fixer-uppers
Homes needing work
Fixer-uppers are houses or other properties that need significant repair or renovation before they're livable or attractive.
The term implies a bargain purchase price offset by the cost and effort of improvements: We bought a fixer-upper and spent two years remodeling it.
By extension, anything requiring substantial work to reach its potential—a car, a relationship, even a person—might be called a fixer-upper.
Restoring to good condition
- foreclosureLender seizes mortgaged property
- handyman specialProperty needing major repairs
- flipQuick turning motion
- investment propertyReal estate bought for income
distressed · potential · sweat equity · inspection · appraisal · estate sale · as-is · listing
Removing internal organs
- rewiringReplacing electrical connections
- replumbingReplacing a building's pipes
- drywallGypsum-core building panels
- foundationUnderlying support structure
demo · permits · insulation · flooring · HVAC · load-bearing · subfloor · joists
Amateur home projects
- weekend warriorSporadic recreational exerciser
- HGTVHome improvement cable network
- before and afterStates flanking a change
- transformationThorough change in form
vision · project · labor of love · budget · timeline · overwhelmed · satisfaction · learning curve
Nature, symbol, or role
- bonesRigid internal support structure
- vintageQuality from past eras
- craftsmanSkilled manual worker
- VictorianOf a prim era
bungalow · hardwood · built-ins · crown molding · fireplace · woodwork · pocket doors · wainscoting
renovation
Restoring to good condition
- foreclosureLender seizes mortgaged property
- handyman specialProperty needing major repairs
- flipQuick turning motion
investment property · distressed · potential · sweat equity · inspection · appraisal · estate sale · as-is · listing · motivated seller
gutting
Removing internal organs
- rewiringReplacing electrical connections
- replumbingReplacing a building's pipes
- drywallGypsum-core building panels
foundation · demo · permits · insulation · flooring · HVAC · load-bearing · subfloor · joists · electrical panel
DIY
Amateur home projects
- weekend warriorSporadic recreational exerciser
- HGTVHome improvement cable network
- before and afterStates flanking a change
transformation · vision · project · labor of love · budget · timeline · overwhelmed · satisfaction · learning curve · YouTube tutorials
character
Nature, symbol, or role
Victorian · bungalow · hardwood · built-ins · crown molding · fireplace · woodwork · pocket doors · wainscoting · transom
- real estatehouse, home, apartment, property, sale
- money pitsboat, boats, yacht, yachts, classic car
- housing trendshousing bubble, housing shortage, affordable housing, gentrification, suburbanization
- starter homesaffordable housing
- housingapartments, home, house, houses, homes
- vehiclescar, bus, truck, van, bike