'Vacation House Rules': Can Scott transform a 40-year-old cottage house from a financial burden to an asset?
Scott McGillivray has many skills up his sleeves and in the latest episode (Saturday, August 22), he has to put them in use to transform a 40-year-old cottage house into a money magnet. Calling it a financial burden, mother-son duo, Karen and Cody want the house to be an asset. Since the cottage has been in the family for nearly 40 years, Karen and Cody are looking for the money that can be made from the house.
Quite similar to their view, Scott too wants to convert the house from a money pit into a money maker. However, for that to happen, he knew that there was a lot of work that had to go into the house. Once he reached the place, Karen and Cody were warm and welcoming. The mother-son duo informed Scott that the house was often used by family and friends for vacation. They were being charged $700 for a week. However, Scott informed them that the cottage can help them generate around $400 a night. While Karen and Cody were shocked to hear this figure, they knew that in order to make this happen, there was a lot of work that had to go into it.
Meanwhile, Scott decided to look around to see what sort of renovation the house required. He was shocked to see how the rooms were filled with junk and to top it all, the rooms had bunk beds. He was surprised to see that one of the room's cupboard was converted into a bunk bed for children. Seeing how there was no theme in the house, Scott knew that he wanted to transform the house into a zen den, that is, a house that screamed calmness, tranquility, and gave an experience to the guest that they had hoped to have. He then went on to look at the kitchen and bathroom.
Taking a look at it, Scott knew that they needed renovation to match the rest of the house. As he already had a plan in place for the house, he went on to look at the backyard. Karen was quick to inform him that the view was money's worth, and she was not wrong. Once Scott had a look at the view, he knew it was the factor that would attract the guests. From thinking about turning the gazebo into a yoga area to using the space to have a relaxing time, Scott that the view was the trap for the guests. Without wasting any time, he and Debra Salmoni got started with the renovation. He started off by knocking the walls and bringing in new flooring.
Scott and Debra then took out all the materials that they did not think the house would require. While most of it was out, one thing that was untouched was the dining table that Scott thought was the center of attraction. As time went, the two faced a couple of setbacks like, having to do the wiring in the house. However, they managed to get that done on time. When Debra and Cody had a look at the house, they were shocked to see the transformation. However, there were most excited about finding out that they would be able to generate around $56,000 a year by renting it out for $400 per night at a 40% occupancy rate.
'Vacation House Rules' airs on Saturdays at 8 pm ET on HGTV.