I recently went to visit a prospect who was interested in having their (new to them) home modified by adding a kitchen to the basement for Grandma. To educate him, I said that what he wanted to create was called an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) and that permitting would be necessary. I said that he...
In residential remodeling, as in life, we often set out to accomplish a task and discover that our plan needs altering. We have to adapt in order to keep going in the right direction. This pattern repeats itself. Getting stuck is not an option. I share my philosophy loud and proud. There is always a...
“We recently had a child and we love our home, but it would be so much better if we could do a small addition.” This is a common consultation for me. A family bought a home they were comfortable in that fit the budget at the time. Then the family grows. This confinement often starts...
There is no way to succeed in remodeling without the ability to draw what the proposed project will look like. That is the bare minimum in residential remodeling. I once was told that I could get a building permit on a napkin, and by golly it worked back in the day. Now I am an...
It was getting down to crunch time and we had still not been able to get trusses designed for my project. Our garage looked good on paper but the math just wasn’t working. Construction was starting; we needed to solve this problem quickly. Building a set of stairs that were too steep seemed to be...
A client of about 3 years ago had a simple request. She wanted to have her master bathroom floor replaced. We had done lots of work in the home that had burned badly in a fire. Joe she said, “Remember when you told me that I should replace my bathroom linoleum floor with tile while...
Like the 1800’s fairy tale Goldilocks and the three bears, having a home that is “Just Right” is often a moving target. All too often, we buy homes that are just a little bit too small. For whatever reason, I am called in to evaluate a home to discover some good options; The family grows...
I love laundry chutes. I’m not entirely sure why, I did not have one in my childhood home. Perhaps it is the efficiency factor. Whenever I am involved in a remodeling project that has the laundry below the living space, I look for an opportunity to “shoot” the laundry down the chute. We have to...
Everyone knows it when they are working in a great kitchen. I remodeled mine 20 years ago, other than some patina from raising two children in the home, it is as great today as the day it was completed. Mine happens to be a galley kitchen, that is just what fit the space, but it...
A common theme has emerged among my perspective client’s lately. It is all about “getting the most out of your homes without moving”. Most folks are reluctant to move and would rather stay where they are. Fixing up what you have is usually a far more economical decision if you love your home and your...
