Home Reno Tips from TV Realtor Todd Talbot

The Love It or List It Vancouver host shows us the real-estate side of the show’s gorgeous home makeovers.

As the Realtor foil to interior designer and TV co-host Jillian Harris on Love It or List It Vancouver, Todd Talbot often sees the design team’s renovations from a more market-trends, return-on-investment-type perspective.Whether people stay or go (or ‘Love It’ or ‘List It’) is a delicate balance between feel and function. Looking back at home makeovers from the show, Talbot shows us what tipped the scales and how you can make the most of your own renovations.

Home Reno Tips from Love It or List It Vancouver:

1. Season 3, Episode 2 ‘Anastasia & Nimira’

• Air Date: July 13, 2015
• Design budget: $80,000
• Real Estate Budget: $900,000

Go with Glass. “In this room one of the things that I think people really are attracted to, in terms of buyers, is glass. This glass shower enclosure is super popular. It creates extra space because there isn’t a door on it, (there’s no swing), so you get a little bonus in that regard. And this integrated bathtub is great—it kind of feels like a walk-in shower because it has the glass enclosure instead of a shower rod. Because it’s glass, it will feel bigger than it is.”Opt for a Neutral Palette. “It’s always a smart choice to go with a neutral palette. A pink ceiling can be very personal, but everything else in the bathroom is bang-on in terms of its ability to add value to that room. The tile is classic and neutral in tone.”Tub Talk. “Shockingly, and I’ve seen this in a number of homes designed for a family, a lot of homes don’t have a bathtub. There’s a trend of people building master baths—including myself—without a bath, to save space. But for a family home, there needs to be a bathroom somewhere in the house.”Medicine Cabinet: “In a small space, a very straight-forward simple medicine cabinet buys you a whole lot of storage. Another little tip, you can buy some that fit between the studs in the wall, so you can inlay it in—this gives you storage without cutting out. Ultimately a bathroom’s functionality is directly related to the storage you fit in.” 

2. Season 3, Episode 6 ‘Penny & Chuck’

• Air Date: August 10, 2015
• Design Budget: $120,000
• Real Estate Budget: $2,300,000

Open Concept Still Reigns Supreme. “I think this is a great renovation in terms of creating that open concept that almost everybody means when people say, ‘We want open concept.’ There’s lots of countertop prep space, lots of storage within the island and at countertop height.”Bar-Height Counters Running Their Course. “The whole bar-height counter is a thing of the past. This (uniform counter height) really keeps the space open, and allows for lots of people to sit up at the island and it doesn’t cut off interaction between kitchen and casual seating area space. I would say the vast majority of people have moved past the delineated dining room vs. casual eating area—people are rolling it all into one.”Add Personality in Inexpensive Ways. “I think the mural at the end would be divisive for a lot of people who walk in. It brings an instant pop of colour to the kitchen, ties in the colours of the chairs, but the great thing about doing something like that in your space is it’s just paint. I think most buyers would prefer a pop of personality in that form vs. a backsplash. And here you’ll notice it’s a very classic colour and pattern which will stand the test of time and give you the best return on your investment. Some would suggest that would be boring, but for me I think that this is your single best investment, and when you look at this photo you get lots of personality in a low-commitment investment. You can DIY backsplashes, but not things like countertops or cabinetry.”What Your Ceiling Says About Your Age. “Houses of this vintage often had a textured ceiling of popcorn ceiling if you will, and with the renovation they flattened the ceiling. Leaving a textured ceiling immediately dates the home and it doesn’t matter what kind of upgrades you do to the space. My advice is if you can do it, get rid of it.”

3. Season 3, Episode 9 ‘Cindy & Chris’

• Air Date: August 31, 2015
• Design Budget: $90,000
• Real Estate Budget: $850,000

Open the Space with Windows. “This is exactly what I would do in this space. Oftentimes when people bring down walls, there’s an opportunity to bring in natural light with windows. The open concept maximizes the use of natural light, which is key, especially when people are considering renovations.”Whiter, Brighter, Bigger. “The tones that were chosen in this kitchen reflect a lot of light, making it bright and inviting.”It All Comes Down to Function.  “All the renovations that the crew does on the show are awesome. We only do amazing work, period. Even within that, it’s almost always about lifestyle. People don’t choose to stay or go because they have a pretty kitchen or a pretty bathroom. It’s not about pretty…it’s about functionality.”READ MORE: Jillian Harris’s favourite home makeovers.

More Tips from Todd Talbot at Vancouver Home and Design Show

Love It or List It Vancouver host Todd Talbot will be at the Vancouver Home and Design Show for not one, but two main stage presentations this weekend at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. You can catch him with Jillian Harris this Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m. and his solo Saturday at 2 p.m.For more details on tickets and times head to vancouverhomeanddesignshow.com.