

Actually, the house already
took the water on it.

Alison: I'm hearing
two different stories

on something
that is structural.

I'm trusting ermin's
expertise here.

So are you gonna intertwine
a 2x6 wall

within the existing wall?
Yes.

Then you're setting
your open-web trusses

on that new 2x6 wall.

Yes. We're gonna sister
the new wall with this one.

Oh! Oh, okay.

We're gonna sister them
and have them straight

and that's how
it's gonna be done.
Okay.

Alison: He's simply doing
an additional structure

to support the new
floor joists.

We will be getting
a pretty much like 99% new home.

Right.
And I will have
the straight walls,

not you yelling at me like,

you know,
"why my kitchen is leaning?"

if I see one
uneven floor or wall,

I'm gonna freak out.

And you get to do
what you need to do.

Yes.
Alright.

I feel good
about that.
I agree.

You're walking a house
with your business partner,

who's the general contractor
and the developer.

He should know what's going on
with this home structurally.

Why would you just not do it
right from the beginning?

Let's be in the business
of making money, okay?

Not wasting money.
Alright, we're good.

Alright, let's start.
Let's get the guys.

So now it's demo time.

Donovan: Demo is probably a good
two or three weeks here.

Just, I don't want
to rush it.

Structurally, I'm not
totally sure about it.

There's definitely
some unknowns

and there's a lot of things
that could go wrong.

♪

♪

alison:
There was a stop work order
that was issued on berenice.

When they opened up the walls
and the floors,

there was, like,
a lot of rotting wood.

So, rotting wood
is dangerous.

Somebody could get hurt
and fall through.

So that stuff had to be removed,
which was originally

not in the scope of work
for him to demo.

How much is that gonna cost
in time or holding up things?

That obviously is the last thing
I want to see.

Now we're at a total standstill.

♪

alison:
There was a stop work order
that was issued on berenice.

Securing it up?
-Yep.

These bottles
are not safe anymore.

That obviously
is the last thing

I want to see now.

Here we are.
We're at a total standstill.

It seems to me like
it's a lose-lose situation.

So, ermin's removing
rotting wood,

which was a safety concern
while doing demo.

All of a sudden
there's an inspector coming out

and there's a stop work order.
I have to be way more involved.

I'm working with the architect.
I am revising the permit set.

So with the city,
I'm doing that.

And now we just have
to make it right.

Everything done.
But quality and safety

is more important
than pretty much anything.

I know.
I'm not an architect.

I'm not a licensed gc,
but I don't cut corners.

It's your name on this job.
It's my name on this job.

And for me, I kind of just want
it to be our names on this job.

This may have not been the lane
that I wanted to be in,

but I'm in it now
and I'm staying in it.

And I'm the one
that's gonna be responsible.

I just want this
orange sticker off.

Yep.
I feel like we're going
to go faster,

but we're gonna do it
safer and smarter.

And I don't want to see
any of these signs ever again,

me neither.

We needed to go then get
the full blueprints

and amend the permits.

This stop work notice
has halted everything.

♪

I'm just doing anything
I can to move things forward

with no idea when we're going
to get this permit.

So it's shopping time, looking
for some pieces for berenice.

The design in that area
architecturally

is very specific,
very, like, cottage style.

It's like the only one
that's not that style.

So I'm a little torn right now
in what direction I'm going in.

One little piece can inspire
the entire place.

This is a very different kitchen
for me at berenice.

I'm gonna do old-school,

where I'm not keeping
this open floor plan.

I'm closing it off
from the dining room.

Wow.
I want to have something
cool there

for like spices.

Like, this is
exactly what I need.

I'm not gonna try to have
my kitchen look shiny and new.

I want it to have
some real character,

whether that's with color
or the actual cabinet.

Man: This is
louis the xiii style.

I think it was made
early 19th century.
Wow.

But it looks earlier.

So it's all geometric
and rectilinear,

but being french,
they can't help themselves,

so they still have
some curves.

So it's the kind of
french armoire

that appeals to modernness.
Yeah.

It's all pegged together.
These are pegs.

It's unbelievable.
The craftsmanship is beautiful.

This cabinet is perfect
for this kitchen.

It's something I know
can fit into my space

and serve as a perfect pantry.

How much is this piece?
How about $1,600?

Yes.
I love saving
the artifacts.

I do, too. I love it.
Thank you.

You know, my powder room
in berenice is very, very small,

but I definitely still wanted
some sort of storage in there.

So, I see this piece.

It's definitely not something
I would normally look for.

It looked like a side table,
but something stately about it.

[ cellphone ringing ]

-hi.
-Hey, I found this.

It's like an oval side table.

This was made in 1930.

I was thinking, like,
this would be kind of a cool,

like, powder room sink
for berenice.

Kristy: Oh,
that could be awesome.

I know,
but I don't know if it fits.

29" wide by 18 3/4".

Actually,
it's almost perfect.
I love it.

I've got to add a marble top
to it like a remnant.

