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At Sweeten, the experts in our network are experienced contractors and design pros we’d be thrilled to have working in our own homes. We check their licenses, insurance, quality of work, and customer service skills. Trust and open communication are the lifeblood of our free renovation service, and our personal connection to our experts enables us to match you to the best choices for your project. Here, get to know their personalities and click to view their portfolio, including photos from past work and client reviews, so that you can hire the right team and renovate with confidence.

Check out Megan and David’s portfolio here

Where are you from and how long have you been in construction + architecture?

Megan: I was born in Easton, Maryland. I grew up there and moved to Newark, Delaware when I was 10.  I’ve been in the field of architecture and design since 2004.

David: Originally from Wilmington, Delaware. I have been involved in the construction industry in some form since 1986.

How did you get into the industry?

Megan: I started my career as an interior designer, but always worked for architects in a role that more closely resembled an interior architect rather than a designer or decorator. During the recession, I was lucky enough to retain my job but shifted studios within the large firm I was working for and made the decision to pursue my architectural license. Dave put up with me during a year of maniacal studying while working full time and taking those exams to get the license.

David:  I started life in finance. I worked for a large financial company for over 12 years. At the same time, I had a side life in construction. I soon learned that I enjoyed seeing things get built rather than just moving numbers around. I made a bold decision to change my life to do something that challenges me every day in a way that I can enjoy.

What do you love most about what you do?

Megan and David: Transforming old run-down spaces into beautiful places that people can enjoy with their families. We really enjoy going into different buildings throughout the city that we’ve never been in to get a different taste of the city.

What is the biggest challenge about renovating in New York?

Megan: Designing spaces that maximize the layout and function for our clients while still meeting the (sometimes seemingly ridiculous) NYC Building Code restrictions.

David: Constraints: limited timeframes, limited building hours, unhappy neighbors, logistics for material deliveries, logistics moving crew to projects.

If clients have questions or concerns, how would you like them to address them?

Megan and David: We highly value communication and feel it is the most important part of the process. We want clients to bring their questions or concerns to us as soon as possible so that we can address them as quickly as possible. We use web-based software to manage projects and clients can post their questions/comments with pictures and our team can address them, but email and phone calls also work. However, please don’t text us at 3:00am—we have lives and families too.

What do you want all of your clients to know before you work with them?

Megan: We’re going to encounter hiccups. That’s nearly a given. You’re hiring our team to navigate those hiccups in the least painful way possible so that you can continue to enjoy your life while we deal with the challenges.

David: As with many things in life, you often get what you pay for. We are not the least expensive option in the city, but if you want good quality work from a full-service team that will commit to your project and give you a great experience, we’re worth every penny.

What is your favorite New York City building? 

Megan: Oddly and not for architectural reasons, the Time Warner Center at Columbus.
David: Grand Central Station.

What is your favorite New York City neighborhood?

Megan: The West Village.
David: The Financial District.

What is your favorite New York City restaurant?

Megan and David: El Centro–before having a family, we used to go twice a week. Amazing margaritas and no-frills Mexican!

Take a look at some of Megan and David’s renovations below and check out their portfolio for more photos of past work.

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Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

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

The post Meet NY Sweeten General Contractors Megan and David appeared first on Sweeten.

For a dozen years, Tara and Mike lived in a tiny studio apartment on the Upper West Side. A move uptown, to the Grand Concourse Historic District of the Bronx, landed them in a much larger home in a 1930s co-op building. In 2015, they moved in and up against no deadlines to renovate, carefully thought through the changes they wanted to make and assembled photos and information that a contractor could use to bring their visions to life. Read on for the full story of how they gutted two full baths, enlarged closets (one of which now fits three bikes!), and lived to tell the tale of not one, but two, plumbing disasters.

