Category: blog.sweeten.com

The post When Should You Start Ordering Materials?

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A few of our favorite projects in the neighborhood

On the northwest side of Brooklyn’s famous Prospect Park lies the family-friendly neighborhood Park Slope.

♥ Read the rest “Best of Brooklyn: Renovating in Park Slope”

The post Look for This Quality When Hiring a Contractor appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

♥ Read the rest “Look for This Quality When Hiring a Contractor”

Reno-ready properties brimming with potential

In New York City’s always competitive real estate market, fixer-uppers are the answer to finding the right location or space at the right price.

♥ Read the rest “Five Boroughs, 10 Fixer-Uppers on the Market”

A couple renovates for city living with a touch of Paris

Suburban life isn’t for everyone.

♥ Read the rest “From the Suburbs to a Manhattan Co-op”

What to know, from size and energy-efficiency to extra features

A wall-hung toilet in Sweeten homeowners Sonya and Aaron’s Brooklyn bathroom

While a toilet may not be the very first thing you think about when imagining your dream bathroom, it is definitely a decision that requires some thought.

♥ Read the rest “How to Choose the Right Toilet”

From basements to kitchens, see how homeowners renovated their suburban spaces

From the ease of labor to costs, there are a few differences between renovating in an urban environment versus more residential areas.

♥ Read the rest “Renovation Round-Up: Suburban Edition”

For its 100th birthday, two sisters give their family home a top-to-bottom refresh

In some ways, nothing has changed at the Jamaica, New York house that sisters Gayle, Merri, and their family have called home for 50 years.

♥ Read the rest “A Childhood House in Queens Grows Up”

Mother really does know best

Project: Replace fixtures and update a lackluster bathroom

Before: Amy moved to Kensington, a neighborhood in south Brooklyn, from Baltimore, Maryland after completing graduate school.

♥ Read the rest “A Mom (And Interior Designer!) Lends Her Expertise to a Bath Reno”

Get a head start researching your business space with these important elements

A playspace renovation in Union Square by Sweeten contractor Piotr

Getting started on commercial renovations can be both an exciting and overwhelming time.

♥ Read the rest “Commercial Construction: 5 Steps to Remodeling a Business Space”

Plus, one mother-daughter duo who tackled a reno together

Every renovator has (at least) one thing in common: they want to create a comfortable home for their family.

♥ Read the rest “Here’s to Moms Who Renovate—On Top Of Everything Else!”

Tara and Brian got a little creative to update their Park Slope home

Modernize.

♥ Read the rest “The Co-op That Walnut Built”

Clean lines and a simple design

Project: Update an old and crumbling bathroom

Before: Sharon and Laurence have lived in their Financial District apartment for 25 years.

♥ Read the rest “Large-Scale Tile Makes a Big-Time Impact”

Sweeten can help bid-level your contractors’ estimates

One key part of choosing a contractor for your renovation project is comparing estimates.

♥ Read the rest “How to Compare Bids for Your Remodel”

No home office?

♥ Read the rest “Making a Case for the Kitchen Desk”

An East Village fitness studio opens for renewed bodies and minds

Rowena Villanueva found the perfect East Village location and suddenly her dream of owning her own Pilates studio gained momentum.

♥ Read the rest “The Pilates Nook Gets to the Core”

“Rip-and-replace” kitchens save on cost and time, but maximize on style

Project: Maintain the flow and layout but increase storage in a kitchen

Before: After four years in their apartment in the Clinton Hill Co-ops Rita and Mark decided to renovate their kitchen (and bathroom).

♥ Read the rest “Two Boroughs, Two Kitchens, and Two New Looks”

The pros and cons of living through a renovation versus moving out

(Above) Sweeten homeowners Olivia and Greg decided to go: With two weeks before Olivia’s due date, the couple moved out to speed up the renovation work.

♥ Read the rest “To Stay or Go During a Home Renovation: The Pros and Cons”

Be open to the idea of unconcealed storage  

No matter how big your bathroom is, the first thought to reduce clutter would be to keep it all tucked away in drawers and cabinets.

♥ Read the rest “Get Shelved: Open Storage in Bathrooms”

Megan handles the design and David builds it

At Sweeten, the experts in our network are experienced contractors and design pros we’d be thrilled to have working in our own homes.

♥ Read the rest “Meet Sweeten General Contractors Megan and David”

A remodel brings major storage points and a new bath

Mimi’s new one-bed, one-bath apartment in Manhattan’s neighborhood of Gramercy checked off quite a few boxes.

♥ Read the rest “A Twenty-Something Grabs a Reno by the Reins”

California transplants undergo a bathroom renovation in a New York suburb

Project: Create a relaxing bathroom with Japanese-style elements

Before: Alice’s work as a geneticist brought her husband Derek, their son Acelen, and the family’s miniature poodle, Royal, to Pleasantville, NY all the way from California.