So, that's my goal with this.

Feeling inspired for berenice,

but we have no idea

when we're gonna get this
[indistinct] lifted.

♪

something seems wrong,
and it's concerning me now.

We have got to get
this figured out

because I can't afford to
just have this project sitting.

So, I was traveling for work

and I actually found out
through the media

that donovan's license
for his gc company

and his development company
was suspended.

That's a massive,
massive problem.

Berenice has been sitting
for months

with no one working on it.

The deputy commissioner
made it very clear

that donovan hadn't
gotten inspections

or final inspections

on 20-plus projects that he did

before he even met me,

and I knew that it was now
everything's under a microscope

and that orange sticker went up.

And that is what happened
on every single project.

Damon, augusta, berenice.

And this isn't my world.
Like, I'm just doing my best

to get up to speed,
but it's so hard

when your business partner's
licenses are suspended

and he can't do anything.

And it costs money.

So it's either chipping away
at your profit

or it's completely
taking your profit away.

It's like every single corner
that I turn,

it's like boom,
stop, boom, stop.

And it's like, why?
What?

What happened?

All I want to do is get ahead,
and I can't.

I mean, orange sticker

after orange sticker
after orange sticker.

♪

♪

alison: All I want to do
is get ahead, and I just can't.

I'm just constantly stopped.

I mean, orange sticker

after orange sticker
after orange sticker.

Because of all of the delays,

we just have a lot
of expenses --

interest carry, taxes,

insurance, utilities --
the whole thing.

And all of those are expenses
that you can't not pay.

And they just continue
to add to the bottom line.

We have to get this figured
out fast

because I can't afford
to have any projects sit

let alone berenice.

Now everything's
under a microscope.

All you can do at this point
is move forward.

Honestly, donovan and I are just
in a really bad place right now.

I'd be lying if I said I felt
good about this partnership.

The worst part is that I just
can't seem to get answers.

Like, I don't know
what I need to do

to help solve these issues.

Thank god I have ermin.

So, now I am doing anything
that I can

to remove donovan from berenice
legally --

like, to remove him
completely from the project

because these issues
with the city,

they're getting worse and worse
and worse because of him.

♪

♪

I have to keep these projects
going and on track,

and I'm just scrambling to keep
my business from going under

and scrambling to clear my name

and make things right.

And me and my team are just
doing everything that we can

to solve these issues.

So, ermin had a big meeting

with the building department

about all of these
stop work notices

and about him becoming
the general contractor

in lieu of donovan.

But we don't know when we're
gonna get the permit back.

My one true escape is design

and getting back to that,
getting back to what I love.

These are cool.
So I want to be creative.

I need ideas.
Get me in a space

where I'm inspired

to do this type of work.

But the whole time I'm shopping,
that's all that's on my mind

because I know
how important this meeting is

for both of us.

Hi.

So he ends up walking in...
How'd it go?

...And I could see just
his little smirk.

Come on.
You have to tell us.

What, do I have
to tell you?
100%.
We've all been waiting.

They will insure the permit for
these violations we have...
Okay.

...And then after we get
the permits...

So you can stay
on the permits

and the blueprints
for augusta,

damon, berenice,
and carpenter?
Yes.

Then what?
Once we get those,

then you can do winchester.
Then we apply and do
whatever we want.

You swear?
Yeah.

Do you feel good?
Of course.

Are you being serious?
Yeah.

This beacon of light!

Alison:
So, today was good news

because we got the a-okay

to keep these projects moving.

We're gonna build.
I told everybody here.

We're starting
to build again.

Berenice we should get
Friday or Monday.

Okay, okay.
Two weeks out,
we should get all permits.

[ indistinct ]
we're starting Monday.

We're gonna do this.
We're gonna do this

and make it right.

Nothing is going to
stop us.

♪

berenice had a stop work order
on it for a long time,

and the minute
that we got the permit

is really just the minute
we started going.

That's a green light for me
to prove

how great
I can be with my team.

♪

framing is just beginning.

Seeing this thing framed
and taking shape,

knowing that it's being
framed correctly,

I'm very excited
to see this go in.

I just want to make sure
everything's being done right.

It has to be perfect.

♪

♪

ermin and his team have just
been, like, rocking and rolling,

getting this thing framed

and ready
for the next inspection.

Time is of the essence,
and we've got to get it done.

♪

♪

so, we've already paid out
so much money on berenice,

and that stop work notice cost
a lot of time --

four months almost --

and time is money that's gonna
add up in the end

and put us over budget.

♪

so, donovan never showed
a garage in the plans,

which means I had
to get the architect

to do the plans for the garage
and then submit for permits.

So there's another delay.

And if I can't knock
the garage down,

ermin cannot do the addition.
So we really are

kind of building
half a house right now.

It just feels like this process
is always like one step forward

and like five steps back,
and it's super frustrating.

With all the setbacks,
there's so many unknowns

that I'd start making up these
stories about what could happen.

And ultimately, I can't control
what is going to happen.

