Adding a dormer with a bathroom?

[becwells]

Originally Posted by chet everett

In the "old days" you could maybe hire a neighbor that was a fireman with a a 24 on/ 48 off schedule and his lay about brother-in-law to rip off your roof, hammer in some new framing and then close it up against weather. That might have been $7k during the Reagan administration...

You can find some actual skilled contractors that do not advertise and really do hire subcontractors that know what they are doing and get actual permits (which is an absolute must as the city takes this much more seriously after well publicized disasters) with no electric changes and no windows for maybe something less that $15K but if the place has no A/C you will literally need to hospitalized the first night we have temps in the 90s...

For $100K you could get a "magazine quality" build-out with top of the line plumbing and high-end features like a balcony. I think that would really "price you beyond the market" in Portage Park but I have seen people do it...

Oh, and to be clear, we do NOT want to spend $100k on a dormer/renovation. No way. I'd be happy with $30-40k. Hopefully that's reasonable.

[gomexico]

Both appear to be very nice homes. Congrats, on whichever you choose.

[Vlajos]

Both are very nice, I like Agatite more.

I doubt $30-40K is enough. Probably a minimum of $50K for the dormer with bath.

[becwells]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Both are very nice, I like Agatite more.

I doubt $30-40K is enough. Probably a minimum of $50K for the dormer with bath.

Duly noted. Thanks!

We're putting in an offer this afternoon. Very excited.

[chet everett]

Both / either look nicely done. If you can afford the larger / more expensive one the fact that it does have a nicely done upstairs ought to be worth it both financially and lack of hassles. The lower priced home also is lovely. The value proposition is hard for me to jusdge as I would worry about the school situation and a more convenient neighborhood but the overal visual appeal of either home is very high...

Depending on how much work you DIY (including "shopping" for an honest contractor and NOT getting carried away with high end finishes / features) $50k would give you a solid cushion, but considered how cute the curved "eye brow" window is I would try to preserve / recreate that and the extra expense is probably smart...

[Vlajos]

Good luck!

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by chet everett

In the "old days" you could maybe hire a neighbor that was a fireman with a a 24 on/ 48 off schedule and his lay about brother-in-law to rip off your roof, hammer in some new framing and then close it up against weather. That might have been $7k during the Reagan administration...

Maybe the Eisenhower administration. I did some building during the Reagan administration and it wasn't cheap.

$35,000 ought to do it. $100K would be overimproving by quite a bit.

[key4lp]

I love the 2 houses just the way they are.....preserved with as much of the original
features outside and in.