Monthly Archives: March 2010

Square foot costs – new construction vs remodeling

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We had an inquiry recently:

“As a homeowner trying to make some very important decisions about what to do with our housing situation, we just feel so lost and overwhelmed at the same time. Many of our decisions have to do with costs and what we can afford.

We are considering a remodel of our house, but, we are also looking into the possibility of building a new house. Is there a difference in the cost (per sq/ft) between the two options?”

Our answer:

“This is a seemingly straightforward question, but unfortunately, the answer is not so straightforward. In remodeling versus new construction, a sq.ft. to sq.ft. comparison doesn’t really work and there are numerous reasons for this. When we have clients faced with similar situations, we work with them to determine what is best for them.

In a remodel for instance, some areas will have higher costs since they will be more affected, while some areas have lesser costs. And there’s the axiom that kitchens cost more than bedrooms. So a square foot price for a remodel will have different values for different work, depending on what is being remodeled.

Sometimes with an existing property, it may be best to have some remodeling and then an addition or two. If there’s an addition involved, that’s another pricing.

The size of the addition or remodel will affect its price too, as there is an economy of scale — more work costs less per square foot. The quality of the finishes will also affect the price — for example, granite costs more than plastic laminate, clear fir trim costs more than painted trim, etc.

When building new, a new house, sometimes one can not build on the same “footprint” as the old structure because zoning laws have changed and now they will get less space than what they expected, or they will have to set back further from the view or property line. Or perhaps it’s an environmentally sensitive area and new construction is limited.

There are many things that affect such decisions, whether to build new or remodel, and many things that affect the overall cost. A simple square foot price where one size fits all can be quite misleading.”

Living Small by Intention

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I work with a lot of clients that subscribe to the belief that bigger isn’t necessarily better. As a believer in this myself, it’s been a privilege to be featured in several of the “Not So Big” series of books by Sarah Susanka. I’ve recently had a client who exemplified this concept and I wanted to share their story with you.

Laura and Brian B. found us through the “Not So Big” website (www.sarahsusanka.com). They have a modest little mid-century rambler in what’s become a very exclusive neighbourhood just outside Seattle: Clyde Hill, which happens to be the same small neighbourhood that Bill Gates lives in. Laura and Brian’s house is in an older, more modest section of Clyde Hill; nonetheless, many of these little old homes are being torn down and replaced with McMansions at an alarming rate, much to the chagrin of neighbours who choose to remain (in their original homes).

The city of Clyde Hill has been trying to find ways to dissuade these pumped-up houses from maximizing their footprint and size on these lots, so when we applied for a variance to add a very small addition to this very small existing one-story house, we were met with huge resistance. Laura and I both engaged with the city agents to assure them that our intention was to keep this house small-even espousing the Not-So-Big philosophy; and were able to persuade the city to grant our setback variance to build this 300sf addition, which enabled a remodel that vastly improved the livability of this still-small home.
http://www.ctabuilds.com/notsobigattitude.html

As a result, Laura & Brian are thrilled with their Not-So-Big home, and the City of Clyde Hill has ear-marked this project as a reference to illustrate the benefits of planning and building modestly but carefully considered!

Thank you, Sarah Susanka, for espousing your philosophies nation-wide! We all benefit in many valuable ways.

Julie Campbell AIA, LEED GA

Lead Safe Practices and The Certified Renovator

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“What is a Certified Renovator and why is it important?”

New EPA regulations come into effect April 22nd, regarding how we test and treat lead in your home. The new regulations have strict guidelines for homeowner safety and education along with training for trades people.

Buzz Tenenbom, AIA, is the registered Certified Renovator in our office and is the one responsible for training staff, both on-site and in the office. Not only is there a staff member in our firm that is up to date on the training, the paperwork required for homes with lead present (pre-1978 construction), is more in depth and really focused on homeowner education.

All licensed contractors are required to follow these new EPA regulations and become certified so it’s important if you’re in a pre-1978 home (when lead paint was legal) that when you choose a contractor, you make sure they’ve been certified. Certification provides the homeowner with a peace of mind that all practices and procedures within their home are taken and the utmost care is given when dealing with this toxic substance.

Unfortunately, if a contractor isn’t licensed, they’re likely not participating in these new EPA regulations. It is always important to use a licensed contractor, this is another reason to add to that list.

Lead just isn’t something that’s a paint additive in older homes, it’s a toxin that can easily be inhaled during the construction process and is especially dangerous to children and pregnant women. It’s important for homeowners to make sure that they’re educated and know that the precautions being taken in their home are the right ones. All Certified Renovators test for lead and use appropriate safe practices, as required by law.