Avoid Buyer's Remorse

TM

Master Remodelers has been breathing new life into Pittsburgh’s unique landscape of homes since 1988. From that extensive experience we have honed our six stage design+build process into a holistic and efficient method, delivering home design and remodeling with exceptional quality, style and sustainability.

Introduction: How to Approach Your Home Renovation

A home remodel offers you the opportunity to bring your home into the present and add spaces and amenities that will continue to serve you well into the future. Changing the layout, adding or expanding rooms, and updating finishes allows you to fall in love with your home all over again.

However, remodeling does come with its challenges. Unfortunately, a large percentage of homeowners report having regrets after the process. The regrets range from overspending and under-planning to rushing the design process and not spending enough. The good news is these common regrets are avoidable by carefully planning a detailed budget, being thorough throughout the design process, and hiring the right team from the start.

When Should You Remodel, Rather Than Buy?

The decision between remodeling and moving is a difficult one, with pros and cons on either side. Ultimately, this decision is usually driven by two major factors: intrinsic value and monetary value.

Intrinsic Value

You may have become very fond of your community, its amenities, the school your children attend, and the short commute to work. Your home is the place where countless memories and milestones have been made.

Outgrowing the home you love doesn't mean you need to leave it behind. Needing more bedrooms, an additional family room, wanting an open floor plan, or a finished basement to add livable space are all design needs that can be met with a skilled design-build team.

While investing in additional space, consider the new life you will be giving your family home. A fresh update in other spaces can make your home feel like new.

Monetary Value

A whole home remodel may very well come at a similar cost as buying a new home. Perhaps even a bit more. The benefit still remains that your family will be able to stay in the same community, school district, and proximity to places you've grown to cherish.

Finding a house on the market that meets every need and want is not likely and chances are that you will have to compromise. With a remodel, your designer can work your must-haves into the design, leaving you with the exact space that fits your vision and your needs.

Envisioning Your DREAM Home

If you are considering a remodel, you have likely already been imagining all of the amenities, layout changes, added space and updated finishes that would improve your everyday life. You are also deeply familiar with the challenges your current home presents.

The first step after you've decided to begin your remodeling journey is to create a list of these challenges and must-haves. What exactly brings you and your family frustration? Do you have images or pictures of what you envision in your new space? No detail is too small or too big. Leave nothing out.

You and your designer will benefit from a detailed vision that offers every specificity possible. Your designer will also be able to help you problem solve. You do not

have to figure your own way around every challenge. This is the skill set your design-build team carries into your unique project and how you will avoid remodelers' remorse when the project is complete.

Layout Changes

Many homeowners struggle with their current home's layout. Your home may be several decades old and lack an open floor plan. Your kitchen may be cramped

or poorly organized. Your home office could be inconveniently located.

By thoroughly detailing your grievances, you and your designer will be able to efficiently reimagine your home so that the end result works perfectly for your family dynamic and routine.

A mistake many homeowners make in the design process

is thinking that a particular layout change isn’t possible or too costly, so it goes unmentioned. Your designbuild team is capable of exploring options you may not have considered.

Relocating a room, expanding the footprint of your home vs. building up, and utilizing the space your basement provides are just a few of the options you and your designer can explore during the design phase to find the perfect solution.

Your Kitchen Refresh

The kitchen is one of the most common sources of frustration for homeowners, with too little storage, too little space, a poorly designed layout, and dated or worn finishes topping the list.

When dreaming up your kitchen remodel, consider your family's specific needs, not what magazines and home design websites say that you need. Would you benefit from the extra storage and workspace of a butler's pantry? What about a double island? Think about how many household members are usually using the kitchen at once, how often you entertain guests or host holidays, and what kind and how much seating your family requires.

Consider your family's lifestyle and discuss this thoroughly with your designer. By covering all your bases during the design phase (storage, cooking habits, visitor frequency, needed prep space, equipment needs, and daily routines) you will avoid having regrets about what could have been and get the kitchen remodel that suits you and your family perfectly.