Guest post by Bronx homeowner Tara

We purchased this apartment a few years ago, after living in a 250-square-foot apartment on the West Side for about 12 years. Going from a studio apartment to a 3-bed, 2-bath was a big leap. The kitchen had already been renovated by the previous owners, so we only had to deal with the outdated bathrooms. Leaky toilets, hot water surges, and ugly yellow tile were just a few of the things we needed to remedy.

We took our time in the beginning, even before posting our project to Sweeten, to lay out exactly what we wanted room by room. We had a document with photos ready to hand to any contractor who we contacted. This made it easy for us and the contractor to make sure we were all on the same page from the start. We were also never in a rush to start the work. We started looking for a contractor at least four months before we were even ready to think about putting any money down. This gave us the luxury of taking our time to choose the firm that was right for us.

(Before) Master bath
(Above) Master bath

We ended up going with this Sweeten design-build firm. We wanted a design-build firm from the start so that someone would take charge of sourcing and delivery of all the various components of our job. Our budget included line items for everything we could possibly need, and we were free to select the fixtures that fit within the budget. When something we wanted was out of range, we either decided to find an alternative or paid the difference upfront. We also needed someone who could handle all of the Department of Buildings permits, as well as our co-op’s application process.

We had a specific vision for this renovation. We planned to gut the bathrooms and add ceiling fans in all of the bedrooms and living room, new radiator covers in the bedrooms, and lighting and doors throughout. The bathroom in the master was very narrow, and we wanted to move the tub out of the guest bath and into the master. Moving the location of the tub, and expanding the bathroom by about two feet, solved the narrowness issue.

(During) Master bath ceiling reveals a waste line wrapped in duct tapeWe really were excited to pick out all the new fixtures and tiles for the bathrooms. Our contractor offered several options within our budget. We wanted to see and touch the cabinets and faucets before committing to them. Our thinking was if we’re going to be living with these things for years to come, we needed to like how they felt, and more importantly, wanted to see the quality.

We visited several showrooms in the NYC area to see the Kohler line of cabinets and the Brizo faucets that we ultimately chose. We liked the Fantini sink faucet and shape of the handles for the guest bath; it also matched the black finish of the Brizo line used in the shower. To keep the ordering simple, we used the same family of fixtures and cabinets in both bathrooms, with different finishes for each.

We chose a fun feature as an accent in the shower: a round tile in shades of white, blue, and green from a company called Clayhaus in Oregon. Our biggest challenge was timing the special order and delivery around the completion of the first bathroom. The tiles took about six weeks to fabricate, and we ended up being about two weeks off. Luckily, the crew had other projects around our apartment to complete while waiting for the tile to arrive.

(Before) Guest bath
(After) Guest bath

When our master bath ceiling was opened up during demolition, the contractor found that the waste line from the toilet above had been wrapped in duct tape during a prior renovation. We immediately reported this to building management, who arranged to have the pipe replaced. Their plumber worked with our contractor to gain access, and within a day the situation was resolved.

Enlarging the master bath with extra square footage resulted in an added benefit, giving us space in our bedroom to accommodate a large dresser next to the newly combined closets.
In the guest room, we widened the closet to make it suitable for bike storage. We can now get three bikes in there with room for other gear along the sides and floor.

(Before) Master bedroom closets

During the renovation, we had no options for moving off-site, but having a contractor who understood our needs, and the fact that we would be living on site the entire time, made the process bearable. The first few weeks of disruption were the hardest, but we settled into a routine and focused on the outcome. And because we were dealing with two bathrooms, we could only start the second one when the first was completed.

While our own renovation went smoothly, with all pipes and fittings replaced and brought up to code, it was an external problem that delayed the final weeks of work. Nearing what would have been the end of the project, we came home to water pouring down from a bathtub located in the apartment two floors above us. An older pipe leading from the tub drain had eroded completely and detached from the waste line. Bath water had been spilling down for hours while we were at work. Our crew was not on site that day, and the unit above ours was vacant. With no one to report the leak, it was ours to deal with.