I can just do the right thing
every day

and just hope for the best.

That's all you can do
at this point.

I have no choice but to take the
bull by the horns and just go.

I have to finish it.

♪

alison: So today, ermin got
the permit for berenice.

It's been nine months
since berenice started,

and after all the delays,
because of the stop work notice,

we've just had to make up
for lost time.

So, the electrician started
all the recessed lighting,

and that awful exterior facade
is finally coming down.

Super ugly.
It's got the faux stone,

and then you just have
all the siding.

All of that gets removed,

and then we're replacing it
with hardie board,

which really matches the style

of most of the homes
in this neighborhood.

Hardie siding is made
out of fiber cement,

so it's really durable

and it gives me that wood look
that I'm after.

So, that's all going up.

We got the permit
to demo the garage

and a really-needed break
in the weather.

So the guys are gonna
take that down.

And with the garage gone,
we can finally start excavating.

This should be a 12-month build.

Will it be?
Working at this pace,

we actually have a chance
to make up time.

♪

so, I'm going to do a check-in
at berenice.

We are ready to do the addition.

I don't know where we're at
with it, though.
Ermin.

Some of the problems that I saw
in the beginning

when we open up the walls,

I'm not gonna not
pay attention to those things.

That might not be my world,

but these are my homes.

You can bet that I'm gonna
ask way more questions

about these issues.
Digging out the back now?

Yeah, we did
dig out the back

waiting for the inspection
for the concrete footing.

Got it.
Then you put the footings...

And then we frame
for the foundation wall.

Do you know when the
inspection's gonna happen?

We're expecting them
next week.
Okay.

Alright, but the framing
in here is looking good.

And obviously,
this is all

the double wall
properly done now.
Yes. Yes.

Supports the beam, and
everything's just done per code.
Yes.

There are no cutting corners.

You know, seeing this thing
framed and taking shape,

knowing that it's being
framed correctly,

you know, doing it right.

Right, I can't wait.

Maximum three?

Brand new roof.
Yeah.

Putting a whole new roof on

from front to back,

you're cutting down
on any mistakes or problems

that might happen.
And again, not cutting corners

because I don't want
to say any more.

Alright,
call me if you need anything.

Not a problem.
Thank you.
Okay, bye.

So now that I've checked in
and made sure

that were on top of everything,
I need to go do what I do best.

I need to go shop for all those
special pieces

I want to bring into the house.

♪

so today, I'm looking for
a really specific piece.

Hey, aaron?

-Yes?
-Question.

Alison: I'm looking for a piece
in a master closet,

and I've got space to do,
like, a center island,

but something
where you could put, like,

your jewelry or accessories
or like a belt.

How about a small pet?

What do you want,
a gerbil drawer?

Yeah. Yeah.
[ chuckles ]

I mean, this is
kind of cool.

Sunglasses...
Jewels.

Let's keep going.
More jewels, jewels...

More jewels.
...More jewels,

more jewels, watches.
That's a lot of jewels.

I have a lot of jewels.

-Now, what about one?
-That's cool.

What if you do, like,
hats, belts?

Severed limb?
Oh, my god.

What is this thing?
-It was used to hold money

and, I believe,
valuable papers.

I think this is the piece
'cause it's not gonna

obstruct the closet space.
You can navigate around it.

What's it made out?
Is it also -- [strains].

It's hardwood painted

and then the feet
are cast bronze.
[ gasps ]

and to have that piece
be fire engine red.

Not what I was thinking.
Then, I can always paint it

another beautiful color.

So you have $600...
Hmm.

How about $400?

Come on, go half.

For you?
Yeah.

'cause it's your day?
Yeah.

Okay.
Halfsies!

It's coming home with mama.

What are you doing,
hiding this for me?

I was sorting through
coffin plaques.

This is a coffin plaque?

It would go on a coffin.

How would you like
to be remembered?

What would you put
on that plaque?

Probably just
"you're welcome."

♪

alison:
Just like ermin expected,
we passed the inspection

and now we can actually pour
the concrete for the addition.

So it's just like --
it's go time.

♪

inside, the plumbers are doing
all the rough-in

on the upstairs, and there's
just so much activity

going on at berenice.

So, after all of these
massive delays,

ermin's guys are just committed
to getting the house done,

and that means so much.

You know,
they're framing the addition

even with all the snow.

Ermin:
Yeah, for the past eight months,

we had been delayed here,

and now we are kind of
catching up on everything

because we don't have
any more days to lose.

Even today, we have a snow,

but the guys still come out
to do the work

'cause we want to catch up
on the days

and just want to be done.

♪

♪

alison: Last thing that needs
to be framed is the garage,

and that is scheduled to be done
by the time we start drywall.

Berenice is a big build.

This is going to become a
almost-4,000-square-foot house.

So, digging the basement out
by hand costs about 10 grand,

and it's gonna take
even more days

because it's just more labor.

I mean,
this is a big, big project.

♪

berenice check-in.