Crafting The Perfect Owner's Suite

This is another dream musthave, especially in homes that are a bit older and do not have an owner's suite from the start. Imagine your perfect getaway: a quiet respite with added soundproofing; a spa-worthy bathroom retreat loaded with smart features; a dressing room with lots of custom storage for your special items; a sitting area with a fireplace and builtins; and even a private deck that is all yours.

Explore your options as to where in your home an owner's suite can be created. This might be in a private wing downstairs, a reallocation of space upstairs, or an addition that is completely new.

Come to the design meeting with your needs, wants, and ideas from images you have seen online. Remember to look to your designer for ideas and layouts that you may not have considered.

Your Bathroom Update

The bathroom is another popular room that is high on the list for remodeling needs. Bathrooms get an awful lot of wear and tear through the years and can greatly improve your quality of life when reimagined.

Smart technology in the bathroom has come a long way and there is an opportunity to make every part of your morning and evening routines efficient, rejuvenating and tranquil.

Consider in-floor radiant heating for those cold mornings, a steam shower system that offers ultimate relaxation, a smart mirror that can display the day's weather, smart lighting, and a shower that can be programmed according to your ideal temperature and pressure.

Talk to your designer about using a mix of timeless, trending colors and materials. Do you enjoy pops of color, natural wood, or a bright all white bathroom? Your designer can help guide your choices and provide options to make sure your bathroom suits your tastes and works for you for years to come.

Basement Remodel, Or An Addition?

Your basement offers an incredible amount of space, especially if it remains unfinished. Your basement can serve as a complete guest suite, an entertainment haven, or even an in-home billiards room with a bar.

The extent of remodeling your basement will depend on the stage of completion it is in currently. Your remodeler may need to add insulation, a finished ceiling, and even extend your home's plumbing and electrical systems.

If you prefer to keep your basement as ample storage space, or if your basement is already a useful space for other activities, it may be beneficial to explore the option of an addition instead.

An addition can be made by building out from the existing footprint or bumping up to create another story. Ask your designer to explore a cost comparison and be sure to check in with local building codes and HOA ordinances. These may be the final deciding factors in whether you will build down, up, or out.

Classic Style That Never Ages

Many homeowners are worried about choosing the wrong finishes. Will they become dated within only a couple of years? Will you become tired of the pattern or color sooner rather than later?

Take your time when choosing finishes, fixtures, and features to avoid buyer's remorse. It is easy to get caught up in the latest trends, especially if you truly like them. However, try to imagine living with that wallpaper, vanity color, or backsplash tile for several years. Is it something you had your eye on for quite some time or was it a recent discovery?

Timeless design choices will have a longer shelf life, and will likely earn your appreciation even more as the years go by. If you would like to play with a few trends, your designer can help you choose finishes and fixtures that will be easy to change out or paint over within the next few years without the investment of another remodel.

Next Steps

Once you have decided

that a remodel is the best choice for your home and family, and you have created your list of challenges and must-haves, you can indulge in more specific design choices. Explore online countertop materials, outdoor entertainment spaces, impressively smart and energy efficient appliances in the kitchen, or ceiling design options.

Avoid feeling overwhelmed to the details within that style. Modern farmhouse, craftsman, mid-century modern, transitional, or traditional designs are popular with plenty of ideas to explore.

with all the choices by first searching style types then working your way down

Don’t worry, you won't have to figure this out all on your own, and you won't be confined to only one style. Your designer will likely be well-versed in combining different styles to create a unique balance that suits your personal tastes. However, do plan to have plenty of ideas and preferences ready to go for your consultation and design meetings. This will help your designer create a plan more efficiently.

How to Contact Us About your Project

You don’t have to wait until you have all of your ideas and must-haves organized to contact us. We specialize in centering our client's vision and helping them to realize their dream space.

Our biggest point of pride is hearing from clients years later about how in love they are with their space. It's

why we often work with referrals from previous clients.

Are you ready to experience

a smooth remodeling process that delivers the perfect space? Click the link below to schedule a consultation.