Renovation Musings - how does one get started? (Sharon: sales, real estate)

[AandD]

As proud new owners of an overpriced bugalow in Sharon, my first thought has turned to what I'd like to change about it. I've some pretty major changes in mind, including changing stairs, adding sq footage, rearranging room locations. Which leads me to numerous questions..

Whom does one hire for those sort of design plans?

How does one save money on such extensive repairs?

The house is seriously in need of an update, as most 86 year old houses would be, but given that I overpaid a bit for the house and expect to keep it about 12 years (until the youngest graduates), how do I balance the amount I paid vice the cost of repairs to update it? I want to be able to sell it when it's time, but I want to make changes that will make it more appealing in the end, as well.

Any advice or referrals from the more seasoned home-owners would be faboo!

[nzone]

If you are going to do extensive work like that and have done right, I would suggest an interior designer or an architect. I have seen people waste 75K for a kitchen renovation (hiring general contractor to do the work) that looked like cr8ps.

[Beachcomber4]

Totally agree about a designer or architect. It will cost you upfront but a long term comprehensive plan is needed and in the end, will probably end up saving you from costly mistakes. Ask neighbors and friends in town for recommendations. Since you have a 12 year plan, , it's important not to over-improve. Moving stairs etc. can be expensive and might not get your the return you would want to see- a good designer or architect could advise you on better ways to spend your renovation budget. The best way to save money is to tackle some projects yourself. Things like, painting and landscaping can be done by even a novice with some practice and inspiration. Garden club sales are a great place to get plants that do well in your particular area and members are usually quite eager to share their expertise. Finally, drive around, find elements you like on other similar homes and adapt those ideas to your own home. Congratulations on your purchase.

[NotAPrincess]

Friends of ours recently did a whole house remodel using a design/build firm. I don't know which one, but I think the concept of the designer and contractor working under the same umbrella makes a lot of sense. I know that sometimes even if you hire an architect or designer that sometimes communication between them and the contractor can be suboptimal. It might not be the cheapest option out there, though.

[ysbelman]

I visited too many houses where the additions were done without much design consideration, where the owners went for the low hanging fruit, adding a full bathroom where a kitchen pantry must have been, converting garage into a room, finishing a basement with 6.5' ceiling, converting attic into a death trap office, and so on. Sometimes it is better to sell and buy a bigger house, and let someone else do a more wholesale remodel or tear down.
It is not the New England way, but I wish it was so.

[ss20ts]

My sister-in-law recently remodeled and added on to her home. She did not hire an architect/designer and it totally looks like it. There's absolutely no flow. They basically came up with their ideas and it looks like Dr. Seuss attacked a Cape. They put their garage at basement level with NOTHING above it! It has a roof you can walk onto from the yard. Looks like an idiot did it from the outside and inside isn't much better. I hope she plans on living there until she dies and then leaves it to her kids because no one would pay for it. They'd need to do so much demo and reworking it to make it look right again. Save yourself the headache! There's nothing cheap about home ownership and construction unless you live in a tent.

[orangetravelerJP]

There are two things that are usually recommended. One, live in the house for a while before you start renovating. See how you live and what changes seem like obvious benefits for the way you live in the space. Two, keep an eye on the neighborhood. Don't do anything too much more than comparable houses in your area. I frequently check real estate websites or go into open houses to see what sorts of materials others are using in their remodels or to see how much houses are selling for if they have a "bad" kitchen. It might help you know what is enough of a renovation without doing too much. As others have said, you'll also get a sense of what a poor renovation looks like and will hopefully be able to avoid making the same mistake!

We did some work to our home in another state and started with a general contractor who came highly recommended. We had him do some minor work on the house before turning him loose on the bigger kitchen project. It was not pleasant. I had a bad feeling about using them for a large project that would require lots more work and a lot of time in our home. Finally, we had them finish the smaller stuff and cut them loose. We ended up working with an architecture firm and had a very pleasant experience, even though we probably paid more money than we needed to. But we have none of the horror stories, the design was done well, and the finished project is something that we are happy with. Depending on your personality, the fewer headaches may be worth a little extra money at the beginning.

[NotAPrincess]

Originally Posted by veggiegirl26

There are two things that are usually recommended. One, live in the house for a while before you start renovating. See how you live and what changes seem like obvious benefits for the way you live in the space. Two, keep an eye on the neighborhood. Don't do anything too much more than comparable houses in your area. I frequently check real estate websites or go into open houses to see what sorts of materials others are using in their remodels or to see how much houses are selling for if they have a "bad" kitchen. It might help you know what is enough of a renovation without doing too much. As others have said, you'll also get a sense of what a poor renovation looks like and will hopefully be able to avoid making the same mistake!

IMO this is great advice. If you can stand to live there for a year before doing anything, it'll really help you decide what you need to do and what you can live with. If you're looking to be there 12 years, you may want to focus on renovations that truly add value to the home.

[nzone]

Depend on the OP budget; $100,000 would probably get everything spanking new in and out.

I have a neighbor who did a complete tear down. Build a two level home for $160K (including tear down cost). Two years later, they added a two level addition for another $86K. It looks like a well build home. The addition looks seamless. A top end build is probably double the price though.