Renovations Done Right

How to remodel your home the way you want, on time and on budget. 

- Patricia Mertz Esswein

Jason and Carrie Kelroy of Wauwatosa, Wis., loved their 2,200-square-foot, 1930s-era colonial, and they loved their neighborhood, where they could walk to schools, their church and a coffee shop, or drive to a Mil waukee Brewers game or to Summer fest on the lakefront in 20 minutes. But with three kids and two big dogs, the space felt tight. “So we thought, Let’s make it work for the long run,” says Carrie. // In 2014, the Kelroys undertook the first in a series of remodels. They hired David Pekel, a design-builder and president-elect of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, to renovate their kitchen and add a mudroom. They also removed a wall to enlarge the kitchen, added 250 square feet to the back of the house and moved a powder room. That project took five months and cost $215,000. In 2017, they paid another firm to waterproof the basement, and they rehired Pekel to remodel the rec room and add a full bath to create a hangout for their kids. This time it cost $75,000 and took three months. Next up: a master bath remodel expected to start late in 2017.

With strong consumer confidence and rising home prices, homeowners such as the Kelroys have taken advantage of growing home equity and low-interest rates to remodel like crazy. Baby boomers who want to age in place are leading the charge, followed by millennials who, due to a shortage of affordable, entry-level homes, are buying fixer-uppers.

A major remodel requires patience, perseverance and money—not to mention a tolerance for dust and disruption. For some couples, it also requires a referee to navigate the conflicts that numerous decisions create. Regardless of your project’s size, complexity and cost, you have a greater chance of success if you follow these seven steps.

STEP 1: CREATE A WISH LIST