Author: @fl@nsburg

When you have an older home, you have a house that has charm and history embedded in its foundation. However, older homes tend to have outdated designs and flows that feel constricting and may need some home remodeling experts to help bring the home into the modern era.

While it can be done, older home remodeling can have its challenges. At Flansburg Construction, we’ve helped homeowners with historic and aged properties update their home to help preserve its history while giving it a new flair.

Here’s a look at some common challenges that come with remodeling an older home:

Electrical Systems are Outdated

Older homes weren’t designed to accommodate modern equipment and appliances. One of the first thing your home remodeling contractor will look for is the electrical systems. They may incorporate outdated wiring or two-prong outlets that won’t meet the demands of today’s power needs. From there, the system can be upgraded to provide sufficient power to your home’s systems.

Plumbing is Corroded & Worn

Your home’s plumbing system may be on its way out, having served your home for generations, but it can make way for a new system that provides less waste and more efficiency.

While it can be a lengthy process, updating your home’s plumbing system is important and it can reduce the amount of leaks and clogs that you’ve probably been experiencing.

Changing Outdated Floor Plans

Homes from the past didn’t consider today’s needs with hosting, the need for space, and airflow for modern HVAC systems. Older homes tend to have more closed off rooms and tighter spaces, resulting in unnecessary compartmentalization.

Your home remodeling contractor can look at the original space and figure out a way to open it up securely to give you and the home some breathing room. By removing non load-bearing walls and respecting the home’s original design, it can be transformed into a home with better functionality.

Inefficiency with Energy

There have been advancements made to help reduce energy use, and most important, energy spend. Updating your home with LED lighting fixtures, energy-efficient windows, and low-energy appliances can help make your home more sustainable and utilize less energy.

Matching Existing Materials

Your home may include some beautiful designs and fixtures that you’ll want to preserve. However, some of those materials may not be available to use in the remodeling process. An experienced home remodeling contractor will be able to preserve some of the existing history while incorporating new materials to make the design seamless.

Unexpected Costs & Issues

When the remodeling process begins, more specifically, the demolition, some issues may be uncovered. This can include detected the presence of mold, or uncovering lead paint or asbestos. Through careful construction and following proper methods, these issues can easily be remedied, however, it could affect the initial cost of the remodeling project.

Partner with an Experienced Home Remodeling Contractor

If you have an older home that you’d like to update, you can look to us at Flansburg Construction. As a design-build firm, we can take a look at the original plans and design for your home and come up with a modern solution to give the home more functionality while preserving its original character.

Schedule a consultation with us today!

Styles and function evolve over the years, and if you’ve grown, but your home hasn’t, it may be an indicator that it’s time to consult with a home remodeling contractor to update your home to your style and needs.

Whether your home is feeling cramped, has an outdated layout, or you simply want to beautify the space, remodeling your home can transform the space that better fits your lifestyle.

Here’s a few signs that your home may be ready for an upgrade:

Your Home Doesn’t Fit Your Lifestyle

Your life may change, but a physical structure can’t without the help of experienced professionals. Whether your family has grown, you’re working from home, or you have aging parentings moving in, there are several reasons to remodel your home.

If the layout doesn’t support your daily routine, you may consider remodeling to give the spaces better functionality with open floor plans, dedicated office space, expanding the kitchen, or even finishing the basement can have a major impact.

Space is Running Out

If you notice that you’re lacking in storage space, it could be an indicator to remodel your home with storage in mind. There are smart storage options that you can incorporate into your home that allows you to maximize the overall space for your home while giving you stylish ways to reduce clutter and store materials throughout your home.

Your Kitchen Feels Ancient

If your kitchen is outdated and you find that it lacks in both fashion and function, it may be a sign that it’s time to bring it into the modern age with a kitchen remodeling contractor. Opening the space, updating the appliances, adding new cabinets, and implementing more surfaces can help you update your kitchen to give you more room to think, create, entertain, and delight.

Maintenance Has Become Expensive

If you find yourself throwing money away on ever-increasing energy bills and constant repairs, remodeling your home can help you reduce these costs. By implementing energy-efficient appliances, a new HVAC system, energy-efficient windows, and even new LED light fixtures, you can help make your home more efficient and less costly.

It No Longer Reflects Your Style

A major reason to remodel your home is because it simply looks outdated. Style evolves over time and your home may not meet today’s standards. While it’s impossible to keep up and continuously update your home to accommodate changing styles, there are a few remodeling projects that can help you sustain the style over time. Features like open floor plans, neutral colors, and hardwood floors help make your home timeless.

Update Your Home with Flansburg Construction

If your home feels outdated, cramped, inefficient, or not functional, a home remodeling project can make a major difference in the look, feel, and function of your home. It’s a great option if you plan on staying in your home long-term or putting it on the market.

Are you looking to update your home? Contact us at Flansburg Construction to get started on planning out your home’s transformation.