So now the addition's on
and it's gigantic.

This is the family room,
island here.

Coming through here,

more of a formal
sitting room up front.

It's not full open floor plans.
It's defining spaces.

Come up stairs,

nice little landing,

master bedroom -- perfect size.

I'm glad that I relocated
the opening.

That way you could
actually have a tv wall

and still enough room
for that really cool piece

that I found as
the center island in the closet.

So I'm just so glad all around
things evolve

and all of a sudden, it truly
does look like $1 million.

♪

the entryway is next.

So, the front porch is such a
focal point for the curb appeal

in this neighborhood.
It's gonna blend,

but it's certainly gonna
stand out at the same time.

Perfect job.
When it looks

just like your rendering,
you know they're doing it right.

So even though we're back
in business on berenice,

we still have a ton of issues
because I have no more money

and there's no more time.
We've lost time.

Now we got to make time up
however we can on this project

because it's all you can do.

So, we're insulating right now.

We're getting the inspection
after that,

which means we go
right into drywall, and drywall

means that after all the delays
that we've had on this one,

we're finally almost there.

♪

work has been nonstop.

I just decided that I'm gonna
take a little road trip.

So today, I am visiting
ari at home.

He moved out to wisconsin
with his family.

-Hey.
-Hello!

Ari: Welcome!

You guys left the city!

To the farm. Hi!
To the farm.

-Hi.
-Hi.

This is awesome.

Alison: I mean, of course
I want him closer to chicago

because that's where we do
all of our work together.

But then you get here
and you just -- I get it.

Alright, show me around.
I want to see it.
Let's go check out the goats.
I think they're over this way.

These are the ones
that fall down?
Yeah, the fainting goats.

The fainting goats.
I moved into a farm house

location out in wisconsin.

Less money, less traffic.

I can focus on my craft

op! He just fainted.
See him?
Where?

Oh, you alright?
Is that bad for their brain?

See, fainting goats.

That's just how they are?

They get paralyzed
for like a minute.

See? Hi guys.

To be here
kind of on his turf feels good.

-Want to go see the chickens?
-Yeah.

That is quite the coop.
Yeah.

-Oh, is that the bird feed?
-Come on, chickies!

That's our chicken feeder.
That's so nice

you bring it out in the tractor,
or the dump truck.

Sorry, I got to
get it right.

Oh!
[ laughter ]

let's go check out the pool.

Of course
ari dug his own pool out.

So I got the whole thing.

It's like a firewood
heated pool, of course,

'cause that's ari.

He's just constantly putting in,
like, old scraps of wood

in there to keep the pool hot.

And then, out there's
our one-acre garden

that we're starting
to work on,

and we have
tons of asparagus.

We'll take a walk later
and you can cut away a ton.
I'll cut it.

I can't wait.
There's thousands of them
out there.

-I love it.
-Let's take a walk to the barn.

Ari's got all the pieces here
for the berenice house,

and so it's kind of like make
sure that we've got our heads

kind of wrapped around
what we're gonna do.

This is the kitchen pantry.

So, this is sitting
front and center.

So then what you would build
is the top piece

that goes to the ceiling

and then you're gonna
have to figure this out.

You're gonna have to take
the crown off of this

and somehow add to the top
and do a cool design here.

Do these need to be like
pull outs?

Is this the hide kitchen
and stuff?

I mean, it's just
for additional storage.

I feel like that's not
how I wanted this to shine.

Let's talk about this.

You know, we just started
talking about it

and where it was gonna go

and how it was gonna
get incorporated,

and it just wasn't feeling
right -- something about it.

What if we did
something like this?

What if we just did
like a base cabinet?

Yes, and then
open shelving.
Yeah, open shelves.

So this pops out more,

this sets back,
big, chunky shells.

Yeah, chunky shelf,
chunky shelf.

We need a countertop.

And then lowers
for extra cabinetry.

This is it.

Sitting down
and sketching it out

and thinking about it,
taking a minute,

I instantly felt
really confident

and really happy about the hutch

and about the kitchen built-in.

This is
the master closet island.

Paint it black,
new hardware, okay.

This I'm gonna
have ermin's people do

because this is
the powder room sink.

He needs to retrofit it
anyway.

Yeah, you just cut
the drawers out.
Correct.

So, they will do this.
We'll put the top on,

I'll have my countertop people
cut it down,

sink goes on,
call it a day.

Alright, we took one of the old
beams down from the house.

I'm always excited to try
to reuse pieces like that

in my new designs.

It's gonna be like a cool,
like, mantle for the hood.

You're just literally
gonna cut it

and then you're gonna
mount it.

And I thought
we would do some...

Corbels?
Yeah.

-So, that's it.
-Alright.

Before you leave,
let's get some asparagus.

Oh, god, I totally forgot.
I'm gonna eat it all tonight.

I'm really big asparagus fan.

I love butter and I love lemon
and I love salt.

So, I'm gonna go get
a bundle of that stuff

and then
I'm gonna put stuff on it.

