This homeowner is a commercial contractor who acted as his own general contractor, doing the work himself and hiring subcontractors to complete different phases of the job.

While the value of his home was not as high as the values of other homes in the neighborhood, $150,000 to $250,000, it was one of the oldest, having been built in 1912. However, in his block alone in the past few years one new home was built and four others underwent major remodeling projects. Basically, this addition was to increase the home’s value to keep in line. Other factors that were considered were the neighborhood and the difficulty of moving. After looking at new houses, my friend did not find the quality and style he was seeking and felt he would have to remodel any new house before even moving in. In short, he felt the new homes were overpriced for the quality.

Additionally, every person who had ever lived in his house had updated it to make it better for the next person (like converting from coal to gas). However, additional space was needed. The house, a 3/4″-story Craftsman home had an original square footage of 1,900 and an additional 600 square feet in the unfinished basement. The new addition, about 600 square feet over the garage, added a master bedroom and bathroom suite with a large walk-in closet. He also added another 100 square feet to the front room of the original house by bringing out the windows to the end of the porch.

The home was purchased in 1987 for about $82,000 and the addition cost $65,000 in 1992. Some of the materials were purchased at discount since he is a contractor and his wife is an interior designer. This addition was done completely to maintain the style and integrity of the original home.

The kitchen was remodeled at a cost of about $20,000, and the discarded cabinets were moved to the detached garage behind the new addition which has been converted to a “men’s club.”

Final Thoughts on Remodeling

All three owners tackled their remodeling projects with creativity and good sense. If you are facing the “move or remodel” dilemma, make sure you carefully evaluate all the possibilities and restrictions. For example, before you invest time and money in any remodeling project, understand the guidelines provided by local codes and regulations as they pertain to your project. One important factor that needs to be considered before remodeling involves “zoning regulations,” which impact the use of your property in relation to its property lines. Zoning ordinances establish land use: residential, industrial, or commercial. Usually “residential” is subdivided into single-family or multi-family categories. These ordinances protect you, your neighbors, and the community from undesirable or inappropriate land uses and/or construction.
Other factors to consider include:

Special height restrictions.
Egress window requirements for bedrooms, especially those located in basements.
Wall thickness and insulation requirements, as determined by any state or local energy code in force in your area.
Minimum-sized footings and foundations for the addition of a second floor.
The existence of covenants, which could restrict you to height, type of roofing or roofing material, color, siding, etc. Check the title of your home to verify the existence of any covenants.
If your home is a historic building or located in a historic area, you could be restricted in what you want to do with the exterior appearance—contact the historic preservation office in your area.