Strangetown: Trading Places (Makeover Contest)
 

Qualifications to Host:
Hosted Community Spirit building contest was a judge in gdayar's Wanderlust building contest

Concept
This is a home makeover with a trading spaces twist. House Rules is a TV show here in Australia where families swap houses and makeover not one room, but the entire house including the garden.

One starry night Loki was busy setting up his experiment on the roof of his house while across Strangetown Pascal Curious aimed his telescope towards a new blue star. The aliens hearing the call to an intergalactic party came down precisely when Loki’s experiment went horribly wrong. Not at all impressed at having lightening zap their ship and break their new plasma TV, the aliens sucked everyone out to the family bin leaving the houses as empty shells. Worse still, nobody could remember which house belonged to which family and as the fighting broke out the town council decided to assign each family to a house, no arguments allowed! Your job as town council is to decide which family gets which house. There are 7 Strangetown families to pick from and four houses to make over. They may not go back to their original house.

Game Set Up and Requirments:
This contest is open to base game players on, any skill level. This contest does not have to involve a lot of building.
The basic set up is to move the families out to the family bin to empty the houses. This can be done one at a time if you wish. The Grunt and Specter houses are not on the makeover list but you can use them as families. It may be easier to make a new sims folder for the contest. Simply rename your current folder, run the game and it will make you a new one. All you really need is each lot emptied. You do not have to move the sim families in.

Rules

• This contest is for TS2 only.
• No eliminations.
• CC is not only allowed but feel free to go wild with it! There is no bonus to going cc free but you are also free to use no cc if you so choose.
• Feel free to use any and all building cheats you want.
• You may not add or remove full walls from the outside shell of the house. Do not remove outer foundation walls unless you are swapping it for wall so that you can add windows or doors. The outer shell must remain the same shape. You are free to change all the wall coverings inside and out. You may not add an attached garage.
• You may add or remove half walls, fencing, lattice and stump decking. Remove or add fireplaces. Add or remove basements. Add or remove stairs so long as you don't remove the original wall or foundation to do so. Add or remove doors and windows. Add as many stories as you wish. You may remove and change roofs and platforms. Remove and add internal walls.
• You may sculpt the terrain and change to any other terrain type. You may add foundation or walls for a carport or a garden structure that does not touch the house.
• Each round will last for two weeks. Unless otherwise specified.
• You may make up a short story about your families. Not required. You may show them in photos or not.
• Make sure to say which family is doing the makeover on your entry. You can only choose a family one time.
• And finally, have fun!

Rule Edit: I will allow the foundation to be replaced with walls so long as the outside shape stays the same footprint.

Picture Rules and Information

Picture Rules

• All images must meet MTS Screenshot guidelines.
• All but the first image must be placed under [ SPOILER ] tags.
• You may edit your pictures up until the deadline.
• Each round requires:
  1 shot showing the front.
  1 topdown image showing the entire lot.
  1 floorplan taken of each level taken as close as you can. This includes the roof and the foundation.
  1 shot showing the price. (If you have the needed EP simply show the price on the lot.)
  Base game players can show the lot price by taking a screenshot of the lot in hood view.
• You are allowed another 12 extra photos to show off your lot to its best advantage.

Helpful image taking information
Screenshot basics

Helpful mods for better photos
No red pause Lines
Mootilda’s Turn on and Off Lights

Judges and Scoring

gdayars	Justpetro	yavannatw	Emergency Judge Karen Lorraine

Scoring
Each round will have a potential of scoring 25 points from each judge.

• Build skill up to 5 points. This includes the floor plan.
• Garden and outside up to 5 points.
• Inside decorating Up to 5 points
• Playability up to 5 points
  This does not include items set up only for deco purposes. For example, a strip of pool water used as part of a decorative fountain is not expected to be usable as a pool. If it is not clear on your photos if items are for decoration or use you should make that clear by adding an explanation.
• Suitability and requirements up to 5 points
  Does the house seem suitable for the chosen family and meet their needs and wants?

The Families
Requirements Along with the requirements listed with each family there is an additional requirement, that the makeover somehow reflects the sim family who is doing the renovation. Make sure there is at least one item or a room/area that would suit each sim. What would they want to add to this reno? A moat? A sports car? a garden? You can use their bios, job, personality or aspiration for inspiration since some are tricky.


