M Design Build was recently featured in Milwaukee’s M Magazine with tips on tackling a whole-house remodel.
By: GUY FIORITA
This Old House From kitchens and bathrooms to master suites and basements, many people are choosing to remodel their entire home instead of moving to a new one. But converting an existing house into a dream home can easily turn into a contracted nightmare that drains your savings and drags on for months. Before you rent the dumpster, you better have a plan. We asked local industry professionals for their step-by-step guide to tackling a whole-house remodel. Meet the Pros: Michael Wade (MW) — owner, Wade Design & Construction Inc. Ron Klassen (RK) — principal and lead designer, Wallner Builders Mike Slawnikowski (MS) — owner, M Design Build Diane Wellhouse (DW) — executive director, Milwaukee NARI Deron Butler (DB) — founder and principal architect, Joseph Douglas Homes Matt Retzak (MR) — project designer and coordinator, Bartelt. The Remodeling Resource First thing’s first. Who is a whole-home remodel best suited for? MW: People who tackle a whole-home remodel generally fall into two categories. First, there is the owner who has been in the house for a while and loves the location, schools, neighbors, mature trees, and all of the things that made them fall in love with their house to begin with. All that is left to complete the dream is the house. A whole-house remodel gives them that. The other group consists of new owners of a house that has seen better days but is in a great setting. Work can be done before the move-in to re-create the house to offer the feel and amenities of a new house. Step 1: List and prioritize. RK: Make a list of what you want to do and why. Prioritize the list in case the budget isn’t enough to cover the whole scope. Get everyone who’s involved to agree to the list. Consider and list any issue that is causing difficulty — tight spaces, too little lighting, insufficient natural lighting, too hot or too cold in the space, etc. Get it all on the table. Then put it in front of a design professional. We’re always happy to give someone a ball-park on the investment and some thoughts on what they should consider. We’d rather help someone “get real” early on than see him or her get into a jam later. Step 2: Set a budget. MS: Develop a rough budget. Think about the amount of money you want to spend on your remodeling project. While you can’t be expected to know what a remodel will actually cost, once you identify your budget it will help you be more realistic..
Read the full article here on pages 75-77.