-Those are good ones.
-Oh, yeah, they smell so good.

I feel like
it's like a scavenger hunt.
Oh, here's a big one.

Look at that one
right there.
Look at this guy.

Okay.
I mean, this is a bundle.

You said laura's
got more for me?
She's got, like --

I'll take a ton.
[ chuckles ]

so I'm cooking tonight.

♪

yeah!
Badass.

This is me.

See the resemblance?

We have no money
and then you lose nine months.

That means everything
is gonna be a loss.

That won't stack
in front of it.
Yeah, no.

[ bleep ]

♪

alison: Berenice day today,
and this really is a dream home,

so it's really just go time.

In the next month and a half,
we'll to go right into flooring.

The pre-finished floor that
we're using here at berenice,

it has a wide link that helps
the whole space look bigger.

♪

♪

alison: So, up in wisconsin,

ari is working
on the built-in for the kitchen,

and that's already been through
a couple of changes,

so what's one more change?

I decided last minute to,

shocker, paint it black.

I was struggling with this
finish again

on the old unit and this hutch.

It was just too orange.

So I thought with the pendants

that I'm bringing in
over the island

with some of the black accents
throughout the house,

that just made sense.

He'll bring all those down
to chicago in a couple of days

when we actually install.

♪

♪

so, cabinets are going in today,

and I have to maximize

every square inch of storage
in this house

so I can get that
$1.6 million asking price.

The second they're done, the
countertop guys are coming in.

I went with a beautiful
manufactured stone

throughout the entire house
because it's a family home.

It needs to be low maintenance,
but it looks gorgeous.

♪

so today is ari's install day
over at berenice

I'm excited just because
I felt like we made

so much headway at the farm.

So now to finally see
these pieces going in

and to be part
of making this mantel

that's gonna go above the hood,
I'm just excited.

The old beam that ran in this
house that we took out --

oh, that's the one
I'm gonna cut?

That's in the garage.

And I want to use that as a big
chunky mantel above the range.

That'll look pretty.

So I've always
looked at photos

and admired photos of kitchens
that look like living rooms.

So that's what we're gonna
try to achieve here.

So this is gonna look like
a kitchen range/hood/mantel.

It's almost like this is
the future of kitchens, right?

That it's a kitchen,
but you can't tell.

Yeah, well, everybody
hangs out here.

Right. But it looks like
almost like a living room.

Alright, so let's go look
at the beam.
Alright.

I need to cut it a little bit
because it's like a monster.
Okay.

I need to get
some aggression out.

I need to just --
I just want to cut something.

Where am I cutting?

Right on that line there.

[ chain saw whirring ]

♪

yeah!

-Badass.
-Yeah!

It felt good to have
that chain saw in your hand.

It's empowering to be part
of the process

to use this old beam
from the original house

and to reincorporate it
in a totally reimagined way.

So my thought is that

it's literally
gonna be all the way.

You got to make this
less deep.

That's just like --
how deep is this now?

I think was nine.

Ugh.

-Eight.
-I don't want it that wide.

So what do you think?

I mean, proportion-wise,
maybe five inches.

-4 1/2?
-4 1/2? Okay, 4 1/2.

I can make corbels
out of this piece, then.

Oh, you can do the corbels
out of this?
Yeah. Yeah.

When I was telling ari
my vision,

I thought, "do I buy corbels?"

and he was like,
"why even buy them?

I can actually carve them myself
with the chain saw."

how cool is that, making
a corbel out of the beam

to look like it's old.

So his idea I think is great.

I can't wait to see
what it looks like.

♪

so this house is super special

just 'cause it's like
paint on paint,

'cause I want to cater
to the masses.

I want most everybody
that comes to look at this

to love it
and see a lot of character.

And people love
black-and-white houses.

So I'm doing
these cedar shingles

as this architectural accent

to the front facade
of the house.

I know the rendering
was more like chocolaty brown,

but it's like my eye
is going almost here.

So I had ermin put a ton

of different stain samples
together for me

to really show the grain
of the cedar shingles.

Alison: The one on the right's
got, like, green in it.

I don't know
why I like this one.

And then over time,
it will patina and age.

Yeah, you got to go
with your gut.

Snap judgment.

I think it's gonna
look killer.

Hey, question for you.
Is that cedar underneath?

No, but I'm gonna
stain that.

-Stain it this.
-Yes.

Okay, I like the idea.

And that way
you got paint, paint,

and then just this, like,
beautiful, rich stain.

It's gonna look good.

♪

removing donovan
from the bank loan

is like an added layer
of protection

for my own business
that I built from the ground up.

It took a very long time
to get donovan off this house.

It was really, really,
really expensive legally

because I spent a lot of time
with my lawyers

drafting up documents
to get him off the loan.

So donovan's still
on other loans with me,

but berenice is all mine.

♪

I've got one more change
for ermin on the front.

Now, this looks good.

My only thought --

the window above the porch
has that hardie frame around it.