The Smith family
A family of four who look like they want the perfect suburban life. They consist of elder alien Pollination Tech#9 Smith, his adult wife Jenny, teenage son Johnny and child age daughter Jill.
Requirements: Each child must have their own room the parents an en-suite bathroom.


The Beaker family
This science and medical family consists of Loki, his wife Circe and the adult ‘boarder’, Nervous Subject.
Requirements: Nervous will require his own room and Loki a lab of some kind.


The Curious Brother’s Lambert’s
This scientific family consists of three adult brothers; Pascal, Vidcund and Lazlo.
Requirements:Each brother should have his own bedroom with a nursery ready for Pascal's coming alien baby.


The Grunt family
A military family of four males. Father and widower General Buzz, teenage sons Tank and Ripp and child age Buck.
Requirements: 3-4 bedrooms and something to keep fit that isn't a radio or TV.


The Specter family
Consists of elder Olive Specter and her teenage niece Ophelia Nigmos. Known for her dead husbands and her graveyard, Olive is also a professional party guest…
Requirements: Each sim must have their own bedroom and a secret room for Olive to do - who knows what.



The Single Ladies
A group of four female adult sims. Lola and Chloe are sisters, no one is employed.
Requirements: At least two bedrooms and two full bathrooms.



The Loner family
A family of just one. Since nothing much is known about Ajay except that he is a loner and wears black.
Requirements: A masculine home and a way to make money.
Another fortune sim Ajay has no job.

Houses
These will be announced each round. It’s up to you, the town council, to pick a family to go with the house.

Timeline
There will be 4 rounds total, each lasting two weeks. Judges will get 1 week.


Round Four
You may pick any residential Strangetown lot you want! This can be an occupied or unoccupied lot.
You may spend as much as you like.
Make sure to pick a family that you have not picked before.

You may have 12 walk around shots but floor plan shots are always free.



Contestants

Contestant	Totals	R1	Score	R2	Score	R3	Score	R4	Score
Yvelotic2001	282	Loner	67.5	Singles	70.5	Curious	72.5	Smith	71.5
NatteryakToad	266.5	Specter	64.5	Grunt	66.5	Curious	68.5	Singles	67
muridae	207	Smith	65	Grunt	72.5	Specter	69.5	Singles	70.5
Simoleon37	275	Beaker	64	Singles	69.5	Smith	68	Loner	73.5
Kukamuukaanmuka	296	Loner	74.5	Smith	73.5	Grunt	74.5	Singles	73.5
Modder	207.5	Beaker	70.5	Singles	68	Smith	69
quycksylver	203	Loner	66.5	Smith	66	Curious	70.5
motheringthesims	197.5	Loner	62	Beaker	69.5	Curious	66
randomlyyellstuff	291.5	Singles	70.5	Beaker	73.5	Smith	74	Curious	73.5
Flickstar	137	Specter	64.5	Grunt	72.5	----
Emerald1234	118.5	singles	59	Curious	59.5	----
Marleen267	133	Beaker	68.5	Singles	64.5	----
simsample	290.5	Spectre	67.5	Beaker	74	Smith	75	Grunt	74
Aysarth	278.5	Spectre	66.5	Smith	72	Grunt	69	Singles	71
Mordant17	139	Loner	69.5	Smith	69.5	----

Play Along	R1	Comment	R2	Comment	R3	Comment	R4	Comment
Justpetro	Loner		Singles		Grunt		Curious
AndrewGloria	Loner		Beaker		Curious		Singles
deadhead_kay			Smiths				Curious

Finished Rounds


Please be sure to follow all picture rules here

Round Four Entries Judging Time

Can you add a picture of the original house, the one you are making over for your round 4 entry-Thanks.

Checking in. Please feel free to ask questions as I am sure people will have some.

So how do you become a judge?

"volunteers"

If you can either put up some pictures of a lot that you have built or decorated (A makeover of a maxis lot will do just fine too) or link to one you uploaded.

Thanks for volunteering to be our first judge. :D

http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=592970 Only lot I have uploaded here :D

LOL - love the concept. Good luck everyone.

Also, that house is hideous.

Application to be a judge.


I do not have any lots uploaded in here. So very hard to link to those. But I did take a part as a contestant at your Community Spirit and as playalong (yes yes late late) in gdayars's Wanderlust. Too bad pics were eaten by MYP

EDIT: found some what was still at my compu

Thanks gdayars, I will add you as judge one.



