hardwood flooring | Sweeten

A Guide on Apartments with Hardwood Floors

Steve Hansen — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 15:13:01 +0000

A look at your options when this wishlist feature is well-worn: repair or leave it alone?

If you’ve been shopping for your next home, you’ve probably seen some apartments with hardwood floors. If you’re buying anything other than new construction, though, you might be faced with hardwood floors that need some professional attention. Sweeten takes a look at what you can expect when viewing apartments and their floors that can potentially be your new home. How do you decide whether they need repairing and how much does replacing hardwood floors cost?

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free.

Carol Wang works in real estate sales in New York City and has helped scores of clients with their home purchase and renovation options. The most-prevalent flooring type she comes across is hardwood floors. “In New York City, very rarely do you come across a property that doesn’t have hardwood floors,” she said. The rest is “a mix of just the different types of engineered or manmade flooring. And then a very small percentage would be carpeted.”

Visual inspection before purchase

When she sells an apartment with carpet, she noted, nearly everyone wants that carpet gone, but they want to know what the floor underneath looks like. Often, she said, they can find a corner or edge where they can pull the carpet back a bit to see the wood floors and judge if they’re salvageable.

“More often than not, they are because they have been covered for so long,” she said. “They have that nice protection from the ugly carpet.”

So it’s mandatory to have a visual inspection of the floors to know what steps to take next. Some people insist on a full refinishing of their floors, and some will opt for complete replacement. “Neither is required, though,” Carol said. “A lot of times it’s just part of the charm of living in a home with hardwood floors.”

Old floors, as Carol noted, may have a certain charming patina, and you might find that you can easily live with the imperfections. Will you even notice the existing wear and tear when you have rugs and furniture in place?

Solid planks are the hardiest

That said, some floors do need refinishing, and this is one of the major points in favor of traditional hardwood floors. Traditional solid-wood planks can be sanded heavily and refinished multiple times, making them easily last for several decades. Not all floors need heavy sanding to look fantastic again, though. It depends on the overall condition of and wear on the wood itself. Your general contractor can inspect the floors and determine if just a light sanding and new finish can do all you need, or if it does need heavy sanding.

More recently-built apartments with hardwood floors, from the last two decades or so, will often have composite or engineered materials that may or may not be refinishable. This type of plank has just a thin layer of wood on top with a factory-applied finish. They’re stable, install quickly, and work well, but probably won’t last for decades like old-school hardwood planks, unless they are top-quality products.

Is replacing hardwood floors a good idea?

In some cases, you’ll find it best to replace the whole floor. If you loathe the aesthetics of the existing floor, for example, replacing the whole thing is the only way to be satisfied. “People have really strong feelings about parquet, for example,” Carol said. “Some people love it and other people hate it. And so if it’s a parquet floor, there’s nothing you can change about that. You have to replace it.” The next question is whether replacing hardwood floors costs are within your budget. More on that below.

Also, if any portion of the floor has developed a crown, or “hump” anywhere, you might notice a squeaky spot. This sort of problem could be due to water damage, which often occurs near the windows. Condensation drips off the windows and onto the floor and can cause real trouble over time.

Water damage anywhere, in fact, could be real trouble. If there was a plumbing leak in the apartment that caused water to reach the subfloor, there could be rot in the subfloor. The only way to rectify this is to pull some planks and inspect visually. You can also opt to live with some surface water stains, but most of us don’t want to endure warped and squeaky floors in our new home.

In some buildings, the main structure is concrete and/or masonry. In that case, the wood floors in each apartment might be sitting on a concrete subfloor, which means there’s no wood in the subfloor to rot. As a result, you might be able to repair sections of the flooring.

Is repairing hardwood floors an option?

Repairing floors can be done, but it’s challenging. First, do you have access to materials that can be made to match the existing flooring? A skilled professional can get the finish and color close, but it’s unlikely to be perfect. In some buildings, if you’re lucky, the builder will have left the extra flooring in the basement or elsewhere so it’s available for repairs. You or your contractor can also visit salvage material shops and perhaps get lucky. Oftentimes, replacing some planks and then sanding and refinishing the entire floor is the only way to get a consistent result. At that point, it’s a good idea to get a quote for a brand new floor as well as for the repair and refinish. A good rule of thumb is that if more than 30 percent of the floor needs repair, you should replace the entire floor.

Old apartments with hardwood floors

If you happen to buy into an historic building, you might be in for a different set of challenges. Original materials from the 19th century and earlier were made from trees that are no longer available. Those trees from times past grew slowly in the dense forests, which created tighter rings and denser wood. An oak floor from 150-year old trees that was installed a century ago will be tough to match. There is, however, a robust salvage industry that pulls salvageable materials from demolition projects, but matching remains challenging. A full floor replacement may be your best option in that case, as is working with a knowledgeable contractor.

How much does refinishing, repairing, and replacing hardwood floors cost?

