Scharpe St Guy

Flipper, I obtained a bid for $1,050 not including the concrete footer which I will do myself. So this is setting the bricks, slicing, cutting, etc... I intend on setting the footer this weekend if the weather will allow. Flower bed will be two bricks wide and about 4-5 bricks high. The front porch will also be slightly extended and covered in bricks. Hopefully it really POPS. Wife and I placed an offer on a home near Tidwell and Donovan close to Garden Oaks yesterday, if that comes about then our home will be on the market soon. Scharpe St Guy

I have a great guy who would be perfect for your job, however I sent him upto Seattle to work on my Parents home. He is that good. He should be back down here around January I would think and he already has more work to do for previous customers but if you can wait he is worth it. Scharpe St Guy

<---- Me Thinks that Idylwood_Chick may be one of the family that owns/runs Cafe Flores??? New member, back door advertising the Internet HotSpot and the A M A Z I N G Bourbon Pecan Pie. Hmmmmmmmm??? Scharpe St Guy

JG and MidTown, Thank you for your reply's. I'm going to measure the sqft and use the numbers provided to see if it is in the correct size ball park. I have decided to do the footing myself so this should save a few dollars! Thanks again and I love this new Section Editor. Scharpe St Guy

Hello All, Wife and I are in search of a brick layer/mason to create a double thick brick flower bed and cut the brick in half so it's only half thick and tile the concrete patio outside the front door. We have the matching brick which came from another home in the neighborhood. Flower bed is approx 25 feet about 5 bricks high. Would require a concrete footing to sit on. We have recevied bids to do the job from $2,650 to $5,000+. When I ask how long it will take the standard answer is 2 days one guy said 3 days. So then I do the math from prior experience and the guy who bid the job will send over 2 maybe 3 guys for 2-3 days. So this works out to approx $60/hour upto $125/hour. The bids have included the labor, concrete footing, and mortar. Am I just too cheap and a bid for $2,650 is not bad? Any prior experiance out there? I may start work on the concrete footing soon and then perhaps start trying to lay the brick myself but I would really like the job to be done right and I'm not sure this is the right project to start my brick laying know how. Thanks, Scharpe St Guy

Niche, I love that dining room ceiling. Floors look pretty good as well. Can't wait to see how you fix it up. Scharpe St Guy

Hey Guys, Thanks for the updated report and supporting the new "classy" place on this side of town. My wife and I have not been there for about two weeks. We are about due though. All the best, Scharpe St Guy

Yes Congratulations indeed. Can't wait to see in person or photo's. 1502 Scharpe St had some attention yesterday. Tried talking to the (white) prospective buyer but he was not the talking type I guess! He showed up with a couple other guys who I assumed may be contractors to look at work to be done. May have a new neighbor soon! Scharpe St Guy

Just drove it twice today. It will be a huge freeway that is for sure however I have seen too many lost loads and police sprawled all over a road when they could be minimizing the after affect of an incident they tend to prolong and make worse. Doesn't matter if it's 30 lanes going each way, one nice fender bender and everyone has to slow down to take a look and cause another accident. I'm just "half empty" on this one! Scharpe St Guy

That agent was in correct. It was on the market for 81 days for $145,000. After the listing expired I saw a lot of work go on in the house with trucks and cars showing up each day. I'm figuring they did the floors and some patch work here and there. I think it would be a great buy, i'm truly surprised that it's not Pending yet. Carlos Garcia typiclly sell there homes pretty quickly around here. Not sure about the home next door but I think it's still a pretty good opportunity to eventually purchase one home and two lots if you tear that one down. It has a really old player piano inside and all types of furniture stacked up and strewn all about. I would love to be able to pick through it. Scharpe St Guy

Sounds to me like a great atmosphere that will suck up the supply of cookie cutter townhomes on the fringes of Downtown and the like. I understand that I-10 will be getting better but really how much better? For how long? It only takes one minor fender bender or a lost load and police parked all over looking busy to tie up the whole freeway. Scharpe St Guy

Seems to me this may entice many Chevron employees living out West to move on up to the East Side. Any date on when the consolidation should begin? I figure after a few weeks of I-10 traffic listings in West Houston should go up and listings Inner Loop should drop. Any thoughts? Scharpe St Guy

Amoxill, I didn't notice the fireplace issue you brought up. Are you looking in the Broadmoor area? Are you using a Carlos Garcia Agent? When I pulled up the home next door I did not see any recent transaction data for it, apparently the same guy has owned it for a long time and he lives in Montrose. Scharpe St Guy