It really is. *nods* Couldn't happen to a nicer place.

@Kukamuukaanmuka Can you link to some pictures or add at least one here, thanks.

Yep, here

That will do nicely, congrats on being judge two!

runs away from judging and contestanting

I will just lurk from the side lines on this one

Well, I won't be participating in this one because the health crap has gone really wonky, but also because I have vowed not to waste any more time on that particular house. It's not only hideous, it's massively inconvenient, and nothing I've ever done to it has helped.

I'll watch, though. I'm sure what I see will be inspiring, so good luck to all.

Jo, can judge also be playalong? I can judge palyalongs also, sure, but would like to try that horrid house myself too

Sorry to hear you aren't doing well Peni :/

and yes so glad I am just judging the attempts think it would be only fair to attempt to fix its ugliness myself so you know, no unreasonable expectations :D

Sorry to hear that @Peni Griffin I hope things get under control for you soon.

@Kukamuukaanmuka Feel free to play along. :D

I think anything that people can do to that house will be a vast improvement. I only attempted one makeover of it some years ago myself, so I know how horrible it is. I would totally be doing one now if my game was fixed.

One thing; it'll all be down hill from here! Every other house in Strangetown - yes, even the Curious Bunker! - will be easy in comparison to the Hell House.

I won't have time to compete this time round but would like to be a judge? Take your pic from these uploads:
http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=596959
http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=593279
http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=600291
Cheers

Edit: For the short time that I played Strangetown I used that house for a creep who imprisoned passersby in the downstairs part.

Well looks like you are my third official judge @yavannatw

The house does have a creepy vibe.

Woohoo! Thanks.

Sorry for the deleting, my pc is misbehaving this morning.

I was going to apply for judge, but the time zones prevented me (It is just after 8am here).
So I will apply for emergency judge.
Here is a link to my maxis makeover lot: http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=557162

Done @Justpetro

Now let's hope we get some contestants...

Thanks, Jo - I am sure the contestants are working on their application round

I know even my Sims say I'm a pedant, but doesn't that add up to $50,000 ?

@AndrewGloria Thank you for that catch. I did that on my calculator and must have been thinking 50K and change my mind to 40K or something. Also, thank you for posting, I am worried if anybody is interested in this contest.

I will go fix that up immediately.

Give it some time The lot in guestion is not very easy to renovate

I have a question: Can you exceed the footprint of the house on upper floors?

You can do whatever you like on the upper floors. Also, great to see you here @Aysarth

When is round 1 due?

@Lylesnake there is a countdown timer link near the bottom of the first post . It says 12 days and 5 hours.

*sweating* That house...yikes. I attempted a reno years ago and there was nothing I could do to breathe some life into it. Very creative concept for a contest, but I'm definitely going to sit this one out. Excited to see what people come up with, though!

I looked at that house last night and actually think anything one does may breath some life into that

@joansarah77 :
link: http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=596927
if you need it
Added pics of 3 other builds.

Oops - double post - sorry!

If I find the time this weekend to make over that lot I think I'll join. I was actually starting my own makeover of Strangetown, so this contest comes just in time

Everyone is under the same handicap, that house; so anything you do to it makeover wise is going to be a huge improvement. Also this is Strangetown so something strange and off the wall can work too.

My computer is about to go and get my new Nvidea card. So fingers crossed my game gets fixed. I will do up the table once it comes back which probably won't be for about 6 hours or so.

@Justpetro Thank you for your judging entry, I will swap you and Ellu around later.

I am working on an entry. It will either be up today, or close to the deadline, because I am off on holiday tomorrow.

I am glad you said strange is allowed!

Question: can we recolour/change the gate and/or fence in the front yard?

You can do anything you like. Rules 5 and 6 outline everything you can or can't change. The only thing you can't do is remove the outer shell walls or foundation.

@Aysarth Go wild, there are very few restrictions. :D

@Justpetro I have added you to the judges table.

Thank you, Jo, I will do my best

I'm back Guess what? My game is saving! there are a few other things that need fixing both with the game and in general on my computer, but that major thing of it not saving fixed. *does happy dance*

What will make me even happier are entries and I am sorry if that house is daunting, I picked it because it is small. Think of it this way, contests often start easy and get harder, with this one the hard one is out of the way first. :D

Application/Round 1 - 73 Road To Nowhere
 

Welcome home, Ajay!