Refinishing floors is fairly straightforward, and contractors usually charge from $3–8 per square foot, according to This Old House. In New York City, a Sweeten contractor included a refinishing job for an apartment with hardwood floors. The cost was $12,800 for a 1,600-square-foot apartment, which comes to $8/square foot.

Repairing floors will usually involve some work at the contractor’s labor rate, plus refinishing. You can go with the figure above, $3–8/square foot for the refinishing and get a rough estimate. Plus, have your contractor check it out in person for the number of hours of labor required for repairs.

What do replacing hardwood floors cost? Here, you’ll have some variables for tearing out the old floor, if necessary, as well as a great variety in the cost of the new floor. Here’s a recent example of a Sweeten project in Fairfax County, Virginia:

New 5” wide red oak planks: $14.91/sf
Vapor barrier: $0.50/sf
Sanding and finishing: $4.75/sf
Apply 2 coats of clear coat finish: $2.15/sf
Install new base shoe: $2.85/sf
Professional labor rate: $82.98/hour

So in this case, for new red oak planks, you’re looking at just over $25/square foot, plus labor. New oak planks are a standard, mid-range product, and you can spend double that if you choose.

We also have a couple of recent examples of new installations in New York City. Here is how much replacing hardwood floors cost for these Sweeten homeowners. One client supplied the engineered wood floor and soundproofing and spent $3,300 for labor in a 475-square-foot studio.

Another client spent $8,770 for 3 mm soundproofing, glued-down engineered flooring, moldings and reducers, and cleaning in a 616-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment. That works out to $14/square foot for materials and labor.

How to upgrade an apartment with hardwood floors

For most of us, bringing a tired hardwood floor back to life is not a do-it-yourself endeavor. The job requires specific tools and machinery as well as meticulous attention to detail, such as rigorous cleaning and dust removal before applying the new finish.

If you are already planning on a renovation project in your home, this is the ideal time to include your hardwood floors in your scope of work. You’ll have the advantage of a renovation crew already on-site with your contractor’s access to flooring subcontractors saving time and money.

Sweeten can put you in touch with top general contractors for your remodeling project. If you post your renovation project with us, you can schedule site visits and request bids from each firm.

How long do hardwood floors last?

As usual, it depends, but if it’s properly installed, most hardwood floors should last more than 50 years. It really depends so much on the wear and tear, the foot traffic, the objects that get dropped on it, and so on. The number one cause of damage is water. If a floor can avoid major water damage, it can get a periodic refinish and look great again for another decade or more.

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

The post A Guide on Apartments with Hardwood Floors appeared first on Sweeten.

My Sweeten Story: A Slow-Brewing Remodel Speeds Up in Queens

Carole Braden — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 13:01:45 +0000

A remodel in a Jackson Heights co-op delivers an open floor plan, kitchen peninsula, and spa bathroom

“After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten

Homeowners: Dia, a personal trainer, and Alex, a technology executive posted their pre-war co-op remodel on Sweeten
Where: Jackson Heights in Queens, New York
Primary renovation: A full-scale remodel of a three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in a 1920s co-op building, including gut remodels of both kitchen and bath
Sweeten general contractor
Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free.

Written in partnership with homeowner Alex

Keeping their Jackson Heights remodel in view—for years

We purchased our co-op roughly three years before embarking on the renovation. Our goal was to totally revamp the apartment into open-plan spaces, while preserving its period features. Like many pre-war homes, it had a lot of small rooms. I think our result is proof that, even if there’s no perfect moment to remodel, intensive planning pays off.

Keeping historic details

The 1,400-square-foot unit is located in a 1921 historical-district co-op in Jackson Heights, Queens. The place hadn’t been touched since the 1970s and was in rough shape. But there were nice original details, like beautiful wood floors with inlaid borders and a period fireplace. It needed a significant overhaul.

Dia and I didn’t rush it. We’d rented in the neighborhood for a couple of years to make sure we liked the area—and we did. After finding the co-op, we wanted to take our time and put our stamp on it. We spent almost two years planning the remodel. By the time we were ready to proceed, Dia was pregnant with our daughter, Madeleine. We were eager to get the job done, and ready to pick up the pace.

In-depth research and planning

We posted our project on Sweeten. We made clear in our overview that we were ready to obtain our co-op board approvals, navigate the permitting, order materials, and get started. By then we’d spent a lot of time planning the layout, materials, and finishes. We had 40 pages of diagrams, renderings, and materials lists.

Five or six Sweeten contractors came for site visits and gave us estimates. Right away, one stood out. He had printed out our mammoth set of plans (which he jokingly referred to as “the bible”), came armed with excellent questions, spoke knowledgeably about what would and would not be possible given NYC building codes, and gave us a detailed and reasonable estimate. We knew immediately that we wanted to hire him.

A gut remodel with an extensive to-do list

Going in, we made sure the contractor understood that we had a specific vision, and that we were demanding. We planned to open the kitchen, living, and dining rooms, build a modern kitchen, renovate both bathrooms to spa standards, and add closet space. At the same time, we intended to keep original details, and even increase them by adding period chandeliers and other fixtures that would complement the co-op’s 1920s style.

