home improvement Archives - Page 4 of 7

Get Your Remodel on Track

17 min read How do you get your remodel on track once it feels off?

Do you have a sneaking suspicion that you need to get your remodel on track?

You’ve been daydreaming about your perfect mid-century remodel for months (years?), but somehow reality just hasn’t caught up to your Pinterest board.

Sometimes it can feel like your remodel planning has gone completely off the rails. Or at least dropped off your radar.

Fear not, my friend, because you are not behind in your home improvement plans. Your remodel is on track. I repeat, you are not behind. You are doing great! I’m going to prove it to you!

Master Plan in a Month

14 min read Master plan in a month to get (most of) the benefits of a master plan in just 30 days.

Many people go from deciding to remodel to wanting to make their plans into a reality as quickly as possible. And that can happen for a lot of very normal reasons.

Perhaps you have just pulled the trigger on your own decision tree. Perhaps you’ve just found your dream house and you want to update it quickly before moving in. Maybe some necessary maintenance is moving your remodel along more quickly than planned.

For all the folks out there who are in a rush to get to construction, I’m going to give you some very from the heart advice, it might seem like the easiest and best thing to do is just pick up the phone and start calling contractors. But a stitch in time saves nine. And just a small amount of planning done the right way is going to save you so much trouble expense and time in the long run.

Yes you CAN plan quickly … with a system

I hear from so many people who believe that a they don’t have enough time to devote to a deep dive into the Master Plan Method. Or don’t have the resources to work with Mid Mod Midwest.

Is this you? If it is, here’s some really good news. Remodel planning is not an either/or proposition. Some planning is better than no planning. And whatever planning you can do is going to vastly improve your remodeling experience. So … Here’s the system!

Common Household Hazards -Asbestos, Radon and Mold…Oh My!

22 min read I recently made a deep dive into risks related to lead lurking in your mid-century home and talked a bit about vile VOC’s off-gassing into the air. This week I’m exploring other common hazards that you may come across in your mid century home.

Let’s explore some common hazards that you may come across in your mid century home. This is part two of a series. To learn more about lead and VOCs in your paint … check out this post. Here we are going to discuss the asbestos, radon, and mold you might find lurking around your home! Plus, what to do next if you find some!

Like lead and VOC’s, these materials aren’t specific to mid-century homes. They may be present in modern homes and in homes built before the mid-century, so this info is actually important for anyone taking on a home remodel! Let’s get into it!

Asbestos in MCM homes

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that occurs in rock and soil. It’s got some good properties. It’s a good insulator and it’s fire resistant.

It also has the potential to release fibers that can increase your risk of lung disease or cancer.

Unfortunately, back in the mid-century era, people were far more aware of the former the good qualities than the latter. And they used asbestos in a bunch of places around their spiffy new homes.

Your Mid-Century Home was Built for an Addition

21 min read Mid-century homes were built for additions. Their sturdy construction, simple roof lines and single story setup make adding on easy.

Do you just need a little more room? Or maybe just another little room?

Mid-century homes are often the right size for modern living. Until they aren’t.

An addition may be just what you need to fit your modern life into you mid-century home!

And I have great news! Mid-century homes were designed with expansion in mind. Back then, homeowners started with simple, snug spaces expecting to add on as their families and incomes expanded. If you’ve been considering an addition, you’re in good company…and it might be easier than you think.

The How and Why of (This) Residential Architect

16 min read A residential architect’s skill in design and creativity has the power to take a few remodeling dollars farther.

Did you know that average cost to hire a residential architect to design a remodel is $47,000.

Isn’t that crazy?

That’s more than most people want to spend ON their remodel!

And that’s why architecture in this country is generally for the one percent. I used to work on projects with price tags just like that and … now I don’t.

I’ve got a good reason for that …

Keep Your Remodel Out of the Landfill

19 min read How can you plan an upgrade for your house that will keep it out of the landfill for as long as possible? I’m so glad you asked!

Do you ever think of your home as destined for the landfill?

This is dark, I know. But all things are…eventually. Every part and piece of your home has a useful life, a finite number of years to serve as a dwelling.

Sure, some buildings have lasted for ages and across the globe there are numerous examples of structures standing the test of time. These structures are often constructed of naturally occurring local materials and designed to function well in their climate without too much mechanical intervention.

Buildings are where humans spend the vast majority of our time and are, rightly, a place we invest an incredible amount of resources. And so it makes sense to help each building out of the landfill for as long as we can. At least, that’s what I believe and that’s one of my primary goals for Mid Mod Midwest. Some days I think of my job mostly as postponing each mid-century home’s trip to the dump for as long as I can.

Remodels By, For and With Women

How did I become so invested in empowering women to be strong leaders in their own home improvement projects?

As a young female architect, I’ve faced skepticism and dismissal from male colleagues and contractors throughout my career. But over many years and many projects I’ve learned to push back confidently and achieve the results I believe in. Not everyone has the luxury of building this confidence over time, especially women homeowners who may only go through one or two remodels in their lifetime.

Better Remodels (For Everyone) with a Master Plan

I created the Master Plan method as a direct response to my experience in residential architecture.

How to actually enjoy your remodel

15 min read You can enjoy every phase of your remodel, from planning to leading to living in your finished home!

I bet you can’t wait to enjoy your remodel … being done. You’re set to tuck into your new banquette with your morning coffee or to slip into your Onsen tub and be so HAPPY that it’s all done.

But I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to wait until everything is finished to enjoy your remodel. You can enjoy every phase of your remodel, from planning to leading to living in your finished home!

I know we frequently hear how stressful remodeling is and all the challenges homeowners face along the way. The process of remodeling is often viewed as something to slog through on your way to the the prize.

And, sure, remodels can be like that.

Build that guest room in your basement

19 min read You may have a remodeling secret weapon beneath your mid-century home…your basement!

Basements are the best. Bonus space for creating cozy guest suites, great game rooms or awesome home offices without the expense of an addition right under your feet. So, if you’re lucky enough to have a basement go ahead and make the most of it!

And (of course) I can help. I get to explore options for mid-century basements all time as part of the design process. When design clients are hoping to accommodate occasional visitors, create an income suite, deck out a retro den or create a great teen space the basement is the first place to search for space.

How to make your remodel more expensive (or cheaper)

Are you hoping to make your remodel more expensive? I bet you aren’t.

But so.many.people make the same remodel planning mistakes that are pretty much guaranteed to make your remodel more expensive than it needs to be! Plus they won’t add any value to the remodeling process, the life you’ll lead in the house when it’s done, or how much you like the look of your finished project.

Now, I can’t tell exactly what your remodel plans will cost or how to plan the idealized, cheapest best project.

Many of the choices you can make that will add or reduce your costs depend on more than one factor in your life.