Flipping Fellers January 2023 Newsletter
- Amy Feller
- Jan 2, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 30, 2024
Project Update
By Amy Feller
Three years ago, right after Thanksgiving, we moved to Duluth to renovate a sandwich shop. When COVID swept the nation, we were living and breathing sandwich shop reno. We converted the sandwich shop into an up/down duplex and did a full change of use permit with the city of Duluth.
Let’s dive into a little history on the shop, or Toasty's as we call it. Before it was a sandwich shop, it was the local market and then 8th Street Video. Remember video stores from back in the day - this one was complete with naughty video room.
When we applied for permits we got a little surprise. The property had previously been condemned – for a day. We had to ensure the structural repairs the previous owner did were done correctly and signed off by the city before we could even start our project.
To split the units, we had to install separate heating systems and make a fire rated separation. The previous sandwich shop became a 2BD/1BA unit. Upstairs there were a couple offices and a bathroom. We opened up the space to create a 1BD/1BA unit. In the top unit we were able to expose the chimney and refinish the original hardwood floors. We also reconfigured the bathroom to add a shower in a unique space. The shower is a 1-of-a kind custom framed corrugated fiberglass surround.
We spent the heart of COVID wrapping up this project, exploring Duluth and planning adventures on the North Shore. Today we have a long term renter upstairs and we rent the main floor, furnished, to a traveling professional. This home is within one mile of Essentia and St. Luke’s Hospitals and perfect for a traveling nurse.
Contractor’s Corner
ICE Dams - by Dusty Feller
Do you find yourself coming home and looking up at your roof these days and thinking:
“That’s a lot of ice…………….dam!”
What is an Ice Dam?
Simply put, its when ice builds up at the edge of the roof and keeps melting snow from draining off. When this happens, water backs up behind the “dam” and can make its way under the shingles causing damage to your shingles, gutters and siding. It can also make its way into your home, causing a host of different problems including mold, peeling paint, waterlogged insulation, and warped roof beams.
Why do Ice Dams happen?
Exterior temperatures fluctuating above and below freezing cause frozen meltwater to accumulate.
South and West facing roofs also end up more susceptible to freeze/thaw because of the sun. Poorly insulated attics are another culprit. You want your attic to be well insulated (minimum R-38 is my rule of thumb) to prevent heat loss from the interior of the home. Good airflow from under the eaves or soffit area on the underside of the roof and through out the roof vents is necessary. You want your attic space to be as close to the exterior temperature as possible to minimize the freeze/thaw cycle on your roof.
How to prevent Ice Dams?
First, be sure to include your gutters and downspouts as part of your fall cleanup. Melting roof snow has nowhere to go if your gutters are clogged. Buy a roof rake and use it whenever there is a snowfall of 4-6 inches. You will want to clear 3-4 feet up along the base of the roof and next to chimneys and siding.
You should also take note of any penetrations and venting in your roof. You will want to clear them as much as possible to ensure proper home ventilation.
In a nutshell:
Adequately insulate and vent your attic space.
Clean your gutters and downspouts in the fall.
Use a roof rake whenever there’s a decent snowfall to minimize the snow load on your roof. It’s easier than shoveling and can be extremely valuable in maintaining your home.
DIY - Give it a try!
By Amy Feller
At the Duluth duplex, we were looking for a cost effective backsplash option. I mentioned above we exposed an existing chimney in the upstairs unit for a unique accent.
The kitchen for the main floor unit is where the kitchen for the sandwich shop was located. There was FRP on the walls, a lot of glue and grease, and unfinished walls we needed to coverup. There was also a bunch of pink wallpaper in the porch where there use to be an ice cream window.
We used brick paneling on the walls and smeared drywall mud on the paneling to create a textured real brick look.
Take a look again at the picture in the beginning and you will see the faux brick walls in the kitchen. For a finishing touch, we used a matte food grade sealer on the walls.
Things you need:
Faux Brick Paneling - Menards or Home Depot - check out color options!
Drywall Mud
Sealer (avoid Oil Based because they turn yellow)
Glue & Finish Nails
Directions:
Fasten Paneling to the wall with glue and finish nails
Smear drywall mud on bricks to get into the grooves and give that grouted appearance.
Let Dry
Seal with your choice of sealant
Meet the Flipping Fellers
Hi there!
If you don't already know us, we are Dusty and Amy Feller. We are the Flipping Fellers. We are real-estate investors, flippers and a realtor/general contractor team! We love to share our own projects. We also work with homeowners like you.
Dusty is a General Contractor who basically grew up on a jobsite. He uses his construction and manufacturing experience to run organized and streamlined projects. Amy is a Realtor and Real Estate Investor. With a background in commercial construction project management, she also helps Dusty run Feller Contracting.
We have 2 little girls and a chocolate lab named Yogi that keep us busy outside of work. We love the outdoors, skiing, biking, hiking, camping and all things Minnesota has to offer.
-The Fellers
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