Home Remodeling Blog

If you love “Love It or List It,” if you’re fixated on “Fixer Upper,” if you’re pro “Property Brothers,” and if you’re getting ready for your own real-life remodel, this article is for you. Particularly if you’re coming to us as a first-time remodeler, part of our job as your Chicago North Shore area contractor is to help you set realistic expectations. Today, we’re talking about the differences between reality tv remodeling and real-life remodeling. These differences fall under two basic categories: process and pricing. 

When some people think of the phrase “going green,” they think of a massive lifestyle change that mandates a shift toward complex routines and constant effort. In the world of green homes, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Installing these few products we talk about in this post will cost little effort up front and generate long-term monetary gains in the future without ongoing maintenance. Since renovating a home entails appliance replacement most of the time anyway, it’s the perfect time to invest in green products in your Chicago home. Here are the top ways we recommend saving energy, water, and money.

You may not be able to define the term “Internet of Things” for someone else, but you’ve certainly experienced and interacted with it in your daily life. To understand the concept of IoT and its effect on modern house improvements in the Chicago North Shore area, we’ll first give a bit of context to its evolution.

The best way to obtain an accurate kitchen remodel quote, of course, is to contact your Chicago contractor for an in-home consultation. Before placing this call, however, many of our clients prefer to research ballpark figures of remodeling costs and plan their budgets accordingly. This post will provide you with area-specific information for 2018 kitchen remodel projects of different scopes and sizes in Chicago and the surrounding areas.

One of the reasons you’ll find such diverse price estimations for kitchen remodels when you search online is that there’s an immense variety of finishes. Costs vary drastically based on the square footage of your Chicago North Shore area kitchen, the quality and availability of each finish, and the surface areas they cover.

Whether you want to ready your home for resale or you want to be sure that your personal projects add to its market value in the long term, it’s smart to research national and Chicago North Shore area ROIs for each home improvement project you’re considering. Today, we’ll synthesize statistics and advice from some of the largest and most reliable financial sources for home improvements: U.S. News and World Report, Bankrate, Remodeling’s Cost vs. Value, and Forbes.   

Sometimes the newest trends have deep historical roots. The idea of using steam to cook food has been around for thousands of years, but it’s taken on quite a new look these days—and it’s growing in popularity.  Why are steam ovens so popular now; and is it the right choice for your North Shore kitchen remodel? Let’s look at what you need to know about steam ovens in 2018.

3 Reasons to Work with a Design-Build Firm for Your Chicago North Shore Remodel

When your current layout just doesn’t afford enough space, it’s time to consider an addition. Chicago North Shore area home addition costs in 2018 vary widely depending on the type and size of the addition you’re considering. Nevertheless, to give our clients a starting point for planning, we’ve assembled statistics on two of the most common types of addition projects: bathroom additions and master suite additions.

According to US News, updating kitchens and bathrooms is the best way to interest potential home buyers after general maintenance has been addressed. While kitchen remodel value can certainly be assessed based on its ability to make an entire home more attractive to potential buyers, we’ve also gathered concrete numbers on kitchen remodeling investments and resale values for the Chicago North Shore area. Of course, the cost recoup of a project is directly correlative to its scope, so we’ve divided projects into three categories: minor midrange remodels, major midrange remodels, and major upscale remodels.