Good Bones Season 1 Episode 5 Family-Sized Renovation

A family in Indianapolis is seeking support from the mother-daughter home renovation team of Karen E Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk. The family bought a century-old duplex with a budget of $215,000. The house is in a state of shock and its interiors needs to be revamped to accommodate the family of six. Mina and Karen face a tough task of turning the old duplex into a spacious and modern single-family home. The challenge does not end here, the team is dealing with a home that is almost 3,000 square feet, and the house requires a major overhaul.

Mina and Karen’s plan is to knock out all of the dividing walls and use some of the original elements of the house to create an open and inviting floor plan. The house needs a lot of attention, starting with the walls that have been crumbling and warping, to a dilapidated ceiling and patchy floors. The mother-daughter duo is on a mission to revitalize the home interiors with modern, stylish and maintenance-free materials. The goal is to create a warm and welcoming family home that could comfortably hold the family of six.

The duo first focused on remodeling the kitchen area as it needed the most attention. They removed the walls and added a new island to create an open-concept floor plan. Excitingly, they were able to find a way to preserve a historic brick chimney located in the kitchen area, which served as a design focal point in their modern and stylish kitchen renovations. The new kitchen was designed and remodeled with state-of-the-art appliances, custom cabinets, and countertops that added a modern look and feel to the space.

Beyond the kitchen, the team continued to work on the siding and exterior of the house, which they discovered was a major safety issue. The old, inefficient siding was stripped down. The home’s framing was reworked and insulated to help lower the rising energy costs, giving the family much-needed peace of mind. Without proper insulation, wall cavities can be breeding grounds for mold and mildew growth, which can create respiratory health problems. Hence, Mina and Karen prioritized this part of the renovation to ensure that the family’s health was also taken care of. The house was painted a pale green color, and with the new outdoor lighting, the home looks warm, welcoming, and inviting.

After the outside work had been completed, it was time for Mina and Karen to focus on the home’s interior. The team tackled the master bed and bath located on the second floor of the house. They stripped out the old plaster, making way for the new design style. A minimalist approach was employed with contemporary furniture and finishes that made the old space look entirely new.

Although renovations are carried out to enhance the value of the home, Mina and Karen also took into consideration the family's safety. There was no window guard on the second floor’s bedroom window, which posed a danger to small children. The team decided to install a new security fence on the second floor balcony to make it safe for the family, and this simple yet essential decision adds to the overall feel of the house.

As the renovation project progressed, Mina and Karen encountered an unexpected problem- the house’s sump pump had failed, creating a moisture problem in the basement. The situation was slow to correct and presented a challenge for the duo. They knew that moisture problems could lead to mold and mildew, so the problem had to be addressed immediately. They installed a new sump pump and also fixed any leaks located in the basement.

Overall, Karen and Mina managed to create a modern and cozy family home with flexible, functional, and fun spaces. They transformed an old dilapidated house into a warm and inviting house that is safe for the family members and designed to last. The season 1, episode 5 of Good Bones is definitely one for the books!