Ajay Loner is, well, a loner. What is known about him is that he wants to strike it rich. Other than that, not much. The other residents of Strangetown thus learnt a bit more about Ajay after his makeover of 73 Road To Nowhere, known around the place as the Hell House.
First of all, Ajay got rid of the hideous roof. Instead, he added an extra floor with flat roofs. As for the walls, he decided to stay with the original brick and wood scheme, but with a cleaner and more modern look. The inside walls featured some exposed brick and a neutral paint colour, while the flooring was swapped to a sleek wood floor. His choice of colour for his clothes, black, was also reflected on the decoration of the house: black bathroom fixtures, black kitchen and black living room furniture. Overall, his decoration embraced an industrial style.
One of the mandatory points of this renovation was a way for Ajay to make money - after all, what is a Fortune Sim without the cash? So, Ajay built himself a small office in the basement where he can work. He also included a spinning bicycle to keep fit.
Lastly, he did a slight rework of the outside, creating a pathway to the back porch and adding somewhat of a backyard. The grass isn't actually that green, but hey, it's a desert after all. Ajay doesn't even like grass that much. An anonymous report says that Mr. Loner has been spotted numerous times counting grains of sand.
The house meets Strangetown's safety standards, with a burglar alarm and a smoke alarm (invisible).

Here are the photos the town council took during their inspection of the lot.


I don't think I've broken any rules. If I have, please do let me know and I will go back and perform the required changes before the deadline. As for the family requirements, I fulfilled the "way to make money" requirement by adding a tablet (technically a computer) where Ajay can offer financial advice (even for a non-FT player, Ajay could still earn money by writing a novel). The "masculine home" requirement was a fair bit more subjective, but I think I've checked it as well by going with an industrial look. I also tried to add in a bit of black where I could to make the house fit Ajay's (lacking) personality. He isn't very keen on much of the weirdness in Strangetown, so the house is pretty normal.

Hope you like my makeover of 73 Road To Nowhere. I might upload it after the contest ends. Until then, I hope more people join this interesting contest!
(@Justpetro is the juice bar open yet?)

Opening the fermented fruit juice bar

Great to see the first entry!

@Yvelotic2001 Looks great, very stylish You are first on the contestants table.

Yay! New contest! I was a play-along in the Community Spirit contest (because I didn't get my act together quick enough), but I hope to enter this one for real.

@joandsarah77 , I have a question - moving Olive's graves with her will raise the lot value too high (I'm only just under budget at the moment), but I can spawn tombstones of life and death for free. In that case, would it be acceptable to have the graves be Olive's real ones, taking the photo of the lot price before move in? Or is this breaking the rules?

ETA: I've just tried it and it doesn't seem to raise the lot value, so never mind...

Round 1 Entry: Specter
 

The town council has worked tirelessly to produce this renovation under-budget. Whilst some fixtures and fittings may not be top of the range to accomodate this, they have nevertheless come up with a modest, private home for the mysterious Ms Specter and her teenage niece. Originally, the brickwork was going to plastered over and painted inside, but Ms Specter liked it so much she begged the builders to leave it bare in many places.

The builders also know when to keep their mouths shut, hence you won't hear anything about a "hidden basement" from them...

Good work, both of the first 2 entries

Question: You ask for a pic showing the lot price--is there a limit to what the lot can cost? I've looked over the rules several times, but if it's stated, I don't see it

It's in the spoiler under the application round lot picture.

@quycksylver Just what justJones said. The budget for each round will always be with the given house for that round.

@NatteryakToad welcome to the contest! :D

Well, hell...there it is. Somehow managed to miss that in the bazillion times I looked at the rules. Thanks y'all. I should have my entry up sometime later today, after I edit , 'cause I went a BIT over budget, lol. I'm glad I asked first.

Can't wait to see it. You might want to change some things around as going over budget will lose you points.

Application/Round One: The Smith Family
 

Please note that all ground floor exterior walls are intact as required. I just went a bit wild with cutouts in order to give the place some light. Trying to improve the lighting was also part of the decision to build upwards and brick in the basement.

I love how you did the outside @muridae Adding you to the table.

