Home Sweet Home Renovations

Kitchen remodeled by Capital Kitchen and Bath

Remodeling Requires Research

Being at home on a normal day can make one dislike certain elements of their home, but it can be easy to ignore when there’s a whole world out there demanding one’s attention. But now? Being home more than ever, those little annoyances and unappealing paint colors can really make taking action seem necessary. People who have stopped to think about their home and how they live in it are keeping local remodeling professionals extremely busy during the time of corona.

“The longer people are home the more they want their projects done now, and they are realizing function is extremely important, whether it’s for aging in place or everyday life,” says Kristen Meetze of Capital Kitchen and Bath. Meetze points to the rise in demand for a universal living space as something clients are looking into more. That means aging-in-place amenities such as

no-threshold showers to allow people to step or even wheel right into their bathtub or shower. Larger doorways, lower electrical outlets, and other smart home devices are also part of universal homes people can live into as their mobility changes through aging.

On the other end of the spectrum, Meetze notes that spa-like bathroom luxuries like steam showers and app-controlled heated floors are big now. Before taking grand plans to a contractor, go back and do more research. Jim Evatt of Palmetto Construction and Renovations is big on directing potential clients to do their homework before selecting a contractor. “They may want to reach out to the local building industry association to get references, and they may want to seek out online references, plus I encourage prospective clients to talk to current clients we are working for,” he says.

One roadblock to the ideal home remodel experience these days is getting all of the materials in a timely manner. “HVAC units, electrical components, all kinds of things have been delayed,” says Timothy Kehoe of Kehoe Constructors. “We write a COVID caveat into our contracts to help us deal with unknown COVID delays and cost increases.”

COVID itself is causing time delays beyond materials deliveries too. Kehoe says his company has been busy despite it, and has done several projects in unoccupied homes, or commercial projects where part of the building was blocked off for his crew for the utmost safety. “We all wear masks, wash our hands a lot, and they are all ready to go get tested at any time,” says Kehoe.

After careful research on contractors references, safety protocols, and a commitment to flexibility on the timeline — go back and do more research to stay ahead of the game. Evatt says the process of renovating a home should be enjoyable. “A lot of people have heard horror stories about remodeling and they don’t all go that way, they don’t have to,” says Evatt. “Make wise choices about who you have come to work in your home, those who will be instrumental in making sure the project is successful.” u