Wife and I walked the home this morning. Things I noted were: 1. Foundation is block/beam and his high at the front of the house so the floor slopes towards to the back. I would think it should be an easy fix for a foundation company. 2. Kitchen needs to be redesigned/redone. 3. Wood floors were redone in the majority of the home but they forgot one bedroom upstairs and the old kitchen upstairs still has vinyl flue down which should be taken up and wood floors restored. 4. Addition of a garage. 5. Home next door has been vacant a long long time and getting more and more rough. Potential to purchase lot and increase lot size by double. So 12,500sqft total. Great house though, easy redo/fix/restore. Scharpe St Guy

Congratulations Niche, Transaction Closing "HELL" really does have an ending uh!!! What is the first project? Scharpe St Guy

Not my house but a few homes down, really nice brick two story. $150,000 Needs: Garage Central Air/Heat 1502 Scharpe St - Listing Scharpe St Guy

First off the East Side of town has a lot going for it and the Trains going against it. Other then the Trains it's a great place to live. In regards to pricing from 2 years ago to pricing today there are a few factors to consider: 1. Yes price would go up as the area sheds it's prior reputation and becomes the new, nice, place to live. 2. Construction costs though have skyrocketed across the board for everything from concrete, insulation, sheetrock, wiring, etc.. so a good chunk of the increase is not profit just the need to build a home and hopefully not lose money on it. 3. This area directly outside of Downtown is becoming quickly satuarated with townhomes and the like with no real thought about infrastructure, parks, shopping, etc... Townhomes are great however the real increase will be those areas just past the new builds where building has not yet started and in the form of a nice older (50+) year old home. Quite a few of these homes are being restored and brought back to life and the ability to have a lot of approx 6,000sqft with garage and a good size home for quite a bit less then the cost of a new townhome would make more sense. Good luck but it is a great side of town. Scharpe St Guy

I think your actually talking about the big two level complex that is gated in and has signs for Womens Clinic and I think Dentist on the sign. But the lower level looks empty. This is located approx a mile possibly less before Wayside coming from the Downtown direction. Scharpe St Guy

Oh trust me Niche, I have seen her take heads off people. If you are lucky enough to get to the front of the line and you are NOT ready to order, or start asking for things on the Side, or split/share, then be prepared. She is nice enough though if you proceed to the front and quickly let her know that you want the 2 meat (Chop Beef / Sausage) with a double slaw, Thank You. Ching Ching wait for your number to be called. Scharpe St Guy ps.. I actualy chuckle each time I see her do it and I think to myself hopefully those people won't come back so I can get to the head of the line quicker next time!!!

Thelmas is on Live Oak, awesome awesome awesome BBQ. Thelma is the equivalent of the Soup Nazi though!!! But I love her BBQ. Scharpe St Guy

Musicman, thanks for the update. Can't wait to have a new and closer Costco to go to. Scharpe St Guy

Danax, If you mean the Chinese/Tapioca place next to the Fiesta and Amegy Bank then GO. The food is Cheap yet very good and they make the best smoothies/tapioca there. We love them over there and they know us by name now! It's funny that Cafe Flores made us think that we are some how becoming legit over here on this side of town! It's a nice place to go, grab a bit and a drink in a nice atmosphere. Anyhow glad to hear the great report RPS, good luck on your closings. Scharpe St Guy

Niche, Hopefully you can get your deal closed. Is the city still holding it up? Glad to hear that people are trying out the new Cafe, they are still learning over there and getting processes put in place but the family is nice and sincere and it's a nice place to sit outside and have a bite and a drink. I have had there Chicken Salad Sandwhich twice now on the nut bread and it's pretty good. I'm going to be intrested to see who moves in the two empty units in the strip. MusicMan, what did you think? Scharpe St Guy

512mb Ram??????? Is this a typo? Ram is very cheap these days and running it with less then 2gig should be questioned. Thanks for the upgrade though!!! Scharpe St Guy I would be happy to send you a stick of Ram to boost it up past 1 gig.

RPS, This is one time that I would strongly encourage you and ask you to go talk to the owner and let him know. We go there almost every Sunday and love the place, food, and people. If it were my business and my employee did that to a customer I would want to know. MusicMan, They serve sandwiches as well!!! Last time I checked (Sunday), DinnerBell did not serve any Sandwiches!!! Cafe Flores is going to serve Ice Cream soon as well. I mentioned that one of the two empty slots between them and the Insurance Agent would be prime for Ice Cream and was told that they would have Ice Cream soon. Good basic sandwiches though and good desert and nice atmosphere, I would encourage you to try. Niche, You are seriously working on the "longest" close ever!!! Is it worth it? Try the new Coffee shop while your waiting on Closing!!! Scharpe St Guy Scharpe St Guy