That was the most devastating moment because we were so close to completion but now had to deal with the clean-up and dry-out of brand new walls and flooring. We put in a claim with our insurance carrier to cover the cost of the repairs, and wanted our team to do the work, since they were still on site, knew our building and our home. We could trust them to work unsupervised. They were willing to stick around and do this repair, but it was at least three months and multiple visits by an insurance adjuster before we could agree on a scope of work and monetary settlement. Luckily, both bathrooms were still usable and we made sure there was no mold growing between the walls. When all was said and done, both spaces were finished about ten months after the start date.

Prior to the start of the renovation, our biggest question was whether we would be able to find a reliable contractor. We would be trusting them with our home, our valuables, and our dog, for several months, day in and day out, while we were at work. We wondered if they would do the best job they were capable of, or would they cut corners? Would they stand by their work?

I’m happy to say that they went above and beyond our expectations, standing by us when we had a major leak that damaged a significant portion of their work. They also took excellent care of our home. Sweeten was a great resource, and knowing that they were there to assist us was valuable when going into a major renovation. I don’t think we would have had as easy of a time finding a solid and reliable contractor if we had not used Sweeten from the start.

Thanks, Tara and Mike, for sharing your renovation story! 

MASTER BATH RESOURCES: Basketweave floor tile; gray subway wall tile: Classic Tile. Assorted Circle accent tiles: Clayhaus. Jason Wu shower/bath fixtures: Brizo. Jute sink/vanity: Appliances Connection. Verdera medicine cabinet: Appliances Connection. Toilet: Appliances Connection.

GUEST BATH RESOURCES: Basketweave floor tile; white subway wall tile: Classic Tile. Assorted Circle accent tiles: Clayhaus. Jason Wu shower/bath fixtures: Brizo.  Verdera medicine cabinet: Appliances Connection. Sink/vanity: Fantini. Toilet: Appliances Connection.

OTHER RESOURCES: Interior Doors: Dykes Lumber. Haiku ceiling fans: Big Ass Fans.

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What’s the difference between design-build firms and build-only firms? Read all about design-build firms, which combine design and construction under one roof, in our guide.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

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

The post Two New Baths Top Off a Remodel Odyssey appeared first on Sweeten.

(Above) Sweeten homeowners Erica and Joshua worked with a design-build firm

What is design-build?

Design-build firms are a growing segment of the construction landscape. As the name suggests, the firm takes care of the design as well as the construction phase of a project. Historically, the process involved homeowners working with a designer or an architect before taking those plans over to a general contractor to execute the vision. Now, those specialties exist under one roof. Sweeten explains the role of these remodeling professionals.

About 15 percent of members in the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) are now design-build firms, said Steve Mickley, the executive director of the organization, which is made up of designers, builders, and architects. 

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

What renovation professional do you need?

It’s important to note that not all projects will require a designer or architect. For example, the National Kitchen & Bath Association found that only 22 percent of homeowners renovating a kitchen or bathroom enlisted professional design help. Instead, many chose to work closely with an experienced general contractor on their design to bring down the budget. However, if the scope of your project involves structural changes like moving load-bearing walls or shifting plumbing or gas lines, you will at least need an architect or engineer to approve your renovation plans. Bringing in design help is also a good option if you want to pay careful attention to planning and visual details.

The many forms of design-build

There’s no clear-cut definition as to what a design-build firm is and who is in their employ. Usually, a firm will either be more design-forward, primarily led by an architect or a designer, or construction-forward with a general contractor taking the reins. Of course, some firms can be an even balance of both.

Whatever the scenario of the firm and your project, “the best approach is to interview as many people as it takes to find someone you feel comfortable with,” advised Mickley. That could mean going with a design-build firm or handpicking a designer and a general contractor. This more traditional method is called design, bid, and build, or DBB. It is where the designer or architect is hired separately from the general contractor. 

What can a design-build do?