What do you think
that is up there, five-inch?

Ermin: 5 1/2-inch.

Is there any more material

that we could actually
cut down to three?

I want the same here, 'cause
I feel like almost like this bay

is like so flat.

You just want to break that
little bit.

I want to break it up.

Here we go.
We have two pieces here.

Yeah, is this three?

Yeah. It's pretty much
like a three-inch.

Can I see
what it looks like?

Okay, I love that.

That gives it
a little bit of depth.

It feels like
a stronger facade.

Yeah.
Can I come down now?

-You can come down.
-Thank you very much.

♪

so when you have a project
that you think is

only gonna take 12 months
and you have a nine-month delay,

I would say that's probably
the biggest nightmare.

So the budget was done
by donovan and underbudgeted

on most line items
having to do with construction.

So, you know, when something's
wildly underbudgeted

and then you lose nine months,

that means pretty much
everything is gonna be a loss.

We have no money unless
something magical happens.

♪

so inside, we've got
the stair railings going in

and also the kitchen built-in.

Watch I don't trip
coming in here.

So this is our top piece,
right?
Yep.

Okay, so that goes above.

Yeah, it goes up there,
a tower.

I like this kind of rub.
I would definitely do that.

But can you even do that
to the top?
Oh, yeah.

This mix of gray and brown,
I think it's beautiful.

And plus, this is like
pretty distressed, so...

-Yeah.
-Why hide it, you know?

I don't want
to hide anything.

And then those brass shelves.

Love these.

It looks like this unit
really has been there forever.

Yeah, like, give me
my first one there.

-And this is the top.
-Yeah.

-Okay.
-Awesome.

Alison:
They look beautiful.

Little plant,
a little art,

and then this becomes
its own art piece in itself.

And it just -- I think
it complements the kitchen.

I like this
kitchen layout.

Right? It's a cool,
different layout.

Yeah,
it's way different.

Next thing for ari to do
is split that beam in half.

This beam is massive.
It's 8x8.

And I definitely don't need
that kind of depth at all

because it's just gonna
come out into the kitchen.

Whoever's, like, cooking
would hit their head.

So I really need this thing
chopped depth-wise.

I pictured this as like
a mantel,

truly like a mantel you
would see on a fireplace

with these full corbels.

And he was like,
"if I can take some of the beam

that we don't use

and I can actually carve them
myself with the chain saw,

that might be kind of cool."

two corbels.

First, the corbels get glued

and then screwed into the wall,

and then the beam goes up
and on top of that.

Artwork.

So ari is an artisan.

He is a carpenter.
He is a craftsman.

He is an artist.

Ooh!

-Little mini.
-Is this me?

[ laughs ]
I don't know.

[ laughs ]

wait, this is so cool.

Yeah, brass frame
just like you ordered.

I love this!
This is a big one.

A lot of people don't know that,
but all of the art

in all of my homes
is custom-made by ari.

This is me.
See the resemblance?

I'm so excited to see
how those paintings

are gonna look
on top of that kitchen mantel.

-Too big.
-It won't be able to stack.

I think went too shallow
with the beam.

Too shallow?
Yeah, 'cause I can't
put, like, anything up there.

Oh.
You said four inches.

We saved one beam from
the original part of the house

and specifically
for this mantel.

It's not like I can just, like,
go get another.

Yeah, that looks stupid.

I mean, I don't even have
enough room to put a plant.

One piece of art,
but that just looks silly.

That won't stack
in front of it.

[bleep]

hopefully it's not too big.
It won't be able to stack.

I think we went too shallow
with the beam.

So now it's just too shallow
to hold anything.

So I just feel like
I'm screwed on this.

That won't stack
in front of it.
Yeah, no.

[bleep]
aw, man.

I mean, I don't even have
enough room to put a plant.

I got no room up there.
What if we come out here

with another plate on top?

Come out like three inches
and then come right to here?

I cut the beam apart
to make these, though.
Yeah.

Is there any of those chunks
outside?

They throw them all out?
I don't know.

They're gone.
I don't know.

I mean, it wouldn't look bad if
you put a two-inch chunk on top,

come out like three inches
and then come right to here.

I probably have something
like this at the shop.

Okay.
I wouldn't mind it.

That way I've got
some sort of ledge.

I mean, I could do
six inches.
Mm-hmm.

And then come right to here
to the edge.

Yeah.
I think that'd look cool.

I think it'll look cool.
It'll be chunky.

And it'll be --
it gives it dimension.

And then I can actually
put stuff up there.

Yeah.
Okay.

I know that
whatever ari comes up with

is gonna look great, you know.

I know he's gonna make it right.

♪

so berenice is such
an awesome street.

It's a one-way, really quaint.

Everything's walkable,
and the neighbors

really take so much pride
in the curb appeal.

And I love faux turf.

Having something
stay green all year long

is what we need in chicago

because those winters
are long and dark and miserable.

So why not brighten it up?

