You can’t put a dumpster in garage, it is too high for the ceiling, driveway, maybe
I’ve been over to see that house and the driveway is scary steep, but the view is great. We peeked through the front window and could see through to the view out the back. I’ve seen a lot of houses in the area with a circular outside staircase set onto a side or corner of the house - is there any way to do that on the back corner of the lower garage leading up to the deck? Maybe with a little dumbwaiter for hauling groceries? 
FWIW, our elevator has only required service an average of once every 2.5 yrs. A few months ago, I replaced the back-up battery which probably had its lifespan shortened due to numerous severe storms. I’ve spent far less on maintaining the elevator than on routine HVAC service. Exterior lifts/elevators are popular in some gulf coast areas. They are cheaper and can be found on homes valued <$500K. I’d never consider another multi-story house without an elevator. That’s not to say it makes sense for this flip, but it’s something to consider.
Maybe it’s regional. I’ve only been in one home with an elevator, and that includes many 7 and a few 8 figure homes. I have also only been in one home with an outdoor stairlift, which we had installed for MIL. These devices aren’t very common around here. Your realtor can advise you about how common they are for the demographic you’re targeting and likely return if you opt to install something.
I worry about something like this:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/16/home-elevater-death-trap-elderly-ga-couple-stuck-inside/
I guess, make sure there’s a phone in it, or only go one at a time. 
Wow, nre, I was just about to post the same sad story.
Some lakefront homes here have elevators that are more like cable cars - to offer access to the beach down steep slopes. A guy I knew installed one of those to the tune of $70k. That was in mid-nineties, so I had no idea how much that would cost today.
I can’t imagine an elevator without a phone. It’s one of several reasons we keep a landline. I also make sure that all of my clothes, including pajamas, have pockets and carry my cell phone any time it’s not next to me on my desk or nightstand, but that’s not because of the elevator. As far as the flip house, maybe its worth depends on the local market and whether aging Baby Boomers are the primary target market.
Just curious about interior choices for the house - do you ever repeat selections for paint colors,flooring, bathroom tile, faucets, cabinets, counters, backsplash and/or light fixtures? I’d think it would simplify your life a little if you were able to use many of the same items. Also, do you ever buy light fixtures or tile, for example, when they’re on sale to store for a future project?
I found that a large size box truck like U-Haul rental can be had for about $2~3000, it is lot better use small pickup or mini van (which I have) to haul debris. The real cost is the higher registration and insurance cost.
Sorry, have been busy and just now getting back to CC
Dumpsters cannot go into the garage. Even if you had a small one that would get into the doorway, the back of a dumpster has two large doors that need swinging space to get them open and then wrapped around the sides.
I analyzed very carefully the costs of dumpster versus pickup truck runs versus UHaul truck or van.
Dumpster + street permit = $600 AND I still have to pay the labor to put everything into dumpster
U Haul Truck = $80/day after paying mileage fee and I have to rent for the whole day and pay gas and labor to take it back/forth to dump. But it would only require one run to dump so about $100 for labor. Plus a pain in the butt to go over to the place and rent and return. Once I had to spend one hour waiting at U Haul trying to return a trailer
Pickup Truck = $0 plus gas. My rough estimate to load truck, tie it down, gas, driving and unloading and return is about $10 gas and $45 labor. Dump Fee averages $45/load. So, I can go to dump 6 times or 7 times at same cost of dumpster. So far we have 3 loads and I think we will only have 2 more of yard stuff before we hit a lull.
Regarding the U Haul Van or truck… definitely not going to buy one because I don’t want to have to agonize over where to park and store it when it is not being used. The beauty of a dumpster is that you can have it out front for a week and just fill it up as you go. U Haul Truck has to be rented by the day which means you might have it sitting out there for a couple of days before it gets filled up enough for a run.
Elevators are not common in this area. I’m sure there are some in super large multi million dollar homes somewhere, but not common. There are a lot of exterior spiral staircases in the neighborhood (house to left has one) and that could be a solution. I will be focusing on garage conversion feasibility and staircase feasibility next week with my contractor friends.
Regarding installing same materials in each house… this is exactly what my competitors do. If you watch their listings they have the exact same kitchen cabinets, granite counter tops, appliance packages, flooring and paint.
At one point I actually did buy a bunch of tile that was on sale and I have a bunch of 18 x 18 travertine stuck in my garage. Had the best intentions that I was going to stock up on stuff when it went on sale. BUT… I have discovered that one of my key advantages in the market, and one of the few things that makes the creative process enjoyable, is that every home deserves a certain design style. For example, the Arizona St Spanish 1920s bungalow needed Soapstone countertops and other period details. The Pacific Beach remodel needed a modern beach style. The Guizot Hoarder House was so much fun to do the ‘vintage coastal’. Expresso cabinets and stock granite countertops just did not work in that house. It needed to be light and bright and ‘vintage’
Another issue is that I have made the mistake of purchasing some tile on sale. I had to ‘guess’ how much I was going to need. Then, when the project came I was short 80 ft of tile and no longer in stock. Could not use it. Had to hold it for a year until it fit in somewhere. And, when I finally shoved it in somewhere it really didn’t match the ‘design’ I was trying to achieve for that house.
The types of things I could stock up on are electrical and plumbing, light bulbs, mortar and thinset, nails and screws, drywall, etc. Unfortunately those things don’t really ever go ‘on sale’. And, they take up a lot of room to store somewhere for the future.
And, finally, the pictures are loaded of the Before. These pics were taken Wednesday night when I picked up the keys. Some of them are not the best quality.
The entire house is pretty much gutted down to the drywall now, we have been moving fast. Keeping the toilet and sink in the master bathroom so we can survive for a while until I figure out the bathroom designs and we start installation in there.
We have opened up the drywall in the header areas where I want to open up some walls so we can analyze what type of structure headers and shear walls needs to be installed. Luckily we have found big solid 4 x 12 header beams and we don’t need to do too much reinforcement. Most of the wall changes are occurring where the original home exterior wall was and the new addition was added, right at that line.
What lovely bones this house has. I really like it.
Having an exterior staircase to get from one floor of the house to another just seems weird to me. Maybe because I’ve never lived anyplace without a real winter.
I would only consider the exterior staircase if the garage remains a large garage area with workspace. If it is converted into ‘living space’ then we would have to put in an interior staircase to make it right.
What are those diagonal boards up along the ceiling in the back of the garage?
cb, will you need permits to do what you want to do?
You know, that entry way is pretty darned expansive. I wonder if you could steal some of it to make Bedroom #1 larger.
Can’t wait to see how you will lay out the floor plan. I’m doing a little mental planning, and getting stumped. But I know you will come up with a fantastic plan.
Yes, garage conversion will require permits because i am adding liveable sq ft to house with an extra bedroom and bathroom. Could command a higher sale price.
The entryway was the original living room which is causing a dilemna. Standing here going “what am I going to do with this?” " how in tge world do i stage this?"