“One-stop” shop

Design-build firms operate as a “one-stop shop” for home construction, said Mickley. This means homeowners only need to explain their vision to one person who then communicates it to the single design-build team. This is also the case throughout the project. If a change needs to be made, no need to discuss it with your designer or architect and then communicate it to your general contractor.

With a design-build firm, you should have one point person throughout the entire length of your project who is accountable for the timeline, the budget, and delivering what the homeowner wants. “The same person who has the vision has the responsibility to make that happen,” said Mickley.

Project management help

Some homeowners want to closely oversee their renovations. Others don’t. For the latter group, a design-build firm might be a good fit. Rather than the homeowner overseeing the two moving parts of the design and construction phase, a design-build firm watches over both.

If you want a little help with managing a project but aren’t sure you want a design-build firm to take care of the whole thing, some designers or architects may offer a service to help oversee the job. “This is where the designer or architect makes periodic site visits to make sure the general contractor is doing everything to the specifications,” said Mickley.

Guaranteed synergy

There’s always a risk of a personality clash when you pair two humans together. That includes your choice of designer or architect and general contractor. They could work together seamlessly, or they could not. Working with a design-build firm basically eliminates that risk. The design half and construction half would have worked together on many projects and likely created a firm together based on their positive collaboration. “Depending on the project, you could be working with them for six to 12 months, so it’s best to choose wisely,” said Mickley.

A faster project

Of course, things can go wrong with any project and slow the timeline down, including one managed by a design-build firm. However, this type of firm will likely complete a job at a faster pace. A study commissioned by the DBIA found that commercial projects using design-build firms finished about 33 percent faster than those that used the traditional design, bid, and build process.

There’s reason to think residential projects could also move faster with a design-build firm. That’s because there is likely an overlap between the design and construction phase rather than a lull in momentum when the design phase ends and a general contractor takes up the build phase.

Changes you make along the way could also be done faster, according to Gary, who heads up a Sweeten-vetted design-build firm. Often with the traditional design, bid, and build workflow, a change to your project will require some back and forth between architect and general contractor to see what’s possible and what the best way forward is. This could hold the project up for weeks or more. With a design-build firm, you have your architect and builder already working together and abreast of the project. “Pretty much within a couple of days we can have everything sorted out,” said Gary.

Less expensive (maybe)

Given that design-build is slowly gaining momentum in the residential market, the data isn’t yet available to know what workflow method is easier on the pocketbook. In commercial construction, DBIA found that projects with this category of professionals came in at six percent cheaper when compared with similar jobs using the design, bid, and build workflow.

Why you might only need a general contractor

Less control

A positive to one person may be a negative to another. As we mentioned above, a design-build firm generally means less control for the homeowner, which is great if that’s what you want. However, if you know you want to be hands-on with your construction project, take that into consideration when choosing between design-build or the typical design, bid, and build.

Less choice

Again, this can be a pro or a con. It’s definitely a con if you have your heart set on an architect and a general contractor who are not part of the same firm. One thing Mickley advised when considering a design-build firm is to ensure it can produce quality designs. “Some design-build firms call themselves that, but they really don’t possess the design portion,” he said. “They just subcontract that out.”

More objective solutions

Having the eyes of a separate general contractor and architect could mean more objective observations about how your project is progressing. It could also mean more ideas. If there’s a problem in need of a solution, you have your architect or designer as well as your general contractor to brainstorm with.

Regardless of which way you ultimately lean on your construction and design, selecting who you work with is a crucial decision. “Once you’ve made that decision, you have to give them your full trust,” said Gary.

When you’re ready to get started on your home remodel, work with Sweeten to renovate with the best contractors and design-build firms.

A note on fixture and appliance deliveries: If you’re on a tight timeline, Appliances Connection has over 50,000 items in stock and ready to ship nationally. If you’re in the NY/NJ metro area, in-stock items typically deliver within 2-3 days.

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

Popular questions asked

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