Should you remodel one room at a time or renovate the whole house? If three or more rooms need work, or your wiring, plumbing, or layout is outdated, renovating the whole house usually saves money and time. If only one or two spaces need attention and cash flow is tight, going room by room is […]
What should be included in a home remodeling budget? A complete budget covers labor, materials, design and permit fees, a contingency fund of 10 to 20 percent, and the everyday costs of living through construction. If a line item isn’t written down before demolition starts, it usually shows up later as a surprise. That last […]
Is fall a good time to start a home remodeling project in Pittsburgh? Yes. For most homeowners, it’s one of the smartest times of the year to begin. Exterior work can wrap up before the ground freezes, contractor schedules often open up after the summer rush, and interior projects can finish before the holidays. That’s […]
Yes, you can live in your home during a major renovation, if you plan for it. Seal off the work zone, set up a temporary kitchen, protect your air quality, and lock in a daily schedule with your contractor before demolition starts. Most families do fine with structure. Without it, the project grinds them down. […]
The difference comes down to contracts and accountability. A design-build firm handles design and construction under one agreement with one team. A general contractor builds from plans someone else created, usually an architect you hired separately. One model bundles responsibility. The other splits it between two companies. That sounds simple enough. In practice, this choice […]
The strongest aging-in-place remodeling ideas for Pittsburgh homes center on three moves: converting to a curbless shower, creating a fully livable first floor, and making the entry safe to use in every season. Those three fixes solve the problems our steep lots and stair-heavy houses create. Everything else builds from that foundation. We’ve walked through […]
Open-concept vs. defined rooms: which layout works better for families? For most households, the strongest answer is a hybrid, an open core where cooking and gathering happen, plus one or two fully closed rooms for work, homework, and quiet. Fully open plans struggle with noise and privacy. Fully closed plans can feel dark and disconnected […]
Most Pittsburgh home remodels do require a permit. If your project touches structure, layout, wiring, mechanical systems, or the exterior of the house, the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections expects an approved application before anyone swings a hammer. Purely cosmetic work, paint, flooring, new cabinet boxes, usually does not. That’s the short version. The […]
The first time we stood in the front hall of a 1912 Foursquare in Squirrel Hill, we just stopped and stared. The chestnut trim glowed. The staircase had a hand-carved newel post that somebody clearly poured their heart into. Then the homeowner flipped a light switch and half the second floor went dark. That right […]
We’ve stood in a lot of Pittsburgh living rooms the week before demo day. And we can tell you the projects that go smoothly share one thing in common. It isn’t the biggest budget or the fanciest finishes. It’s preparation. The families who do the quiet, unglamorous prep work first are almost always the ones […]
