Every episode!

In EVERY home makeover episode, whether it be Propety Brothers, Love it or List it, Fixer Upper...every one, I tell you, has the set back. You know, "I'm gonna have to call the homeowner and they will have to spend more money on this." There is some unexpected expense and it's going to cut into the budget. It's the formula for the "reality TV" because in actual (I feel funny saying that) reality, this is what happens. 

When Dad and I pulled the wood siding off where the garage will go, we found winged creatures and this! OH NO! And some more rotten wood and more winged creatures. The rest of my day was a see-saw. 

No worries- the seller provided a termite bond, I'll call them. 

Oh no! Those aren't termites, they're carpenter ants, we don't cover those. 

No worries-the manager will come over and take a look. 

Oh no! We won't cover damage.

Back and forth all day long....

Final answer, house is treated for termites and carpenter ants. I have to pull damaged areas and repair (I was gonna do that anyway), and you don't have a wooden house without pest control. It's just not smart. 

On to the next set back....

OH NO, it's the set back! Now, AFTER we called planning and zoning, after the contractor said yes, we can do that, after the bank loaned us money to do that, the surveyor says the set back (easement) on our particular property is further because we are on a corner lot. Our proposed garage will not fit! 

Well, that is a set back indeed. 

We are in the process of pleading our case with the planning and zoning committee. We have staked out the garage and took photos from the street to show that the garage would not impede vision of the intersection from a car. What does impede the vision is the giant, magnificent oak tree that is technically their property.

I wonder what they are going to do. 

Find out in the next episode of..."LOCO RENO" !