When it’s time to think about updating your home, you often think of the kitchen, the living space, or even additions, but bathroom remodeling has a significant impact on your home. Small bathrooms or powder rooms don’t have to feel cramped our outdated. Through thoughtful design and creative remodeling choices, the bathroom can be transformed into a stylish feature that adds value to your home and enhances your daily routine.

At Flansburg Construction, we’re going to detail some bathroom remodeling ideas that can help elevate the look and feel of the space to give your home a stylish boost.

Consider Upgrading to a Walk-In Shower

A really effective way at expanding the look of your bathroom is by replacing an awkward tub or shower enclosure with a sleek and modern walk-in shower.

Using frameless glass panels helps create a modern and clean look that gives light an easy fixture to travel through, effectively creating a brighter space the feels larger and more inviting.

Consider Smart Storage to Avoid Clutter

When you have limited space in your bathroom, figuring out a way to maximize space while keeping storage tucked away is crucial. Utilizing smart storage doesn’t take up more space and can actually enhance the room.

These options include:

• Recessed medicine cabinets
• Shower wall niches
• Custom shelving
• Floating vanities with built-in drawers

Let There Be Light

One vital factor at enhancing the look and feel of your space and making it feel bigger without taking down walls is through strong lighting. Minimal lighting makes a space feel cramped, so through a smart light design, it can give the space a larger feel.

Using layered lighting includes:

• Recessed ceiling fixtures
• Vanity lights
• Accent lighting
• Enhancing natural light elements

Larger Tiles Provide a Spacious Look

While it may seem like an unusual choice, larger tiles can make small spaces appear bigger. It reduces grout lines, which results in a more seamless flow throughout the space. Including the same tiles into the shower can even enhance the space further.

Use Natural Materials & Light Colors

Color has an interesting effect on how the eyes perceive space. If your bathroom is small, using neutral colors, warm white paint, and even softer earth tone can give the space an open and airy feel. When these colors are paired with natural materials like wood and stone, it gives a timeless and spa-like feel.

Save Space with New Fixtures

The modern bathroom is one that’s designed for efficiency. Using newer design elements and fixtures like compact toilets, wall-mounted faucets, slim-profile vanities, and clean hardware can help you maximize the space without cramping the style of your bathroom.

Have a Small Bathroom That You Want to Make Bigger? Let Us Help!

If you’re looking for ways to enhance your powder room and bathroom space without knocking down walls, there are a few design elements that you can consider for a bathroom remodeling project.

At Flansburg Construction, we can help you maximize the space and update the style that makes your compact bathrooms seem much larger and more comfortable.

Get in touch with us today to start planning your new bathroom design!

If your home is starting to feel cramped and you’re in need of more space, considering a well-designed home addition can alleviate your concerns, elevate your home, and give you the extra space that you need. It allows you to stay put in a neighborhood you like while expanding your home’s square footage and potential. But is it better to expand out or up?

At Flansburg Construction, we’ve helped countless homeowners design comfortable additions to their home, but on the first floor, and even help constructing a second. Choosing the right home addition option can depend on a few factors. Here’s how to consider whether to build up or out:

What is Building Up?

Building up is simply adding living space above your current home. Whether it’s adding a full second story, expanding part of the second floor, or even building over a garage. There are a few benefits to building up:

Keeping Yard Space Intact

When you build up, you’re not affecting your yard or diminishing space. This is specifically important if you have a smaller lot and need to preserve as much space as possible.

Enhancing Your Views

Building a second story addition can help improve views from your home. It can also help increase natural light into your home, and if thoughtfully designed, can enhance the curb appeal of your home.

Increased Home Value

If you add a second story to your home, it can have a significant impact on your home’s value. The added square footage and space often result in a higher resale value.

What is Building Out?

Building out involves adding space at the ground level. These additions often include family rooms, expanded kitchens, primary bedrooms, sunrooms, and even in-law suites.

Improved Accessibility

Building out is a great option for older homeowners because there’s no need for stairs.

Less Structural Complexity

Building out requires less planning and engineering to the structure of the home and generally has fewer structural demands.

Easier Build Process

Generally, built-out additions result in less disruptions, making it more comfortable for the homeowner.

Flexible Designs

When you opt for a build-out addition, you can create better transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces, resulting in improved functionality.

Challenges of Building Up & Building Out

Building up can be challenged because of the structural requirements, as your home’s existing foundation may not be capable of supporting more weight, which would require more reinforcing. It also requires more construction, which can be disruptive for homeowners.

The challenger for building out is that it results in a loss of outdoor space, effectively reducing the size of your yard. It also may have issues with zoning, and could require additional work to redesign the landscaping and drainage to your property if the addition affects those aspects.

Let Flansburg Construction Help You Expand Your Home

If you’re considering a home addition to help increase the space and value of your home, Flansburg Construction has extensive experience in both building up and building out. If you’re considering your options of whether to go up or out, we can walk you through the process to help you see which option best suits your home.