♪

this kitchen just still feels

like it's missing
some character,

and then all of a sudden
I thought about that trip

that I made to round top, texas,
for this big antique fair.

I was overwhelmed.

Wait till you see the pen--
there's the pendant.

Oh, that thing's gorgeous.

How cool are those?
Those are over the top.

And those pendants were
the first purchase for me.

These are so cool.

And it was more of a last-minute
decision to use it

in the berenice house.

Let me see the height
on that.

I figured if I can bring in
like a soft black color

for the pendants
with that old antique cabinet

that ari transformed

into this new kind of
coffee/wine bar area,

these are perfect.

I hit the jackpot
with these suckers.

Okay.

-I love it.
-That is max.

It's so beautiful.
Perfect.

♪

the fireplace that I decided
to do at berenice,

I found it
in round top, texas, also.

-Oh, that's gorgeous.
-I mean...

Right? That's the best one
you've ever bought.

Hello.
Whoa.

Another last-minute decision.

And those are those
snap-judgment moments

for me that just pay off.

♪

painting time.

Master closet piece that
I found for that center island,

it was not expensive.

But if anybody knows me,

you know I hate red a lot.

So I need to get rid of it.

But I knew that with a beautiful
coat or three coats of paint

and some new cabinet hardware
and a new top

that this could look
like a million bucks.

So we're going with blue,

which I think will be
just like a standout moment.

Whoa.

Better than red.

Those are those fun finds

where it's like I don't have
to spend a lot of money

to make a huge impact

in a really important space
in the house.

Yep, this is gonna take
approximately 500 coats.

♪

it's a nut-bag day.

When it's like
from the electricians

to the shutter guy
to my landscaper, carlos,

to ermin and his guys
and me and my team,

it's just a lot.

And I know it's like,
"why do you do it that way?"

it's like, "why not?"

if you can knock
everything out in one day

and all these trades
have to be there anyway,

then you might as well
get it done.

Coming to you live.

Alison: You're being pulled
in so many different directions,

and if you don't keep your head
on straight,

you're gonna lose it.

Maybe you're gonna
lose your mind.

Maybe you're gonna lose time,
maybe you're gonna lose money.

You got to breathe through it.

Sometimes you got to hide
in the closet and scream.

♪
you got to breathe through it.

♪

okay, furniture is arriving,
staging day,

which means we are almost done.

-Hi.
-Hi.

♪

one will sit like this.

And one will sit like that.

Staging is so important.

If you're in this game
and you're doing it right,

you better stage it right.

Help people envision
their lives in this space

because it's gonna sell
like that.

I think the tighter
the chairs like this,

the better to walk around.

That's great.

You're loading furniture in.

You've got the cleaning crew
coming in

to do deep clean
from construction.

And then it's the accessorizing
and making things perfect.

♪

I've been working on this
project for a year and a half.

The roller coaster
that I have gone through,

I have to put my emotions
to the side.

I have to be
a rational businessperson.

Right now, today, and the way
that the world is,

home is more important
than ever.

Loving your space
is what people want.

They don't want
to settle anymore.

So designing a home
that has it all

is exactly what I needed
to be doing,

which is only going to help me
sell a house like berenice.

There was a lot of evolution
with this property,

and I love that part of it
because ultimately it turned out

exactly the way
that it was supposed to.

♪

so today, I am revealing
my berenice house

to vince, my realtor.

So I'm really excited
for him to see it.

I really need to hear
what he thinks about the house.

What do you love?

Is there something else
I should do?

Did you look at the comps?

And ultimately,
what can I sell this for?

'cause I really want to start
thinking about that price,

dreaming about that price,
and getting it on the mls.

Hello.

Wow.

So vince arrives.

This looks incredible.

Vince sold this property to me.
I'm giving it back to him.

And I just -- I can't wait to
hear what the actual price is.

Let's talk about curb appeal,
first and foremost.

I wanted to make sure
that I was keeping within,

like, the look
and feel of the street.

And I went with just a hardie
that I painted.

I chose this really,
really light gray.

I wanted just turf.
It's green all year long.

And then just lining it
with some plants.

The wood you put on the ceiling
there, the entryway

really warms it up.

You do a beautiful overhang
and all of the cedar shingles.

So I didn't want just siding
and then windows.

I wanted, like, dimension.
I wanted texture.

So this house isn't like
any other house on the block,

but yet it still
kind of blends in.

So now we have
a great family house.

Let me show you inside, 'cause
you're gonna get the full feel.

Wow.

Alison:
Let me show you inside, 'cause
you're gonna get the full feel.

Vince: This is an absolute
one-of-a-kind house.

I've not seen anything
like this,

and neither has anybody else,
'cause it's completely original.

Wow.

This looks really nice.

-Isn't this cool?
-Oh.

♪

I like this.
I like you come in.

You see the kitchen
right away.

And I like being able
to define the space

without actually
closing it up.

So it's like
you have this opening,

but it's still kind of
a cased-type opening.

