Replies

1. 
   Dan_Dear | Mar 30, 2000 01:45am | #1

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   Bobble, let's go back to basics and for now forget the PR and marketing.

   "Not much money" in the business world transfers to:

   1. Cheap renovations.

   2. Chiseling the contractors to be used and cheap materials to be used.

   3. Possibly, let's say, a "diminished capacity for service" to your prospective clients.

   Not only does that not sound like a viable venture, it's skirting on financial disaster. Better make a realistic business plan first. I'm usually the last one to put a cold shower on one's entreprenurarial aspirations but this situation looks appropriate.

1. 
   Mike_Campeau | Mar 30, 2000 03:54am | #2

   *Bobbie,I must side with Sonny on this one, it does not seem like the venture will make it in the long run.You are tackling quite a beast here; even the best laid plans will have forgotten something about a 1900`s house...I sincerely wish you all the best but don`t go too fast !mk

1. 
   GACC_DAllas | Mar 30, 2000 05:26am | #3

   *Bobbie,I must agree. A cold shower is in order. Unless you have deep pockets. Ed. Williams

1. 
   Rich_ | Mar 30, 2000 07:49am | #4

   *Write a business plan. Research the history of the property. Get a detailed survey of the property. Present this information to a lender who has a plan for older properies. It wouldn't hurt to contact any historical organizations in your region. Tell them this is a restoration, but made economically feasible by being a B&B.You may or may not find something in the history of the house that would generate interest. Kid you not, there are lenders out there wanting to save the old homes, but you should be prepared to do the legwork, ie, research. Thinking this won't cost much is rather wishful. You may save alot in construction cost, but it will still cost. If you decide to go after this project, do not do it by half. Your enthusiasism will generate more of the same. Be thinking PR in a big way. I hate cold showers.

1. 
   Scott_Davis | Mar 31, 2000 07:37am | #5

   *If you have the desire in our heart to do this, then yo can find a way. Get financing. Find out how much you need to do it right, and show this to all your prospective lenders. A buisness plan is good. It will show you if the B&B can work. It will show your lenders that it can work. The banks want to use you to make money. They need people with energy and talent to pay interest on their loans. If you have a really workable plan, they may help.If you want this bad, and it can work, you will achieve it.

2. 
   SHGLaw | Mar 31, 2000 01:36pm | #6

   *One of the unfortunate side-effects of the TV renovation shows is the misperception that if you get some cool old house, they'll provide you with the resources to fix it up and you get to have your house without having to pay for the renovations. Boy, is that one off base.Being on a show like this old house costs a fortune. They get to do whatever they like, and you have to pay for it. And you pay top dollar. That's the deal, and they tell it to you up front. So, without those deep pockets, you are barking way up the wrong tree.Sometimes, we just can't afford what we want. If this is one of those times, then walk away and be happy that you didn't take whatever you have and toss it down a big, dark, deep, hole.SHG

3. 
   Rich_ | Apr 01, 2000 08:07am | #7

   *SHG, very true. Had an eye on a c 1910 house on a friend's property. He had plans for the site which meant getting rid of the house. The house was lovely but was so far from any other available land that it was estimated to cost about 50K to move. There were power lines, two undercrossings, one very tight overcrossing, and a very, very sharp corner to make to any land we could have purchased on which to drop the house. Besides, all the plumbing and electrical would have to be redone. All told, land, moving and remodel would have cost nearly 200K. That was with the purchase price of the house exactly one whole dollar. This was 6 years ago. That only one of three house movers contacted returned the phone call and he had his transport ticket revoked the week before told us something.Ended up salvaging about 10K clay bricks and pushing the rest of the house into the basement and covering it up. A shame to see it go. It was a two story in kinda' a Victorian/revivalist.

2. 
   BOBBIE_ANDERSON | Apr 01, 2000 08:07am | #8

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   OK GUYS...I WANT TO BUY A 1900'S HOUSE TO RESTORE AND MAKE A BED AND BREAKFAST OUT OF IT. (11 BED, 6 BATH) TROUBLE IS, I AM A SINGLE MOM, NOT MUCH MONEY, AND WAS WONDERING IS THERE A TV SHOW OR MAGAZINE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT, OR AT LEAST CATCH THIS TRANSFORMATION ON VIDEO. I HAVE DEGREE IN BROADCASTING AND COULD PRODUCE AND EDIT...OR KEEP UP-TO-DATE WEB SITE MAINTENANCE...JUST SOME IDEAS PLEASE.TKS