Our renovation scope was specific. It included replacing and relocating the breaker box, and installing new switches and sockets. We wanted to remove several unnecessary walls, and rebuild two walls and two water-damaged window encasements. We requested new baseboards and crown moldings. In the kitchen, we planned to add a peninsula, a custom pantry, and a sideboard. We wanted to build closets in the bedrooms and entryway, as well as custom cabinets and radiator covers. We’d paint every room and refinish the floors.

Problem solving with the general contractor team

Several miracles occurred in the kitchen. When we removed a wall to make way for the new peninsula, it resulted in a break in the floor inlay, but the floor subcontractor recreated the multi-wood pattern so skillfully that you can’t tell what is original and what is new. Our appliance vendor’s repeated delivery delays caused a need for our countertops to be installed before the appliances. Our Sweeten contractor got them in when they arrived, despite incredible difficulty—installing our refrigerator even required removing the baseboard temporarily.

Our initial instincts about planning carefully were validated, but the process also taught us to always have a Plan B.

When our single-piece sideboard countertop was too big for the elevator, the guys carried them up five flights of stairs. And when the new electrical box occupied the former microwave place, the cabinetmaker came up with a built-in pantry, designed with an interior cutout to fit the oven.

In our bathroom, we had other inspired solutions. We wanted to move the toilet but a steel beam prevented placement in the new rough-in location. Our contractor proposed a wall-hung toilet that freed up space for it to stay in the original location and squeezed in a vanity, which wasn’t possible with the traditional commode. Thanks to supply-chain disruptions during Covid-19, we ended up sourcing bathroom tile other than that from our original wishlist—and the manufacturer offered no coordinating trim. Our general contractor found a trim that matched and drove more than 700 miles to collect every piece they could find.

Homeowners share their renovation advice

As first-time renovators, our biggest questions from the beginning were about how to manage the many subcontractors and aspects of the work happening simultaneously. But our Sweeten contractor pulled it all together. Our initial instincts about planning carefully were validated, but the process also taught us to always have a Plan B. We certainly learned the value of picking the right contractor—one who inspires confidence and keeps your best interests at heart.

We couldn’t have asked for a more professional and dedicated team. At the start, he helped us gather the necessary co-op board sign-offs and connected us with an architect. He managed the permitting process seamlessly, despite NYC Department of Buildings changes during Covid-19. At every step, our general contractor went above and beyond to help us realize our vision.

I’m not sure anyone comes in under budget in a renovation. We didn’t, but we stayed roughly in line with our expectations. There was a payoff, in any case. Our beautiful result! Even having done the project six months after having our baby and during a pandemic, we feel peaceful. We are in love with our home.

Thanks for sharing your Jackson Heights co-op remodel story with us, Dia and Alex.

Renovation Materials

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Wall paint in Cascade White Eggshell, lower cabinet paint in Space Black, and top cabinet paint in Snow White: Benjamin Moore. Kitchen cabinets: Custom through contractor. Julian cabinet pull: Liberty Hardware. Countertops: LX Hausys. Ivy Hill Pacific White Shells Pearl Mosaic backsplash tile: The Home Depot. Signature Hardware Mitzy 36” farmhouse sink and Pfister Mystique kitchen faucet in polished chrome: Build.com. GE Energy Star french-door refrigerator: The Home Depot. Bosch 800 DLX Series dishwasher: Appliances Connection. Cafe CGY366P2MS1 36” freestanding all gas range: Appliances Connection. Hadley 12’’ flush mount ceiling light: Antique store purchase. American Lighting LED under-cabinet light: Amazon.

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Daltile bathroom floor tile and Marble Attache Lavish 12” x 24” wall tile: Build.com. Shelf brackets in Aged Brass: Rejuvenation. Delta robe shower hook in Brilliance Stainless: Build.com. Hansgrohe Raindance shower head in chrome, GROHE Chrome Rotaflex 59” hand shower hose, and Hansgrohe Raindance S 100 air 3-jet rain handheld showerhead: Wayfair. Grohe Grohtherm 2000 thermostatic valve in brushed nickel: Plumbers Stock. Kohler Artifacts 30” shower slidebar: Wayfair. Kohler Bancroft bathtub faucet in polished chrome: Ferguson. Shower glass doors: Custom through contractor. Sunroom bathroom sink: Signature Hardware. Paulmier 16” sink: Appliance Connection. Main bathroom sink- Scarabeo 9007 by Nameeks rectangular vessel sink: The Bath Outlet. Vanity: Custom through contractor. Vanity paint in Snow White: Benjamin Moore. Kohler Wellworth toilet: Wayfair. WAC lighting vector LED 4 light fixed rail: Lights Online. Minka George Kovacs 2-light vanity light in gold: Build.com. Greyleigh Weslaco beaded medicine cabinet: Wayfair.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Minka Aire 54” fan: Wayfair.

