Trying to decide whether to remodel or move is a big decision. Hearing others’ tales of how they came to make their choice can help. We’ve found three stories of families who decided to stay and remodel. By sharing their experiences we hope you will gain insight into your own remodeling plans.

The first story is about a 1912 stucco Tudor home:

The first couple bought their home in 1981 for around $53,000. Built in 1912, their stucco Tudor home had two bedrooms and a full bathroom on the second floor and contained 800 square feet on the first floor, 750 on the second, and 700 in the basement.

Immediate Repairs Needed

Unfortunately, when they first bought their home, they were faced with repairs. The house had been sitting vacant for a year before they purchased it. During that time, water pipes and heat radiators had frozen. The house also had an old oil boiler.

They removed the oil boiler and installed inner thermal electric water radiant baseboard heat. But the baseboard heating system did not prove to be efficient; there were no storm windows, and the house still had cold spots. They contacted the local electrical utility company to have their home converted to gas (hot water and furnace) and to qualify for the Weatherization Program. They sold the radiators and some of the thermal baseboards to a used building supply. The rest of the inner thermal baseboards were sold to a friend and donated to a local charity.

The Weatherization Program helps customers identify and repair areas where energy may be lost due to inadequate insulation and inefficient doors and windows. Financial assistance may be offered by the electrical utility company to qualifying customers for taking weatherization steps. For example, grants may be offered to help cover a portion of the cost of insulating attics, walls, and floors over heated areas. A small grant may be paid toward replacing existing windows with more energy efficient windows. An energy audit determines the exact amount of each grant, and the grant does not need to be repaid. Any remaining balance after the work is completed and the grant has been awarded is the homeowner’s responsibility. There may be a weatherization program in your area—you will want to contact your local electrical utility company for more information.

While the house appeared large, the rooms were small. With children still at home, it was time for an expansion. The thought of moving never entered the picture—they liked the neighborhood—but they didn’t know how to add on without losing the integrity of the home. An architect friend drew some plans that the couple liked so well that they hired a contractor and started their project in September 1993.

The Remodeling Experience

The contractor was to be responsible for excavation, foundations, framing, plumbing, roofing, insulation, and drywall. In order to save money, they purchased the windows which the contractor installed. They also did the demolition with the help of their 13-year-old son, and they did their own wiring—all 4,500 feet of it!

Another area where they saved (or in this case, made) money, was by putting their detached single-car garage up for sale. They ran a classified ad in the local newspaper that read “Garage for Sale,” which most people read as “Garage Sale.” Boy, were these people surprised when they showed up looking for furniture and trinkets! Once sold, the garage was relocated and the couple didn’t have to go through the process of tearing it down.

The completed addition is a dream come true as it gives the homeowners the extra room they need and want. The square footage of their home was increased by 800 square feet per floor, including the 800-foot double-car garage at basement level. The addition includes a new kitchen, full bathroom, and a mud/laundry room on the first floor. The second floor has a master bedroom, an extra bedroom, a full bathroom, and a rebuild of the original bathroom.

Final Thoughts

This house finished out with four bedrooms and three baths, not to mention the original sun room, a deck over the garage (using a special membrane material so water will not leak into the garage), and the original basement that incorporated extra rooms. The new addition was finished to match the existing home, both exterior and interior.

By the time the job was completed, the couple put between $80,000 and $90,000 into the project. For a time, their home outpriced the rest of the neighborhood, but this was of little concern to them. They like the neighborhood and plan to stay there, and that was their main reason for doing the project.

Stay tuned for stories two and three…