Seeing what's not there

Some of my Columbia area remodeling clients call me with a firm grasp of what they would like to do in regards to their remodel. Most do not. They know what they may need to add, or what problems they'd like to fix, but have no idea how to attach it to the existing home. That's what I'm good at, seeing the possibilities and creating the perfect space. People know what they would like to have, just not how to visualize it. They have a hard time seeing past the spaces as they are. An example of this is a client that wants to convert a garage to a playroom and build another garage next to it. When I enquire about leaving the garage alone and building the playroom behind it with a good view of the lake they say "gee, I didn't think of that." They are trying to visualize inside the spaces that they have instead of thinking outside the box. So that's my first task, to analyze the situation and find the best place for the solution. Sometimes it's on the rear, some times the front, sometimes above. You try to solve the spacial problem, keeping an eye out for enhancing the visual form of the home as you go. If the home is less attractive on the front, you can upgrade there. If it's on the rear, that might be a good start. After you've done fifty or sixty, it kind of becomes second nature I guess. Every job is a new challenge, but every project is a new opportunity. I guess that's what makes it so fun.

Keeping it between the lines

When I'm at a Columbia area remodeling site for the first time, I'm absorbing what's there. The physical building, the needs of the owner, the views and sight lines from the property, things like that. But there are some other important elements to the puzzle. A good survey is important. Usually the homeowner has a copy in with the closing papers. Now we can tell exactly where the property lines are. If there are any easements shown. Later on we will want to check with the zoning office for setback limitations on the lot, so we know exactly what we have to work with. Sometimes there are lot coverage guidelines that may come into play also. Along with subdivision restrictions, or review by an architectural review board. Knowing all of the requirements up front really will help drive the future design in a positive direction. You don't want to get all the way through design, bidding, and pricing only to have a setback problem later on. That's stressful. We want your job to be no stress. So do your homework before you design, for a better design solution.

Good remodeling: working with what you have.

When I show up at a potential Columbia, SC remodeling job, I talk with the homeowners, get their list of dreams and desires and take a careful look at what we've got to work with. The layout of the current structure, the age and condition of the various areas of the home. I usually measure and record everything there. Room dimensions, door and window placement, ceiling heights are recorded. Digital photo's of elevations and details gathered now help me out later on. Visual inspection reveals a lot to the trained eye. The age location, and condition of the home give clues to the manner in which it was constructed. Things to look for are plaster walls or drywall, Standard or balloon framed, what was original to the home, and what was added later. How much insulation is in the attic and under the floor. Have any of the baths and /or kitchen been refurbished. Later on one of the goals is to produce a design that keeps the good stuff, and gets rid of the outdated or awkward stuff. No matter how good your design is, in the end no one is going to let you tear out a just remodeled bathroom just to move it somewhere else. If the kitchen is due for a makeover anyway, tearing out a wall and enlarging it usually isn't so bad. Gathering visual clues to the homes design and construction details helps you make your future alterations seamless. The ultimate goal for me is helping the homeowner with their needs, and creating a finished product that not only is aesthetically pleasing, but harmonious with the elements on site. When you finish with a good remodel, visitors should have a hard time deciphering what was original from what was added. Careful observation combined with a thoughtful design solution will accomplish this.

Am I a candidate for remodeling?

I guess the first question a client needs to think about is do I want to remodel, or do I want to buy a new home. Think about where you live, do you like it? Not the house itself, the neighborhood. Close to your job, your friends, schools, shopping? You're comfortable, got a safe neighborhood, nice neighbors and nice view? Everythings ok except the house. Now make a list of what could be better, a garage, playroom, new kitchen, downstairs owner suite? Don't think about where to put it yet, just work on the list. This is called the wish list and your designer will use it to create the perfect remodel. Now think about budget. If somehow your designer could come up with a design solution that works for you, and a builder could construct it, how much have you got to spend? I want you to think about this early because it is crucial to your project. It helps you make an educated value assesment of what you're going to do. Most of my clients compare the value of their existing dwelling plus what they are going to spend on it, vs. what it would cost to sell and buy another home that they would like somewhere else. You need to do this also. Some homeowners opt to move. A whole lot of them like where they are so much that they opt to stay. That's why there is so much remodeling going on in Columbia SC.

Remodeling with Square One

Welcome to my remodeling blog. My purpose is to help you determine the correct path for your remodeling project. In my 25 years of successful remodeling design I've helped make just about anything into just about anything. Almost all of my clients are first timers, and every job is different, but almost all of them need direction to get their ideas and dreams from concept to reality. Some call it the path to remodeling, I liken it to "the Quest" for the perfect home addition or alteration. Follow the steps and everything will turn out ok. In later posts we'll cover almost everything you need to know for that successful remodel. In the meantime, you can check out the remodeling section of my website www.squareoneplans.com. There is an article there to get you started called the remodeling process, the path from here to there...