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Our Bronx Rowhouse Remade as a Live/Work Home

Carole Braden — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 14:17:49 +0000

This pre-war Bronx remodel gives a work-downstairs space for its artist owner

“After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten

Homeowners: Steve and Lewis posted their gut renovation project on Sweeten.
Where: South Bronx, New York
Primary renovation: A whole-house remodel in the Bronx to create an in-home art studio and a feeling of “warm minimalism”
Sweeten general contractor and architect, Shannon Reid of Reid Wilson Architects
Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and secure payments—for free.

Written in partnership with Sweeten homeowners Steve and Lewis

Setting goals for a new home

We bought this house with dreams of a live/work space that would reflect our style and offer plenty of room for our art collection. Steve is a painter, so having his studio at home was a life-long dream. We also wanted a place where our friends and large extended family could come together.

We are Steve DeFrank and Lewis Holman. Steve teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. Lewis is self-employed as a tax accountant. We sold our loft condo in Williamsburg after living in it for nearly 15 years to purchase a small townhouse in the South Bronx.

From a two-family to a single-family rowhouse

The engineer’s report on our 1882 rowhouse in Mott Haven, the Bronx, looked good, but we still wanted a gut renovation. The structure has three stories comprising roughly 1,500 square feet. The home had been divided into two apartments and had eight rooms on two of the floors. We wanted to renovate and convert to a live/work single-family home.

We listed our project on Sweeten and began our search for design-build services. Sweeten’s introduction to our contractor and architect was a valuable service. As first-time renovators, our biggest questions before starting the project were about cost. In addition to an in-home studio, we wanted to open up every floor of the building, giving us fewer walls and more windows. We understood that altering the building in this way would be an investment.

The plan we made with the architect was for the ground floor to be Steve’s studio and a water closet—a bathroom with the sink outside. The middle floor would be the living and dining rooms, plus a kitchen and a half bath. On the top floor would be our bedroom and a home office/guest bedroom, a full bath, and a laundry closet.

We did a true gut renovation—nothing was in good enough shape to retain. Our Sweeten contractors demolished down to the bricks and joists, all of which had to be replaced or sistered; this was necessary to allow removal of the central beam, which had to be done to open up the ground- and middle-floor spaces.

Radiant heat and functional stairs

Throughout the home, we aimed for low-maintenance, design-worthy materials to evoke an aesthetic of warm minimalism. We wanted expansive wall space for hanging artwork. The ground-level studio interior is an open workspace with recessed LED lighting, a lot of artist’s storage, and radiant-heat flooring—which we installed on all levels. To bring as much light as possible to the studio, we opened the rear wall with an 8’ x 9’ three-panel glass sliding door.

We decided to remove the original front stoop and relocate the house’s entrance to the ground floor, which created some challenges. Our architect Shannon envisioned—and our Sweeten contractor produced—a storage unit that divides the entry area from the studio space. We had hoped to save the original interior staircase and railing, but our Sweeten contractor showed us options that made more sense.

Ultimately, we closed the stairs from the ground floor to the first to create more wall space in the studio; we chose a vivid pink hue for the risers, which brightens the whole entrance. On the parlor and top floors, we went with a wood stair-rail that looks simultaneously classic and modern. In the end, we were very happy that we took our contractor’s advice.

Connecting all of the floors

The kitchen cabinets are custom millwork, the front panels are painted a green that evokes the palest verdigris. Our island, which has an angled front, is an homage to artist Donald Judd. We rented nearby during renovations and observed this living area coming together. Visiting the site at least twice a week, we loved seeing the gradual progress, sometimes glacial and sometimes lightning quick.

We understood that altering the building in this way would be an investment.

A dining-area drawer and shelving system provides storage and connects these rooms to the top floor, where the main bedroom and home office also employ coordinating storage units. We had fun with tile in the upstairs full bath, where we mixed matte and glossy tile in a range of sizes and colors, including chartreuse, dark green, and gray-green.

A building exterior refresh

The elimination of the parlor-floor entrance led to an anomaly on the front of the house, with regards to the living-room windows. The window occupying the old door frame is much larger than the window next to it. The architect’s solution—a modular window design, made up of a series of smaller frames, one of which mirrors the smaller window to create a visual connection.

Steve and Lewis’ renovation advice

Throughout the job, we enjoyed a collaborative exchange with the architect and contractor. As first-time (and last!) renovators, we’d embarked on possibly the most stressful project of our lives. Luckily, we had chosen our team carefully. Our contractor and crew kept a sense of humor during a long, arduous process.

Our advice to other homeowners ready for a renovation: Anticipate bad news and delays, and roll with the punches. Be grateful for the opportunity you have, even when you wonder why you ever thought it was a good idea! And remember, issues that arise and seem monumental during the process get solved, and are forgotten once you move in. Now when we enter our home, we feel serene.

Thank you for sharing your Bronx remodel story with us, Steve and Lewis!