Can foundation walls be replaced with regular walls? Like for a door/window. And I'm guessing the inside of the basement cannot be made bigger as it requires deleting foundation bits?

Hmm, you are pushing it. I guess I'll allow that.

Parhaps it will be a better idea to make changes after the first round, since there are entries in already? A door in that foundation wall means it will be much easier to move the entrance out of that narrow little space.

Application/Round 1 - 73 Road to Nowhere (Beaker)
 

Working tirelessly in their respective careers in Science and Medicine, Loki and Circe were granted permission by the local authorities to conduct research in their own personal lab. However, any contracted research projects must be kept secret, so security systems are in place to keep the lab under tight lockdown.


Through the move and the rebuild, the aspiring duo were luckily able to keep their own personal test subject (although he is a bit too twitchy for their liking) on hand. Nervous gets his own personal room for continued observation.


Meanwhile, Loki and Circe get a comfortable 1 bedroom set-up on the second floor:



Of course, regular research wouldn't be fun without top-secret personal research in an underground secret lab:


Required pics below:

There is no reason why the entrance can't be moved, people are allowed to remove the stairs. Actually, that is why there is a rule saying feel free to remove stairs, I was hoping people would move the entrance.

@Modder great to see your entry. I would suggest retaking your floorplan shots. If you read the photo rules you will see I ask you to fill the shot with your building. Getting closer means judges can judge better and not miss any of your great details.

I know the entrance can be moved - it was just an example (I said it would be easier to do if you change the rules regarding the foundations ).

My entrance is already in a different place, I'm just trying to make the basement more usable by having an outside entrance and expanding it to the full footprint of the foundation.

@HugeLunatic, @jandsarah77

My objection is not about entrances or about wanting to use a full footprint. (I did a little makeover for myself according to the rules and I know how problematic that foundation is).

My objection is about changing the rules after several contestants have already entered, because they built under different rules. And I think contestants have the right to build under the exact same rules.

You do have a point @Justpetro but once the question was asked I realized it was a good point. I want this to be a contest with few rules, the main one or spirit of it is-is don't change the original footprint. I think if we already had a fairly full table I might have waited for the next round but there is only 3 people on there so far. If they wish they still have time to change their uploads. I will say though as judges not to judge on windows or lack of in the basement this round.

Fair enough, Jo - as long as it is made clear to all the judges. And the 3 people on the table have taken time to build and should not be at a disadvantage - not everyone may have the time to rebuild according to new rules.

Just mention them and explain and/or pm the new rules to them.

Good idea Gina.

@Yvelotic2001
@NatteryakToad
@muridae

Letting you know of a rule change in case you want to alter your entries. I am allowing removal of the foundation if you want to replace it with wall to add windows or doors. The shells shape must remain the same it's just a swap around. The judges will not be looking at it this round so if you want to leave your entries as they are is also fine. No one will be given more or less points for windows or doors this round. Only the wall covering will be looked at same as it would be for foundation wall. Sorry that I didn't think about this possibility.

@joandsarah77 whoops, sorry about that! I misread the rules and thought it was more of a full lot shot. Here's some closer top-down view pictures:

@Modder Thanks You need to edit your entry post and put those new pictures there. The table only links to one post per round and judges won't go searching for other posts for more pictures. They will only have your original post. You are free right up to the last minute to edit your entry. You're doing well, it takes a bit to get your contest feet so to speak.

There is one needed shot of the entire lot so the judges can see your garden or anything else you might place like a kids playground, car etc. Floor plan shots are so they can see your building.

Ok, I edited my original entry and included them under the spoiler tag, but didn't attach them to that post since I already have them uploaded as attachments in my second post. Is that okay?

That depends on the judges, some really like them attached. Sometimes pictures don't show up as large under the spoiler as they do attached. Since its a small lot you might get away with it but I will ask.

@gdayars @Justpetro @yavannatw

@joandsarah77 - Just checking in to say that I'm fine with the addition of wall/foundation swap possibilities. It doesn't affect my entry as I'm not using the foundation or basement area at all, but I might make use of it in future lots.

I need to re-upload a couple of my floorplan screenshots as I see that when I did them for the eleventy-billionth time after moving in the family to draw the chairs in I didn't put the walls back up. My game went into meltdown and started deleting CC files on me yesterday, but I think I've got it behaving again now so will edit my post to swap them in the next day or two.

