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How to Avoid Renovation Mistakes: Part 2

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How to Avoid Renovation Mistakes: Part 2

Our second pitfall is having unrealistic expectations. Let’s say you’ve avoided the first mistake, made the right decision, and you’re working with an architect. Now you have in front of you a design that you absolutely love. So, you do the wise thing in this market and you ask several qualified contractors to bid your project. You get the bids back and they’re no where close to what you can afford to spend. Now, you’ve spent a significant amount of money designing your home, completing…

How to Avoid Renovation Mistakes: Part 1

This entry was posted in Advice Renovation on by

How to Avoid Renovation Mistakes: Part 1


Over the years, I have seen a lot of renovation mistakes homeowners have made and for the most part those mistakes were avoidable, but costly. People can spend thousands of dollars more than they need, not get what they want, and then what they end up with doesn’t really add value to their homes or the quality of their lives. With the right information, homeowners can avoid those mistakes and save thousands of dollars. The bottom line is your home is the most important investment you will ever make. Make sure …

Is My Project Too Small For An Architect?

This entry was posted in Advice New Homes Renovation and tagged Addition Benefits Home show Process Renovation Services on by

Is my project too small for an architect?

The Monday after a home show always feels like I’ve run a marathon. In actuality I’ve spent three days sitting and walking around a ten by twenty foot booth. But during those three days I listen, answer questions, and explain what architects do. After answering the same questions and explaining the same process hundreds of times, my brain turns to mush!

Renovate or Move?

This entry was posted in Renovation and tagged Housing market Process Renovation on by

Renovate or Move?


With 25,000 homes for sale in the Twin Cities area the question of whether you should move or renovate your existing home should be a simple one to answer. Surely the perfect home exists! But if you are considering renovating your home and choose to buy instead, then you also have a home to sell. Congratulations! You have just joined the ranks of 25,000 other home owners who are also trying to sell their homes!

Is Building Smaller Just a Matter of Preference?

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Is building smaller a matter of preference or a benefit to all?


A reader recently asked if the not so big concept is just a preference or is it a real benefit to everyone who is planning to build a home. For those not familiar with this concept, it is described by author and architect Sarah Susanka in her book, The Not So Big House. “Not So Big doesn’t mean small. It means not as big as you thought you needed. But as a rule of thumb, a Not So Big House is approximately a third smaller than your original goal but about the same price as your original budget. The magic is that although the house is smaller in square footage, it actually feels much bigger.”

Is It Time To Build?

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Is it time to build?


As a residential architect, people often ask what types of projects interest my clients as an indicator of the overall economy. With record number of home foreclosures and short sales, most assume any movement in the residential architecture business would be in the area of additions and renovations. However, that assumption has proven false. In a housing market that has been at its lowest in decades, interest in custom designed homes is out pacing that of additions and renovations.

Is a House a Home or an Investment?

This entry was posted in Advice Featured New Homes and tagged Addition Cost Housing market Investment on by

Is a house a home or an investment?


Recently I reviewed the latest data on the rate of return for money spent on remodeling projects and began to wonder when we started to think of our homes as investments? Growing up in the 60’s I don’t remember my parents talking about the current market value of our house. In fact, if they did it was because property taxes were increasing. They never planned to sell, so current market value wasn’t something they contemplated.