Renovation Materials

WHOLE HOME RESOURCES: Wall and ceiling in Super Matte paint; interior doors, trip/castings, window sills, stair risers, and stringers in Cliffside Gray pearl paint: Benjamin Moore. Radiant heat flooring: Warmboard, Inc. Engineered Hickory Heirloom, ¾” thick, tongue and groove softened edge, 5” face widths, Veiled White satin prefinished wood flooring: Carlisle. Mini Orb stairwell lights: Allied Maker. Light switches: Lutron.

ARTIST STUDIO RESOURCES: Interior doors and door trim in Super White pearl; studio floor and cellar stairs in Platinum Gray glossy floor/porch paint; storage cabinet in Pacific Ocean; stair risers in Hot Lips pearl; stair stringers in Cliffside Gray pearl: Benjamin Moore. Continuum 23 series architectural LED linear fixture: Alcon Lighting. No. 8 LED, flush mount recessed lighting: Dulanski.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Custom millwork cabinets: Custom by contractor. Cabinets in Antique Jade paint: Benjamin Moore. Dekton countertops and backsplash in Zenith: TK Quartz and Granite. Refrigerator, dishwasher, and cooktop: Bosch. Electric oven: Appliances Connection. Discus Pendant 2 light over kitchen island: Mattermade.

DINING AREA RESOURCES: Tolomeo variations light over dining table: Artemide. Dining area drawer and shelving system: Vitsoe.

FULL BATHROOM RESOURCES: Field tile, 6×6 in color P210 (dark green), 6×3 in color R203 (chartreuse), 3×3 tile in color P94 (gray-green), 3×3 in color S1 (off-white, behind sink): Pratt & Larson. Blu Bathworks series 1200 wall-mount vanity and matte white #SA1200-01m sink top; Duravit Darling New wall-mounted toilet; matte black single-function shower head; black Del Rp71751.Bl shower arm; black wall-mounted hand shower set: AF New York. Gravity mirror: Ex.T. Mini Dome light: Allied Maker.

HALF BATH RESOURCES: Adriatic 3×12 lava stone subway tile: Tilebar. Jason Wu sink faucets: Brizo. Nivis wall-mounted sink: Agape Design. Gravity mirror: Ex.T. White Darling New wall-mounted toilet: AF New York. Endless Dome light: Allied Maker. Contempo II black matte towel bar: Manhattan Center for Kitchen and Bath.

BEDROOM RESOURCES: Drawer and shelving systems: Vitsoe. Tolomeo variations wall-mounted bedside lamps: Artemide.

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ADUs or accessory dwelling units can transform into home offices, living space for family or as a rental, or a retreat.

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Work-From-Home Perfection in a Los Angeles House

Carole Braden — Thu, 13 May 2021 13:51:20 +0000

Stifled by work-at-home requirements, a newly-purchased 1950s home transforms with a remodel

“After” photos by Advanced Focus Photography for Sweeten

Homeowners: Amy and Kevin posted their 1950s home remodel project on Sweeten
Where: Westchester neighborhood, Los Angeles, California
Primary renovation: Updating the 1,538-square-foot house, the couple revised the living room, kitchen, and “his” and “her” bathrooms—one even got a skylight.
Sweeten general contractor
Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches homeowners with vetted general contractors for residential renovation projects, offering knowledge, support, and secure payments— for free.

Written in partnership with Sweeten homeowner Amy

Making the decision in a work-from-home moment

When it came to this renovation and our decisions about it, the pandemic was a true influence. Kevin and I previously lived in a two-bedroom apartment, using one bedroom as an office—but working from home, we needed more space. I am a television producer and Kevin is a broadcast engineer. In the end, never leaving home was the motivator we needed to make a move.

We found a three-bedroom house in L.A.’s Westchester neighborhood with plans to use two of the bedrooms as our home offices. Added bonus: the property also had the backyard that we and our dogs, Joey and Stevie, wanted.

Hiring a qualified general contractor—with guidance

As first-timers for a renovation of this scale, we had questions. The biggest ones: How long it would take and how much it would cost? The team at Sweeten guided us through the process of getting bids from several contractors, and the website prepared us for what to expect during work. Ultimately, Sweeten connected us with a great contractor.

Updating the house mechanics

Our home was built in 1950 and, with a previous renovation, gained an addition in the ‘60s, including the living room, master bedroom, and a half-bath. But before beginning, we had dirty work to do. We replaced the sewer line to the street and pipes under the house, tented the house for termites, reinforced the foundation, and updated the electrical.

The pandemic definitely affected the supply chain: A refrigerator ordered in August arrived in February.

The renovation plan included several phases. First, we wanted to lay new flooring throughout the house. We chose white-oak engineered hardwood in 8-inch planks, to showcase the oak’s natural grain and make the house’s interior feel cohesive. We felt that lighter floors would complement the living room’s existing natural wood ceiling. In fact, our vision for the space was guided by that beamed ceiling, and a desire to open the home’s center, front to back.