♥ Read the rest “A Wet-Room Designed for Relaxation”

Get inspiration for your own small cook space

Just because a kitchen is short on square footage, it doesn’t mean it has to lack in function, organization, or style.

♥ Read the rest “Why a Galley Kitchen Rules in Small Spaces”

A first-time renovator goes solo with a home to call her own

Sharing a one-bedroom, postwar condo in Manhattan’s iconic Flatiron neighborhood feels like as much of a rite of passage into adulthood as it does into New York City life.

♥ Read the rest “A Condo Homeowner Graduates in Manhattan”

From the integrated appliances to the marble backsplash, check out the show-stopping space

Project: Open up a galley kitchen to make it more functional and integrated with the rest of the home

Before: Sally, a writer, editor, and digital media executive, and Ross, a certified financial planner, bought their two-bedroom apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens five years ago.

♥ Read the rest “An Experienced Renovator Takes on Her Kitchen With Sweeten”

Mindful—and possibly low-cost—ways to bring a soothing vibe through renovation

(Above) Energy-efficient CT home renovation by Sweeten architect Elizabeth; Photo © AdvancedPhotographix.com

In the 21st century, an increased awareness around wellness has led renovators and contractors alike to seek ways to turn homes into healing spaces.

♥ Read the rest “How to Create a Healing Space at Home”

Sweeten renovators share their advice

No matter how much you prepare for a renovation, by ordering your materials ahead of time or nailing down your budget, you really can’t be ready for the unexpected issues that crop up.

♥ Read the rest “Things I Wish I’d Known, Vol. 3”

The residential entrance gets organized with a grand look

The board of directors of a Union Square residential building made the decision to update their lobby since the last remodel had been completed decades ago.

♥ Read the rest “A Union Square Lobby Rolls Out a New Greeting”

See how the renovators reimagined the 42-square-foot space

Project: Completely overhaul an old and worn-down bathroom
Before: After living in their Crown Heights, Brooklyn, apartment for about two years, and dealing with random leaks from the bathtub and falling tiles, Aaron and Sonya decided it was renovation time.

♥ Read the rest “Modernizing and Rearranging a Too-Small Bathroom”

A cost breakdown on materials, labor, and permits for your home remodel

(Above) Carol and Jon’s renovation in Jersey City, New Jersey by Sweeten contractor Tim

Nine million New Jerseyans live in the Garden State for the convenient commute to New York and Pennsylvania, and the option to live so close to the beach and urban areas.

♥ Read the rest “2019 Home Renovation Costs Per Square Foot in New Jersey”

It’s versatile, durable, and looks good too

In renovation and design, there’s always a “hot” material or finish that somehow seems to be on everyone’s Instagram—and in everyone’s home.

♥ Read the rest “A Material to Watch: Concrete”

A family remodels and finds the calm in their 1922 home

For Sandra and Nelson, raising their children was their priority.

♥ Read the rest “A Brooklyn House Brings the Sunshine In”

The space is unrecognizable!

♥ Read the rest “A Place for Everything in a Brooklyn Kitchen”

A cost breakdown on materials, labor, and permits for your home remodel

(Above) Bathroom remodel in Yardley, PA by Sweeten contractor Stephen.

♥ Read the rest “2019 Home Renovation Costs Per Square Foot in Philadelphia”

Wallpaper, yes.

♥ Read the rest “Real Examples of When and When Not to DIY”

Wallpaper, yes.

♥ Read the rest “Real Examples of When and When Not to DIY”

Decades after its last reno, a prewar condo takes on a new life

Finding the perfect apartment for one can be a challenge in New York City, let alone for a growing family that includes a 2.5-year-old, a 2-month-old, and pet, Maggie.

♥ Read the rest “Peeling Back The Layers In Park Slope”

Making design choices isn’t easy, but the end result is worth it

Project: Refresh a dark galley kitchen

Before: After renting an apartment in Forest Hills, Queens, the homeowner decided to purchase the place and officially make it her own.

♥ Read the rest “All the Right Decisions for a Galley Kitchen”

A cost breakdown on materials, labor, and permits for your home remodel

(Above) Home renovation in Ridgefield, CT by Sweeten architect Elizabeth.

♥ Read the rest “2019 Home Renovation Costs Per Square Foot in Fairfield County”

Making them safe for now and down the line

There’s no doubting the charm of old apartments and homes, but what most them are lacking is a quality very essential in build today: accessibility.

♥ Read the rest “Accessibility in Renovations: Bathroom Edition”

They’ve worked in construction for a total of 43 years!

♥ Read the rest “Meet Sweeten General Contractors Thomas and Mike”

A little demolition, a lot of strategic resurfacing

Nothing good could come of a crew of firefighters crashing down your door and barreling in to extinguish a roof fire.

