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| Mountain Home After Remodel |
Why remodel? Why now? What is behind the current surge in interest in tearing down, covering up, adding on, top-popping, and face-lifting our current homes? Why not just build new ones, with all the new bells and whistles? Why try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear? We have asked ourselves and our clients these questions many times in the last few years as our office has been inundated with requests to remodel homes all over the Front Range. The answers have given us a fascinating glimpse into the future of the Colorado housing market.
Answer #1:
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| Mountain Home Before Remodel |
"I can't find a lot on which I would want to build a house."
To find a lot that is attractive, affordable and well located has become difficult on the Front Range. The level of expansion of urban and suburban growth is driving prospective home buyers further and further away from their places of employment. Coloradans deeply value their personal and family time, and want to be within about thirty minutes of work. For many that virtually eliminates the possibility of building a new home, and even people willing to commute a little further are finding the cost of property to be daunting.
Answer #2:
"I love my neighborhood."
During times of uncertainty, a growing number of people feel the need to "put down roots", to find one place to stay connected with. The desire to "move up" through a series of cookie cutter, never-quite-finished, brand new subdivisions holds less appeal for many homeowners today. Many choosing to remodel are interested in preserving their lifestyle by maintaining closeness to their neighborhood parks, their friends and neighbors, their schools, carpools, and their local shopping, but making their home work better for their families.
Answer #3:
"I want the mature landscaping of an existing home."
Coloradans are very connected to the natural world, from our National Parks to our backyard gardens. Even the best new neighborhoods can have a cold and empty appearance, with toothpick trees, debris from ongoing construction, and the hard edges of new hardboard siding and wire-cut brick. The overriding image of an established neighborhood is that of a beautiful park. The tall trees, shade, softness, richness and texture of a well-kept, beautifully landscaped home in an older neighborhood are qualities a new home can never replicate.
Answer #4:
"I don't like the style or construction quality of new homes."
Very few new homes can reproduce the richness of detail and patina found in many homes from the past. For people patient enough to consider restoring a beautiful, traditional home, the satisfaction and quality of the finished product is tremendous. Some people are surprised to hear that an existing home's style can be completely changes, as well. A home with "good bones" can be remodeled to suit a new owner's tastes. While the quality of construction of older homes tends to be better than an equivalent home built today, it is not always as high as we imagine, nor have all homes been well maintained. During a remodel, some repair of hidden damage may need to be done.
Answer #5:
"I think that remodeling my home will cost less than building an equivalent new home."
Sometimes this is true. There are many cost savings to be had if one has lived in a home for many years, and can reuse much of the existing structure, foundation, utilities, etc. The permits and fees can be less for remodels. Attaching to existing construction, patching and matching, and protection of existing finishes are factors not found in new construction, and require a greater level of care and greater expense. For people considering buying a home and remodeling, the cost of the purchase plus the cost of the remodel might be greater than an equivalent new home. However, a home's location may be the deciding factor in proceeding with a remodel.
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| Kitchen After Remodel |
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| Kitchen Before Remodel |
The results of a skillfully designed and constructed remodel can be well worth all the time, dust and expense. Seeing your sow's ear become the home you have always dreamed of owning is a deeply satisfying experience. It also feels good to "reuse" a home rather than utilize the resources needed to create a home from the ground up. Most people are truly amazed when they realize what can be accomplished with an extensive remodel, and delighted when their dreams become a reality. TKP has always believed that remodeling is one of the "greenest" things home owners and residential architects can do, while also being a worthwhile investment in your family's quality of life!