A wider and elongated kitchen

We met with our contractor and his in-house kitchen designer. Most importantly, we wanted to discuss how to increase flow to the L-shaped kitchen. We decided to widen the kitchen doorway and remove part of the 6.5-foot wall that separated it from the living room. We planned to build a long, modern peninsula to draw the kitchen through the opening and integrate it with the living space. It would make the kitchen more functional.

We stacked and boxed in the washer and dryer and created a nook for the refrigerator in the peninsula area. That gave us room to add a large pantry in the kitchen space. Our contractor’s crew custom-built the cabinets and suggested matte brass hardware and fixtures, which we love. Choosing the countertop stone took time—after researching online, we visited stone yards and showrooms before agreeing on a light-gray quartz.

We originally planned to paint the shiplap walls in the kitchen white, but after the walls were sanded and primed, we opted for the white-washed look instead. We could always paint it later if we changed our minds.

A private bathroom for each family member

Next came the bathrooms. We don’t really have a master—it’s more like “his” and “hers.” I claimed the one with the bathtub and my husband got the other one, a half-bath when we bought the house. Part of the 1960s renovation, it was odd, narrow, and tight with its very own exterior door! We redesigned it, finding space for a shower by removing the door and an adjacent window, and bumping out approximately 20 inches into the breakfast nook area. Since we were removing the natural light sources, our contractor suggested adding a skylight. We’re happy we took this idea.

Like Kevin’s, my bathroom also got a makeover. We installed new tile, fixtures, a vanity, and hardware. One other idea we got from our contractor was to choose wall-mounted toilets. The bathrooms are small—mine, especially—and the streamlined toilets free up vital inches.

Shopping in a locked-down world

We sourced most materials ourselves. At the project’s start, our contractor gave us a preferred vendor list, which helped us to know where to shop for tile, plumbing fixtures, and other essentials. COVID-19 made us minimize trips to showrooms and stores; when we visited brick-and-mortar locations, we researched first, and knew exactly what to look at. I understand why people work with designers! We made a lot of decisions.

Shopping for lighting fixtures was fun, though. A friend who worked at a lighting showroom recommended a woman-owned Portland lighting company, leading us to beautiful choices for the bathrooms, kitchen, and bedroom. The pandemic definitely affected the supply chain: A refrigerator ordered in August 2020 arrived in February of this year.

The renovators’ learning curve

As two people with no major renovation experience, it felt like a challenge. Fortunately, we were lucky to have a general contractor who guided us. We learned a lot about balancing time and budget—how long things would take and the effect on cost. Sweeten’s check-ins gave us peace of mind; I knew I could ask questions if issues arose. My advice to other renovators is, make sure your contractor is licensed and insured, and consider whether you can communicate clearly with him or her—you need to understand each other.

We felt a true match with our contractor and I love how our home turned out: clean and solid. It’s comforting to know that things were done right. I love the final touches brought to the project by interior designer Ana DeLeon of Delena Studio, whom we hired on our contractor’s recommendation. We thought we wanted help figuring out where to hang art, but she advised us on rugs, too, and it was her idea to use the leather loveseat at the dining table.

The result is a gorgeous home with space for both of us to do our things. I’m so happy!

Thanks for sharing your Los Angeles home renovation story with us, Amy and Kevin!

Renovation Materials:

LIVING AREA RESOURCES: Teramo engineered hardwood floor: CRAFT.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Paint in Pure White: Sherwin Williams. Cabinets: Custom by contractor. Alpine Mist with honed finish countertops: Caeserstone. Backsplash: Chalk Series 3×12 tile in Chalk Blanco: Cartage Flooring. Cape Dory 33″ under-mount enameled cast-iron sink in white: Kohler. Crue pull-down faucet in brushed moderne brass: Kohler. Refrigerator/dishwasher/stove: Appliances Connection. Meadowlark 16″ Luxe Cord pendant lights in matte black and brass: Cedar & Moss. Contemporary 4” bar cabinet pulls in satin brass: Emtek.

BATHROOM RESOURCES (Kevin’s): Building Blocks (BB) 12” x 24” concrete floor and wall tile in Black: Emser. Chalk Series 3”x12” shower wall tile in Chalk Blanco, matte finish: Cartage Flooring. Awaken 1.75 GPM rain showerhead and shift multifunction hand shower in matte black: Kohler. Shower glass doors: Sourced by contractor. Burchette 36″ sink/vanity set in natural: AllModern. Trinsic widespread faucet in matte black: Delta. Latitude matte black hardware: allen + roth. Lucie mirror in black: Amanti Art. RP D-Shape wall-mounted toilet with DuoFit in-wall tank: Appliances Connection. Vista 2 matte black and brass lighting fixtures: Cedar & Moss.

