Renewal Remodels & Additions

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More and more people are choosing teardown/rebuild as an option for creating their dream home. Whether choosing this option for your existing home or buying an older home and starting fresh, there are a lot of reasons someone would opt for a teardown/rebuild. 

If you own or are considering purchasing an older home that is in the perfect location but has seen better days, a teardown/rebuild, either full or partial, could be something to consider. Knowing the differences between a teardown/rebuild, new construction, and whole-home remodel is an important place to start if you are considering this option.

A teardown/rebuild differs from new construction in that it does not start from scratch. Once we tear down the existing home, we are left with a foundation, plumbing, electrical, cable, and other pre-build concerns already taken care of. This speeds up the process and can save you a lot of money upfront. 

A whole-home remodel may gut a house down to the roof, outer walls, and studs and remodel the home from there. But a teardown will completely demolish the house (or a section of it in the case of a partial teardown) to its foundation and rebuild on the current footprint. This can be useful, especially if the existing home has any safety concerns, such as mold, rot, outdated wiring or plumbing, or even foundation issues. A teardown also allows you more freedom to change the style and layout of the home to fit your needs and taste. 

A few of the benefits of a teardown/rebuild:

  • Saves time and money by leaving you with a foundation, plumbing, electrical, cable, and landscaping.
  • Allows you to make changes without the limits of the original layout.
  • Removes the risks of an older home, such as rot, mold, faulty wiring and plumbing, foundation issues, or size constraints.
  • Leaves you with a brand new home that fits your style without the stress of new construction.

Are you ready to start your remodel, addition, or teardown/rebuild?

Click here to get started! 

 

Check out these photos of a teardown/rebuild project we are currently in the middle of!

Behind every home remodel or home addition is a family with a story. This one is particularly special to us, and we are thrilled to share it with you in the homeowner’s own words.

Tell us a bit about your home.

Our home is a 100-year-old farmhouse with a rich history in the rural oasis of Edgewood. We fell in love with the 6.5 acre property at first sight but understood we were taking on a daunting task in bringing the house, which had been remodeled multiple times over the years, up to its legacy. It was two separate, somewhat deteriorating buildings connected only by a breezeway. The original footprint still boasts the granite stone foundation from 1920. There were major additions and remodels over the years, some higher quality than others, but every surface and room of the house had issues.

What was your overall vision for your remodel?

Our vision was to create a dream oasis overlooking the 20-acre view of pastures and protected wetland we discovered behind the large old barn that completely blocked the house. We wanted to honor the history of the home and the property with enduring design and quality. We wanted to honor the barn we pulled down by integrating the beams and other barn wood throughout the home.

How would you define your personal style?

Our personal style is driven by our lifestyle of hanging with our friends and large family. We wanted our home to be beautiful but comfortable. It needed to be large enough to entertain the masses, unique enough to be worth the incredible amount of risk, time, and money we invested, and durable enough to withstand constant large gatherings, three sons, and our chocolate lab.

What is your favorite feature of your home?

Our favorite feature of our home is definitely the massive great room that Renewal built for us. The design team perfectly understood our vision of soaring ceilings with barn wood beams and a large stone fireplace to anchor the room. They seamlessly built out our existing kitchen island to create a much larger island to accommodate the new space, and perfectly designed a brand new kitchen with large windows positioned to keep an eye on our small goat pasture out front and welcome beautiful sunsets. On the other side of the room is a massive Nanawall that opens to the covered outdoor living, all blending together seamlessly, so it doesn’t distract from the breath-taking view of rolling pastures and wetland forest.

How has the remodel allowed your house to feel more like a home for your family?

We pinch ourselves every day we are blessed to wake up in this place. When we moved in, we were crowded and on top of one another and facing the largest project of our lives. Now that it is complete, we can all say it was well worth it. It is like living in a lodge resort.

What was your experience working with Renewal?

Our experience with Renewal was exactly what we hoped it would be and more. We entered the design phase prior to the Covid lockdowns. We can’t imagine going through this without the integrity and skill of the team at Renewal. With careful attention to detail, they seamlessly matched a 100-year-old foundation and multiple additions to a massive new addition… and made it all look like it’s been here forever. This was an incredible architectural challenge from time to time. On top of that, they had to deal with a local permitting and inspection process that was already notoriously difficult even before Covid brought everything to a slow crawl. They worked with us to quickly gather and store materials that were suddenly having supply chain issues, and their subcontractors became some of our favorite people. They were reliable, professional, and very good at their craft.

Any Advice for other homeowners considering a remodel?