Yeah, sure.
It's a different room.

And then you've
just got these,

like, little corners
that are saying,

"this is your
front living room."

and then it separates it from
the dining room but still open.

Yeah, I'm dying to see
that kitchen.

Lead you.
Come here.

Oh, wow.

♪

kitchens are really
evolving right now

so that it truly feels like
part of the living space.

Like, look at this island.

I always go, you know, with the
manufactured stone for buyers.

They want something
that's sustainable.

They want something
that's going to be durable.

And then this was the beam
from the house.

So that beam spanned
the entire width.

That's so cool.
Yeah, it's a good story.

I'll have to remember
to tell people that.

Right. And it's like a mantel
for your range.

And then ari carved
those corbels

out of the beam
with the chain saw.

-No way.
-Yeah.

I need to make sure he's hitting
those points in the description

when he actually puts
this property up on the market.

-Tell me about these.
-Okay, so these are awesome.

I found these in round top,
texas, last April,

and they make sense now
because we're balancing out

this kind of darker cabinet

and, of course,
my signature brass shelving.

♪

so you got
your powder room here.

The small side table
looks killer in the powder room.

It really is the roomiest powder
room I've seen in chicago.

Nice size, yeah.
And then what I love, too,

is, like, everybody
wants their family room
right in the kitchen.

You're watching tv.
You're hanging out.

Great room for a sectional.

This came from
round top, texas, too.

I guarantee
it's over 100 years.

Yeah, very cozy.

I love this piece.

Then flooring.

So this is the wider plank.
I like the darker finish.

Rustic refined.
Yes.

If you've got kids
and you live in chicago,

you're gonna want a mudroom,

and that is where -- you know
that this is a selling point.

Huge selling point.

You've got so much
width back here

to put all your coats
and tuck your boots.

Then we go down
into the basement.

This is the perfect
rec room/movie room.

Feel like you could put
a projector up on the ceiling.

So this could be
an office or a bedroom.

And now look at this yard.

Oh, yeah, this is nice.

♪

you can do dining.
You can do lounging.

People want this to be
just low-maintenance

and look great
all year long.

♪

-go on up.
-Upstairs.

Four bedrooms
on one level.

Master suite
in the front of the house

makes it feel
way more private.

Vince:
It's enough space.

People don't need oversized
rooms with their beds in them.

They want the big closet
and the big bathroom.

And that's exactly what I think
we did in this space,

'cause this closet
is beautiful.

Oh, yeah.
This is nice.

-Ready?
-Yeah.

Vince: Oh, yeah.
It's a spiritual experience.

This is something else.
It's like a spa in here.

Alison: The floors --
herringbone porcelain.

They look like wood.

Water closet here,
so totally private.

Double vanities
and this massive,

massive shower/tub area.

Two showerheads, one real rain
head that simulates real rain.

But the best part
is this tub.

You fill your tub
from the ceiling.

This is your actual tub filler.
Super cool. I like that a lot.

From the ceiling, and you
just stay here for hours.

I mean, this is a spa.

People are gonna die for it.
They're gonna love it.

And I think it's gonna be
a huge selling point.

♪

then you go down
this humongous hallway.

So this is the shared bathroom
for the two bedrooms here,

and then there's a bedroom
in the back.

That has an en suite
of its own.

♪

[ laughs ]
it's a big house.

So I looked at comps,
and there was a house

that sold a couple blocks
from here

for $1.55 million.

People weren't buying it
'cause it was cookie cutter.

Same size lot,
same size house.

This is way better.
This is new construction.

So we originally were talking
about this house

$1.4 million,
$1.5 million.

But now I genuinely think
we can ask $1.65 million.

I mean, that's what I want.
I was thinking $1.7 million.

But you know I tend to
overshoot a little bit.

Yes, it's legit.

$1.65 million
is where we should be.

We need a 3-d walk-through
in a couple days,

and we'll be
on the market right away.

I'll have everything ready.
Just put the photos in.
$1.65 million.

Alison:
So bought berenice for $487,500.

The all-in renovation costs
were $1,029,750.

And for a good reason.

The stop-work notice
was a huge cost.

All the delays and the fines

and the legal costs
because of that.

It's currently listed
at $1,650,000.

And if it sells for that,
there's a profit of $132,750.

This was a big project
to be, like, standing here now

and saying, "I am going
to make money, finally."

that is good business.
That is how you do it right.

It is worth it
because this house

is going to make
some family so happy.

♪

on the next episode
of "windy city rehab"...

I'm a showman.

It's my job
to entertain the crowd.

Ah, this mitt's broken.

The countertop
doesn't even fit.

It's measured incorrectly.

How do we cut something
too small?

I make less money on this deal
than you will.

I thought we ended
this conversation.

-We're not ending it.
-I'm done with it.

I don't care.

This was a big
breaking point for me.

Half of the budget
went to donovan's own company.

That means that's my money, too.

Those are my houses.

This is kind of the beginning
of the end with me and donovan.