♥ Read the rest “A Roof Blaze Fast-Tracks a Top-Floor Remodel”

A lack of color doesn’t mean a lack of style

Project: Overhaul a dated bathroom

Before: The homeowner’s bathroom was long due for a renovation.

♥ Read the rest “Neutral Bathrooms Make a Statement”

Making a stylish storage statement one shelf at a time

Upper cabinets have long been a mainstay in kitchen design and frankly, always will be.

♥ Read the rest “How Renovators Used Open Shelving in Their Kitchens”

A new layout reveals a design that is just right

When Ting and S.

♥ Read the rest “A Second Chance for a Manhattan Apartment”

Natural materials and calming colors create a relaxing vibe

Project: Create a sleek, storage-packed bathroom

Before: Chris and Lisa bought a two-bedroom apartment in Kew Gardens, Queens, because they needed more space for their family, including their daughter Mackenzie and their dog Porkchop.

♥ Read the rest “Renovators Return to Remodel Their Bathroom”

A cost breakdown on materials, labor, and permits for your home remodel

(Above) Kitchen renovation by Sweeten general contractors Nicole and Steve

Moving into a new house—or realizing your home hasn’t kept up with your lifestyle—can make renovation feel like a path to reinvention.

♥ Read the rest “2019 Home Renovation Costs Per Square Foot in Westchester County”

Impress your guests—and yourself—every time you walk in the door

Apartment owners understand that if you have a true entryway, no matter the size, it means you do what you can to make the most out of the space.

♥ Read the rest “7 Ways to Make the Most of a Small Entryway”

Our annual report on remodeling hotspots

Sweeten, a free service that matches renovators with general contractors, works on thousands of projects across the greater New York City area, New Jersey, and counties in Philadelphia and Connecticut.

♥ Read the rest “Sweeten’s Top Renovating Neighborhoods”

The renovation occurred in two phases

Looking for a “bring your architect” wreck, Jerry and Janet fell for a brownstone with a stately presence and a virtually unsalvageable interior. 

♥ Read the rest “A Historic Brownstone Wreck Set for Renters”

Within these homeowners’ larger reno projects, we highlight some interesting storage remodels

Project: Turn an awkward space into a functional pantry

Before: Sarah and her husband, Roy, decided after a year of living in their Fort Greene, Brooklyn, home it was time to make some improvements.

♥ Read the rest “Before and After: Storage Edition”

Real reno ideas for living small—and smart

Whether you’re downsizing from a larger home or taking your first foray into home ownership, buying a studio apartment typically means one thing: you’ll be living in a small space.

♥ Read the rest “How to Maximize Studio Apartments”

A remodel invigorates a tired layout for a Manhattan family

Laura and Randy almost walked away from the Upper East Side co-op that they would live in with their daughter, Morgan, but a second look changed their minds.

♥ Read the rest “A Diamond in the Rough Radiates”

Mixed metals and a pop of color create a contemporary feel

Project: Create a cohesive and minimalist kitchen

Before: After moving from an apartment in Kensington, Brooklyn, to a brownstone in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn, Aaron and his wife Christina, were ready to renovate their “new” kitchen.

♥ Read the rest “A Bright Brownstone Kitchen”

A cost breakdown on materials, labor, and permits for your home remodel

A good starting point to budget for a full-home remodel in NYC ranges from $100 to $200 per square foot (psf), according to general contractors from Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors.

♥ Read the rest “Budget Basics: 2019 Renovation Costs Per Square Foot in NYC”

Modern, minimal, traditional—and everything in between

We identified the patterns we expect to see in kitchen renovation and design in 2019.

♥ Read the rest “7 Real Renos Featuring Two-Tone Cabinets”

Water damage prompts a major remodel and a fresh beginning

This renovation story started out as an emergency: A Manhattan couple, who owned their home since the 1970s, received a call from their resident building manager while they were on vacation during the summer of 2016.

♥ Read the rest “A Central Park West Co-op Starts Anew”

Open shelves and ceiling-high cabinets leave room to enjoy the kitchen

Project: Make a kitchen better suited for entertaining and cooking
Before: Rob, a musician, purchased an apartment on the top floor of a Harlem brownstone six years ago.

♥ Read the rest “Finding Home in a Sunny Cook Space”

What you could spend on materials, labor, and permits for your bathroom remodel

With a steady flow of inspiring Pinterest boards and design blogs, it’s easy to reimagine how your dream bathroom can become your sanctuary.

♥ Read the rest “Budget Basics: 2019 Bath Renovation Costs in NYC”

How couples and families worked together to achieve a common goal

Anytime you take on a project with a loved one, be it a significant other, a friend, or a family member, there are bound to be a few ups and downs.

♥ Read the rest “Renovating With Love”