Reach out to see how we can help expand your home!

If you’ve been fantasizing about upgrading your home, picking the right time can make a big difference. You can hire a home remodeling contractor at any time of year, but spring stands out as the ideal season to get started on your project.

There are a few factors that make this time of year ideal for remodeling, so if you’re interested in getting started, it’s the perfect time to do it. At Flansburg Construction, we’ll detail why spring is the best time to get started on remodeling your home.

Near Perfect Weather Conditions

The weather is calm and temperate during spring, aside from a few storms here and there, the weather is agreeable. Mild temperatures and low humidity make it the perfect condition for construction crews and builders to work efficiently, especially when part of these projects is outdoors.

The nice weather helps you avoid delays that are caused by weather and temperature-sensitive materials.

Getting Ahead of the Busy Season

Summer is the time of year where most homeowners choose to have their remodeling completed. Homeowners will often book a vacation or extended trip around their home remodeling so they can avoid some of the hectic activity that comes with construction work.

Since summer often gets booked up quickly, spring is a good time to get ahead of the rush and avoid a surge in demand costs, scarce materials, and difficulty getting permits.

Plan for the Summer

When you choose to have your home remodeled in the spring, by summer, you’ll have a whole new home to show off to family and friends. This is especially beneficial if you plan on incorporating your outdoor living space into the project.

Improved Lighting Helps Make Informed Design Decisions

Spring has longer daylight hours, allowing you to get a better view of the work over a longer day. It can help you evaluate the colors and finished with more detail. It also allows crews to work longer days, which can help your project stay on schedule, or even get ahead of it.

Prep Your Home for Winter

Since the previous months are known for harsher conditions, it’s the perfect time to assess the wear and tear of winter and see how you can avoid it with your remodeling project. The damage from winter becomes readily apparent in the spring, so taking the time to make the necessary repairs or reinforce certain parts of your home can help you stave off winter damage in the future.

Kick Off Your Home Remodeling Project This Spring with Flansburg Construction

If you’ve been considering remodeling your home, whether specific areas like the kitchen or bath, the patio area, or even added an addition, spring is the ideal time to have the work down. The near perfect weather and the calm before summer is the right time to have your home remodeled so you can show it off by summer.

Schedule a consultation with us to get started on your project!

Your home is something that should grow with you. Whether your style changes, there’s new branches on the family tree, or you simply want more functionality to your daily life, remodeling your home can make a major difference.

But it’s not a light decision. It takes time to plan and truly decide if it’s the right path for you. However, there are signs that can tell you that it’s time. At Flansburg Construction, we’re here to help you see if it’s time for you to remodel your home.

Your Home’s Style is Outdated

Design and style evolve over time, but certain elements can make your home feel dated and unfashionable. Closed floor plans in particular feel very dated, as do carpets and loud colors. While the color and carpet are an easy fix, opening the space requires a skilled home remodeling contractor to ensure that the structure remains intact while the work is being done.

You’re Outgrowing the Space

Since your home doesn’t expand, it can feel tighter when you have kids, they are growing, or you run a business from home. One way that you can help utilize the space better is by remodeling it with functionality and smart storage in mind. Open the important areas like the kitchen and living area but include hidden storage to help you maximize your space.

Issues & Repairs Keep Piling Up

If you notice that there are various components to your home that are in need of near constant repair, it could be a sign it’s time to update some of those features. Continuous repairs will add up over time, and while remodeling your home carries its own expenses, it can help put off the need for repeated repairs.

The Space Isn’t Functional

When your home was originally built, convenience and functionality may not have been factored into the plans. The layout may not be great and that can create awkward transitions to other rooms and even diminished natural light, which can be frustrating when dealing with it daily.

A home remodeling contractor and design build firm can take the existing structure and configure it in a way to help improve the functionality of your home.

Energy Bills Keep Getting Higher

While your energy bills fluctuate throughout the year, if they steadily increase, it could be a sign that you’re wasting energy and money. This could be due to having older heating and cooling systems, but it could indicate diminished insulation and potential cracks and gaps in the doors and windows.

You can upgrade your home to be more efficient and cost-effective with elements like energy-efficient appliances, LED lighting, modern HVAC systems, and even energy-saving windows.

You’re Looking to Sell

If you decide that you want to sell your home, but you feel it may be a bit too outdated to attract the right buyers, you can enlist the help of a home remodeling contractor for some much-needed upgrades. Conducting the right remodeling tasks can help you improve the space for the next homeowner while boosting your home’s value.

Is it Time to Remodel Your Home? Let Flansburg Construction Help!

If some of the items listed in this article resonate with you, it could indicate that your home needs an update. As a design build firm, we can work with you to come up with a new design based on the current structure to add functionality and style to your home.

Get in touch with us to start talking about how you can make your home grow with you!