Joanna, and most especially Chip, were thrilled to take on a project for Mike Herrera and his wife Holli who were moving from Washington State to Waco. Mike is in the west-coast punk band MxPx, indie rockers who have gained critical notoriety and mentions alongside the likes of Green Day and The Ramones. "Mike is a rock star," said Chip, "I cannot wait to meet this guy." As an added bonus, meeting a bona fide punk rocker gave Chip an excuse to break out his temporary tattoos.

The Americano, as Chip dubbed it for its proudly displayed flags, was a little scruffy and rough around the edges, but generally in good shape and located in a quaint, historic part of Waco. It appealed immediately to Mike and Holli who were looking for an older home with charm and room for their two kids. The house was built in 1910 and came with three bedrooms, two baths and a spacious front porch. Though the house was listed at $125,000, Chip was able to negotiate a price of $110,000, leaving a renovation budget of around $190,000.

Exterior enhancements included charcoal gray exterior paint, white trim, a walkway and skirt of antique brick, freshened up porch railing and columns, fresh landscaping and a new yellow door.

The spacious living room appeared to be in good shape with hardwood floors, high ceilings and period baseboards and molding. Demo and removal of drywall, however, would reveal termite damage and problems with poorly constructed support, creating added challenges to the renovation early on.