BATHROOM RESOURCES (Amy’s): Building Blocks (BB) 12” x 24” Concrete floor and wall tile in black: Emser. Chalk Series 3”x12” shower wall tile in Chalk Blanco, matte finish: Cartage Flooring. Tempered shower head and shift hand shower in matte black: Kohler. Signature Hardware’s Sitka 60″ x 30″ three-wall alcove acrylic soaking tub: Appliances Connection. Keri Fouke 30″ sink/vanity set in natural: AllModern. Trinsic widespread faucet in matte black: Delta. Latitude matte black hardware: allen + roth. Mirror: HD Buttercup. RP D-Shape wall-mounted toilet with DuoFit in-wall tank: Appliances Connection. Vista 2 matte black and brass lighting fixtures: Cedar & Moss.

BEDROOM RESOURCES: Cedar & Moss Conifer flush mount 24” ceiling light fixtures in brushed satin: Rejuvenation.

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ADUs or accessory dwelling units can transform into home offices, living space for family or as a rental, or a retreat.

The post Work-From-Home Perfection in a Los Angeles House appeared first on Sweeten.

A Home Improves the View, Inside and Out

Craig Kellogg — Thu, 04 May 2017 17:54:36 +0000

When shopping for Manhattan real estate, you don’t always get what you want. For Gall, a patent attorney who grew up in Florida, an extended search for a new Manhattan apartment took him and his wife first across town, into an unexpected neighborhood, and subsequently through an impressive renovation.

Gall was living in a Hell’s Kitchen one-bedroom with his wife Ingrid, a Brazilian-born speech pathologist. They initially discovered Sweeten when they began thinking about a renovation for that apartment. The makeover wasn’t to be, however, and they switched gears in anticipation of expanding their family. For the better part of a year, the couple shopped for a larger apartment in the competitive market along Broadway on the Upper West Side. It was only after widening their search across Central Park that they stumbled onto an affordable Upper East Side building “right on top of the subway,” he notes.

The high-rise building was originally developed as a rental in the 1980’s, and Gall liked the way its bay windows amplified the view. The 1,280-square-foot unit had received mainly cosmetic renovations since going condo in the early 2000’s, so floors were a deep brown that showed dust and failed to bounce natural light around the space. The original kitchen measured 100 square feet, but felt cramped and closed-off, with a shortage of counter space. Gall, who is the family chef, recalls the well-used beige plastic laminate kitchen cabinets as being very small, and they didn’t go all the way to the ceiling. There was also insufficient storage in the bedrooms. “I don’t know where they fit their clothes,” he says.

This time, it was a real estate broker’s recommendation which reminded Gall of Sweeten. He posted their remodel, along with a wish list of some elements to add and others to subtract. After signing with a Sweeten contractor that offered design and build services in April, demolition began in June. Their contractor worked with the couple for months, strategically updating the apartment while enhancing the expanses of space that had attracted them in the first place.

One early target was a wide bank of awkwardly placed built-in bookcases right at the entrance. “It had tons of little compartments and really felt cluttered right there in the middle of the house,” Gall explains. They removed it and worked with their team to fill the same space with closed storage. A penthouse they saw while apartment shopping served as the couple’s design inspiration for cool mirror doors—on both their new pantry cabinet and the neighboring linen closet—that are decorated with a retro raised-panel design.

One unexpected (and technically challenging) concern was mentioned by the building architect. For the spot where they planned to open up the kitchen by demolishing a wall, the architect asked about a much discussed but often ignored code requirement for a drop soffit to channel smoke dividing the ceiling between the kitchen and living area. A reworked soffit satisfied the requirement and tied into the other new ones around the living room. To unify the apartment throughout, their contractor suggested they see an example of 5-inch-wide white oak floors in another project the team had completed; Gall and Ingrid instantly fell in love. The wood was glued down to the concrete subfloor throughout the living areas, and even in the kitchen.

The new kitchen has synthetic quartz for the countertops, as well as on the new island where the wall once stood. “By opening up the wall we lost a lot of upper cabinet space,” he explains, which made new full-height cabinets a necessity. The cabinets are white-painted maple, and the backsplash mosaic is a herringbone composed of glass and marble tiles. The couple skipped a range in favor of the flexibility of having a wall oven and separate cooktop. The refrigerator, though not a pricey panel-ready model, is neatly integrated into a tall wall of white cabinetry. The cookspace was one of their favorite spaces. “The craftsmanship was amazing,” said Gall. “The huge countertop makes working in the kitchen a pleasant experience,” including enough space for him and his wife to cook together.

In the master bathroom, a tub was replaced with a new stand-up shower with marble from Porcelanosa. Gall praises the three-dimensional renderings created by his Sweeten contractor, which were a great help for imagining the look of the kitchen. “We’re not visual people, and that made the process much smoother and easier.”

The closet organization in the master bedroom was built to the homeowners’ exact requests, not only providing more than adequate storage, but the cabinet doors matched the rest found in the apartment. For the nursery, the initial placement allowed the rest of the room to be furnished around it. “The closet was planned to accommodate two children at different ages,” says Gall.