I suggest that @Modder just add this and the post number of the other screenshots to her text in case the judges forget about it

Just letting you know that I am happy with my entry and won't be changing it.

Great, @Yvelotic2001, because it is far too quiet in the fermented fruit juice bar

All pictures must be on the same post, just so everybody knows. If you want to add more or change them, go back and use the edit button on your entry. Your entry will be linked to on the table, just click it and it should take you directly to it, no hunting around.

I was asking judges if they want attached pictures or not. I strongly suggest on larger lots to attach them. On small lots like this one, it doesn't matter as much since you can get in close.

@Justpetro
Guess I'll direct myself to the fermented fruit juice bar then!

So @Yvelotic2001 and I will have a party If anyone want to join us, you are welcome.

Alright, I've edited my original entry post and attached the additional photos. Sorry for the delay... I have to move files between my windows partition and my mac to post (I'm running UC on bootcamp) and I've been busy this week. It should be all good now. Please let me know if there's anything else I need to do!

No need to apologize, @Modder - there are still 4+ days left before the deadline. You can make changes up until then if you want to

Application/Round 1
 

Hi everyone
Circe and Loki fancied a change...


I decided to decorate this house using a colour scheme! I used black, white and gray as neutrals, then added red and green for pops of colour. Since they're both scientists, I imagined Circe and Loki would appreciate a more modern look. Being an Inventor and a Knowledge sim, I imagined Loki being more into machinery and technology. Circe, on the other hand, is in the Medical career track and thus more interested in biology and plants. Nervous is... well, Nervous. Anyway, enough about the imaginary lives of these pixel people, let's have a look and see what their new home looks like!



I think that's everything... I hope I did everything correctly! I apologize if the pictures are a bit big, I shrunk them down as much as I could without making them too blurry. Making this house over was quite a challenge, especially because we had to keep it under 40k simoleons. I did thoroughly enjoy it, though, and I can't wait for the next round :D

Those slanted windows in the feeding room are brilliant!

Since this is "trading spaces" I'd understood that part of the deal was that some other Strangetown family is making the conversion for the target household? As a non-participant this is hardly my business; but if I read that part right, you might want to state who the designing family is. In the previous case it was presumably the Grunts, as it was supposed to be military housing. I would guess, based on the consideration for Nervous and for the cowplant, that this design was done for the Beakers by the Curiosi, but the judges shouldn't have to guess and I'd enjoy kibitzing more if I knew, too.

If I understood wrong, ignore me.

I originally thought so, but while I was building my entry I repeatedly re-read the rules and I understood the family we chose is the one doing the conversion, not another family doing it for them. At least that was my understanding after looking at the rules several times. Thus I did not worry about having a particular family, say, the Smiths, doing the conversion for the household I chose, Loner, and just went with what I thought suited Ajay.

I could be wrong though, so could you clarify, @joandsarah77?

P.S. - I too love those slanted windows!

I believe Trading Spaces only refers to families moving to other houses?

The judging criteria about that on Page 1 says this: Suitability and requirements up to 5 points. Does the house seem suitable for the chosen family and meet their needs and wants?

I think that is clear enough - it only has to suit the family that is going to live there.

All you need to know about any family is what Jo has written on Page 1 - it is a building contest, if one has never played Strangetown it would be impossible for them to know how nice the Curious Boys are.

The contestants are all doing fine work!

I also interpreted the rules as stating that all we needed to worry about was the families moving into the new property.

I'm glad everyone likes the slanted windows

I love perusing this thread and seeing what everyone else has done, I love to see everyone's interpretations of how these families would decorate their homes

Application Round/ Ajay Loner
 

Maybe the meteor , or something else , what hit Strangetown a long time ago , made it so dry and sandy. Nature and time have done their jobs, and nowadays, small oasis are starting to appear every here and there, and the property of 73 Road to Nowhere is one of them. Ajay Loner was lucky in that.

What he was not so lucky about, was that he only had 20 000 simoleons, and the house costed almost the double... He almost gave up... but then he had a letter, what changed all. Ajay's grandfather was once a businessman, his partner was Mr Motherlode Ottomas, one sneaky , clever businessman who loved family and children. Ajay remembers that Mr M.Ottomas played a lot with him when he was a toddler. He had left him 20 000 simoleons! Mr Ottomas had died a long time ago, but Ajay got the letter now, simply because nobody found him before to deliver it...