I would advise anyone considering a remodel to do a bit of homework before jumping into it. A bid doesn’t really tell the story. We briefly considered being our own general contractors, and we are SO glad we didn’t make that mistake. We realized through this process we would have spent at least the same if not more money hiring subcontractors who had no reason to be loyal to us. It is very difficult to know (until it is too late) the quality of a subcontractor’s work or how reliable they are. We have heard many horror stories from our friends, and we’ve had negative experiences with contractors (not Renewal’s) we thought would be dependable and turned out not to be. Renewal’s business model of integrity results in loyalty and high-quality work. The best decision we made in this overwhelming process was to hire Renewal.

It was such a joy to work with this family on their beautiful home, and the results are something our team is very proud of. 

Are you ready to start your home remodel or addition?

Click here for your free consultation! 

More and more people are adding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) to their homes. The reasons for adding an ADU may vary, but there is no denying that this type of living space has been on the rise in popularity over the last few years. And from the looks of things, they will only get more popular as time goes on.

An Accessory Dwelling Unit, also known as an ADU or in-law suite, can be attached to your home or its own separate unit. This allows you to either combine or separate the utilities from your main home. In order for a space to qualify as an ADU, it must be independently habitable, meaning there must be a functioning bathroom and kitchen or kitchenette.

As we mentioned before, there are a few different reasons a homeowner would choose to add an ADU to their home. Here are three reasons you might consider this kind of addition.

  1. ADUs make the perfect space to house aging or extended family members. As parents and grandparents age, having them nearby brings peace of mind to the whole family while still allowing them their own private space. An ADU is also a great transitional space for a child who is ready for independence but not prepared to leave the nest completely.
  2. Do you often have guests from out of town? An ADU is a wonderful guest house, allowing your guests comfort, privacy, and independence, while still having them nearby.
  3. And lastly, many people are using ADUs as a secondary source of income as either a short or long-term rental unit. Don’t want to be a landlord or deal with managing a rental? No problem, there are many agencies for hire that manage both long and short-term rental spaces, allowing you to see profit without taking up more of your time than you’re willing to invest. 

It is important to note that some cities have regulations on ADUs and what they can be used for, but there is no doubt that ADUs have become a popular addition to homes all over our area. If you’re interested in adding an Accessory Dwelling Unit to your home, we would love to talk to you about the process in more detail. Click the link below to get started!

Are you ready to start on your home remodel or addition? We’re ready to help!

Let’s talk about outdoor spaces.

I know what you are probably thinking. It’s winter, it’s freezing, and it’s wet. Why would I want to talk about outdoor spaces? Well, as you know, projects take time, and time flies. This next year just may fly by even faster than the last.

The point is that there is never a wrong time to think about taking steps toward creating your dream home. So then, now that you’re convinced, let’s talk about that outdoor space.

Whether you dream of the perfect space to host your friends and family at every holiday and Saturday night BBQ, or simply want a quiet space to drink your coffee and soak in the sunshine on those warm summer mornings, we’ve got your back.

Some outdoor spaces are simply large covered patios. Perfect for a beautiful outdoor dining set, cozy firepit, and fully-loaded barbeque grill that leaves you feeling like you should be hosting a show on the food network.

Others are essentially a second kitchen/dining/living room, fully outfitted with a wet bar, fridge, spacious countertops, fireplace, tv hookups, and more.

Either way–or anything in-between– we’ve got you covered! Our team of experienced designers will help you choose a perfect design for your needs and available space, then see the job through to completion, making sure that it fits your home seamlessly.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get working on your outdoor space today!

Click here to get started! 

Here at Renewal Remodels and Additions, we value giving back to our community.

We recently had the privilege of working with Need A Break Services. Need a Break is a wonderful organization that helps single mothers, widows, and elderly members of our community who find themselves in need of a bit of help.

We were able to partner with Need A Break Services in supporting a family whose early 1900’s home was on the verge of being condemned due to some significant structural issues and loss of integrity in the beams supporting the roof.

Our team was able to reframe the front porch, add support beams, install new railings and siding, and clean up a few other areas damaged by rot. We were able to give the home the support it needed while maintaining its original style and look.

This project ended up being a special time of connection between our team, the homeowners, and the Need A Break team. The owners of the house opened their home and hearts to us. They joined in on the work and provided our team with coffee and a home-cooked meal at the end of the day. We are so grateful not only to be able to give back but also to connect with so many amazing people within our community.

You can learn more about Need A Break Services and the important work they do here.

To contact us about a free remodeling consultation, click here.

We are thrilled with how this lovely whole home remodel turned out. Here are some before and after photos of the project.

Kitchen and Living Room:

We removed a wall that divided the kitchen from the living room. Without this wall, the space gets more natural light, feels bigger, and allows for a more natural flow of traffic.

Master Bathroom:

Next, we expanded the master bathroom to create a beautiful spa-like space.

Master Bedroom:

And finally, we added on a master bedroom. This room is entirely new, and we are so happy with how it blends in seamlessly with the rest of the house.

Are you ready for your home remodel and/or addition?

Click here to get started!