In spite of the inconveniences, Sweeten clearly contributed immeasurably to the couple’s renovation. “We had been very nervous about getting the right contractor, one who wouldn’t walk out on us,” he recalls. He advises renovators to expect a longer period of construction than originally quoted, and to spend as much of your own energy on it as possible. Once you find an expert you can count on, he says, “trust your contractor’s opinion.” Mid-construction, they found out they were expecting a child, and the job was finished before the birth. Today, one of those spectacular bay windows in the living room, with its classic New York view, makes an ideal playpen for the luckiest of big-city babies.

Thank you, Gall and Ingrid, for sharing how you organized and made your home work for you.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Color Strip wood flooring in Natural White Oak: Somerset. Kitchen cabinets: Custom fabricated by Sweeten contractor. Satin Nickel Meis cabinet hardware: Stanley Home Designs. Minuet Countertops: LG Viatera. Monarch Sands of Time Backsplash: TileBar. Stainless steel single basin undermount sink, #VG3019BK1: Appliances Connection. Faucet: Hansgrohe. French door fridge: Appliances Connection. 30” 5-Burner gas cooktop, #KCGS350ESS. 24” dishwasher: KitchenAid. 27” Electric wall oven, #WOS51EC7AS: Appliances Connection.

MASTER BATH RESOURCES: Persian White Classico floor and wall tile, #L112995691-100142837: Porcelanosa. Faucet, #SLS-3610-1.5: Symmons. 30” Wall-hung vanity; 5-Light Bath Bar light fixture: Wayfair. Comfort height toilet #K-5172-RA-0; shower fixtures; medicine cabinet: Kohler.

HALLWAY RESOURCES: Doors: Custom fabricated by Sweeten contractor.

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While you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by our renovation of an apartment that hadn’t been touched in three decades; uncovering a 1929 Upper East Side gem.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Home Improves the View, Inside and Out appeared first on Sweeten.

Before & After: Austin’s Williamsburg Co-op Renovation — Sweetened!

Kim Moreau Jacobs — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 16:11:07 +0000

Austin came to Sweeten to find a design/build contracting team after a long search for a move-in ready pad in Williamsburg. He’d scoured New York’s ultra-competitive market for months and landed a charming but worn floor-through unit in a Graham Avenue co-op. The building was a century old and his unit hadn’t been touched since the ‘70s—but with high ceilings and old bones, Austin saw the many cons as potential pros: here was his chance to grab a well-located, window-filled blank slate and start anew. Austin posted his project on Sweeten and planned to put between $100,000 and $150,000 into the space.

For a first-time renovator who spends his days as a consultant for media and cable groups, a full renovation game plan was admittedly ambitious. Sweeten introduced Austin to a contractor to create a sunny and spacious space that maximized every bit of square footage. One of Austin’s guiding goals was to make an apartment that anyone could enjoy, so he opted for a minimalist approach in a neutral color palette. To create the open and airy feeling that Austin was after, the contractors weighed in with suggestions for modern finishes and monochromatic tones that would unite the space and keep the focus on natural light.

Austin and his Sweeten contractor team managed an incredible feat: with one single design choice, he brought an entirely new feel to the entire space. Matte-finish wide-plank hardwood flooring, and not all that much else, now sets the tone in this serene bedroom and throughout the living areas.

To create the kitchen, the team focused on making the most of a slightly slim layout. They swapped the former kitchen space into the living room and turned what was formally a bedroom into a new slim kitchen. They maximized its narrow footprint with all food prep and storage along one wall and then connected the space to the rest of the unit with French doors and glass panel details. Austin chose a very dark soapstone countertop with light marbling – a stand-out feature that is low maintenance and impervious to acid, bases, and heat. A custom table from Room and Board turns the room into a hangout spot and pulls double-duty as both breakfast nook and workspace.

The bathroom showcases a blend of the old world and new, with a mosaic hexagon marble tile floor paired with more contemporary limestone on the walls. Couple that with a sprawling vanity and a stacked washer/dryer, and the project started to feel complete.

Austin initially worried that the process would be daunting, but thanks to regular check-ins and tech-savvy partners, the crew kept the project on time and on budget, even when surprise issues like termite damage came up. Since he was often traveling for work, his Sweeten contractors instituted regular check-ins and created a DropBox to share images of the progress with Austin, right down to snapshots of the inside of his insulated floors.

Thank you, Austin, for this tour of your beautiful new Williamsburg condo!

Bedroom and Living Room Selects >> floor: DuChateau hardwood, vernal white oiled sold at most hardwood retailers / paint: Benjamin Moore

Kitchen Selects >> cabinets: custom wood / tile backsplash: Home Depot / countertop: Garden State Soapstone / bar height table: Room and Board (custom) / barstools and pendant light: CB2 / appliances: Appliances Connection

Bathroom Selects >> floor tile: hexagonal mosaic white marble tile / wall tiles: OVERSTOCK / vanity: Home Depot / sink: ModernBathroom.com / shower fixtures: GROHE / toilet: American Standard / light fixture: CB2 / Washer and dryer: LG

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Sweeten handpicks contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your project on Sweeten.

The post Before & After: Austin’s Williamsburg Co-op Renovation — Sweetened! appeared first on Sweeten.