Now the extra pics..

Wow, so many posts :D

Sorry for any confusion. The family doing the makeover is the family who is moving into the house. If the beakers are moving in then the Beaker's are doing the makeover. The Town Council is simply assigning names leaving the hard work up to the families. The families can only be used once and they can't have their old houses back.

@Simoleon37 So glad you could join us.

@Kukamuukaanmuka Great to have you now as a contestant. :D

I will be wanting a list with links of cc used throughout this contest - I'm seeing a lot that I'm drooling over.

Sorry for late response. They show up big enough for me.
Apologies for double post.

Sorry I am late! Pictures are fine, I am in the middle of moving and labor and delivery drama so forgive me if I take a bit

I am good with the pics as well I will ask if I am not sure about anything.

Hi Jo! I thought I should just post and point out that you haven't put Modder in the table yet. I suspect this is just an oversight. To be very pedantic, there is also a mention in the first post of the "Lambert's, which I think is just a carry-over from your last contest. (I remember the Lamberts well - they are the biggest and most difficult family I've ever played. Mine are still living -- and struggling -- in Elswyn.)

With Modder included that brings us to 6 contestants, and from their posts I presume that Quycksylver and HugeLunatic are going to post entries too. I suppose eight entries isn't too bad, but it's certainly a slow take-up compared to the last two contests. Your Community Spirit contest filled up while I was still trying to make the foundation! A couple of possible reasons occur to me. Maybe it's too soon after the last contest and people simply felt they needed a rest. I also wonder of the standard of the entries, especially the winning entries, in recent contests has been so high that people just felt they couldn't compete.

Anyway, I was planning to sit this one out, but I think I will have a go and see if I can do anything with that house. Provided I can think of something that isn't total rubbish, I'll submit near the deadline. If you have 15 proper entries by that time, well and good -- just make me a play-along. If we're still struggling by that time, I can be a contestant, even if it's just to make the numbers up. I'll try to produce something passable for every round.

@AndrewGloria - way to go I did a (granted, really quick) makeover and the house isn't really as tough as it looks, the basement being the part that is the most problematic - so enjoy

Application / Round 1: Ajay Loner
 

For this house, I went with a sort of Southwestern meets Midcentury modern vibe. The main color scheme is neutral colors and warm wood tones for a masculine feel along with occasional pops of bright color to keep things interesting.





I think that's everything. It took a lot longer to redo this thing to bring it in under budget than I thought it would--but I finally did it!

@AndrewGloria Thank you for catching that.

@quycksylver Welcome to the contest.

I'm not too well, so I'll add both of you later. Then we just need 3 more. If any of you know somebody who is interested let them know there are 2 days left.

I would like to join the contest. I will be able to start building tonight. If I understand correctly, I can pick any family from the list? Even If that family is already used by another contestant?

@Marleen267 You each have the pick of the 7 families, other contestants entries have nothing to do with yours.
You need to makeover the given house each round, choosing a family who you think will work for that house. Once chosen you can't use that family for the other rounds. Neither can you pick them for their old home if it comes up later. (they will) EG The Beaker's can't move back into the Beaker house.

Thank you for clarifying! I will start building tonight and will upload my entry.

Application - Round One : Ajay Loner
 

I have rehomed Ajay Loner! I update the home for the modern man!

Round One Entry: 73 Road to Nowhere - Singles
 

The Singles are pretty much my favourite family in Strangetown, so I had to pick them first! I usually play Erin and Kristen as a couple so that's reflected in the house. I also have always played aliens as being interested in plant life, so their homes tend to feature a lot of greenery.

The house has been modified to have 3 bedrooms (2 double, one single) and 2 full bathroom. There's also a kitchen, living area, small office, landing, and balcony.





I was definitely grumbling when I saw the lot for this round, but I'm actually pretty happy with the makeover. Maybe one day I'll actually use the basement as well

Please do let me know if the images are too large - I've resized them and they seem ok but I always worry about these things

Application Round 1: Specter
 

Ladies and Gentlemen I present the new house of the Specter Household

I am really impressed by how original everybody is It is almost hard to believe everyone started with the same ugly lot! Very good work, all of you.