The post Interior Designer Tips by Joy Moyler Interiors: Trends and Budget appeared first on Sweeten.

Emily Henderson, TV host and namesake behind the Style By Emily Henderson blog, and Sweeten’s founder, Jean Brownhill, have a conversation on making your best home through remodeling and design. Read some of Emily’s “aha!” interior design tricks and insight below.

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and secure payments—for free.

Jean: Emily, what are your interior design tips to get more space or maximize small spaces?

Emily:

Multi-functional furniture

Think double-duty, for sure—ottomans with storage, sideboards that have cabinets. When you’re looking for furniture, think, “could this also have another function, a storage function?” That definitely helps.

In a smaller space, having less furniture will help you. It’s easy to be like,  “Well, this is a small sofa and then I have this small chair and this small chair…” and sometimes all of that will actually end up making the room look smaller because it’s busier. Think about bringing as little contrast as possible if you’re trying to make a room feel and look bigger.

Avoid a focal wall

Sometimes the desire is to have a focal wall, which I totally get. But it does chop up the space. It makes your eye feel like the space is smaller when it’s chopped up. We have an accent wall rule, and we’ve blogged about it before…essentially, if it’s a niche, if it’s a dedicated space that architecturally is addressed differently, then that’s a great opportunity for an accent wall. But if you have four walls in a room, don’t just paint one a different color—it just kind of chops up the space.

(Above) Sweeten homeowners hired designer Julia Oddo for their studio apartment renovation

Jean: When and who should be hiring a designer?

Emily:

Lack of time and experience

If you’re doing a pretty big renovation, whether it’s a whole house or even just doing your kitchen, and you truly don’t have the time, the desire, or experience, it’s a good idea to think about hiring an interior designer strictly because you’re going to make mistakes. Even we make mistakes all the time. It’s a luxury service, but I would say if you don’t have the time to really do the research to figure out how you want it to look and have the experience, then an interior designer will benefit you.

Design on the next level

Hiring an interior designer will take your house to the next level. You’ll probably get more custom pieces. It’ll look more unique than if you bought all from different big box stores, but you don’t have to do it. You truly don’t.

The internet has made an average homeowner able to buy a great sofa. And because of Pinterest and Instagram, people can really do it themselves. Again, you’re still going to probably make some mistakes, but that’s okay. Whereas I think 30, 40 years ago, they didn’t have the resources. We didn’t have the stores.

Jean: You always talk about how you want your house to feel. Interior designers don’t just create a vibe. They deal with the elements of the actual things that you feel and touch, like the sofas and pillows.

Emily: Yeah, and that’s my favorite stuff for sure. It’s the layering that makes it feel like a unique home.

Jean: How do we save time and money designing a home?

Emily:

Do the preliminary work

If you’re working with an interior designer, and you have a pretty clear vision, that saves them a lot of guessing, a lot of back and forth. If you have a sofa you love, show it to them, because they’re going to source 10 different sofas to show to you and that takes time. An interior designer’s costs for their time is usually on an hourly basis. So I think the more work you can do upfront, the better.

Spend on “wow” pieces

I have a different philosophy on where to splurge and save than everybody I know. These days there are very good sofas out there that are not that expensive that will also last for years. I feel like you should splurge on the conversation pieces like that amazing rug that nobody else has or a really great piece of art that will create a conversation. They’re the pieces you typically see that are vintage or custom, where you’re like, “Oh my God, I need…” That is going to just shift everything in the room and elevate everything.

Jean: Can you tell us what to do with blank or boring walls?

Emily:

Personality for each wall

There’s a lot of awesome DIY artwork out there right now. I do have a rule about decorating your walls. When designing a room, address every wall differently with a different style. One wall might be a gallery wall, one might be a mirror, one might be a diptych, and one might be a sculpture. Whether it’s a gallery, big single art piece or diptych, grid, sculpture, or mirror, those are the five go-to’s that we use to address all walls.

(Above) Sweeten homeowner’s dining area and gallery wall

Art is the key

So if you’re looking around and you’re like, “Oh, I have one small piece on that, one small piece on that wall,” that might be something that you could change pretty easily that would make your house feel more styled, more pulled together. Also, art is the number one way to make your house feel like a unique, personalized space for sure.

Thank you, Emily, for sharing your expert interior design tips with our readers! 

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

—

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 Q&A With Emily Henderson: Interior Design Tips on Small Spaces, Blank Walls appeared first on Sweeten.

Click here to watch the video

Daria and Deanna had lived in the Sutton Place neighborhood in Manhattan for seven years before they purchased their 700-square-foot apartment. Seeing the potential for much better layout, they reached out to Sweeten to pair them with a general contractor to take on their full gut renovation. The end result? A two-bedroom home, infused with chic grandmillenial home design; now with a modernized kitchen, a second bedroom, and a walk-in closet with a work desk.

Daria: (00:10)

Hi, I’m Daria.

Deanna: (00:11)

And I’m Deanna.

Daria: (00:12)

Welcome to our home in Midtown East. We’d like to walk you through our home renovation project. We’ve been living in Sutton Place for the last seven years and knew this is where we wanted to stay. It’s close to our office, close to the heart of the city. Yet the further east you go, it provides a quiet suburban-like atmosphere that we were after.

Deanna: (00:27)

When we first saw this apartment online. We saw that it had been sitting on the market for over a year and that was due to the fact that the layout was like a jigsaw puzzle, and that it hadn’t been touched since the ’80s. However, we both saw long-term potential in the fact that we could turn this into a two-bedroom. So, fast forward two years later, we did a gut renovation and today we have a comfortable two-bedroom apartment. The master being 12′ x 14′, the second bedroom being 9′ x 11′. We have a 7′ x 10′ walk-in closet, and we have a bathroom that has a 20-square-foot walk-in shower. In total, the apartment’s about 700 square feet. And surprisingly, we have a lot of storage and a decent-sized kitchen that has a wraparound counter and a wine rack.

Deanna: (01:29)

Our favorite part of the apartment is our dining room doors. If we had got them custom made, they would have been a few thousand dollars. However, we got doors from Lowe’s, had someone make the ‘X’ designs, and had our contractor assemble them for a fraction of the cost.

Daria: (01:47)

Since we were doing a gut renovation, we knew we had the freedom to do what we wanted in the kitchen. What was really important to us was that we had full-size appliances and a great space to cook and entertain, which we love doing. We kept the colors pretty neutral here, but knew that we needed a pop of color, which is what drew us to this backslash, which is true to our style.

Deanna: (02:10)

Initially, to keep costs down, we were going to keep the wood floor that was in the apartment. But when we started demolition, we quickly realized that wasn’t a possibility. It was a thin wood veneer and it started to warp. My sister and I decided that we would put hardwood flooring down because it’s practical, it’s easy to clean, and it’s great for resale value.

Deanna: (02:32)

The original footprint of this bathroom was extended and we decided to keep it in order to accommodate a 20-square-foot walk-in shower. We put the handle on the opposite side of the shower heads so you don’t get wet walking in. And to keep costs down, we put subway tile on the wall. But to make it a little richer looking in here, we decided to do a marble floor.

Daria: (02:59)

Welcome to one of my favorite places in the apartment, our closet. After looking at numerous apartments, we realized that the master bedroom was always too large. The first thing we thought of was a giant walk-in closet, which is everyone’s dream in Manhattan.

Deanna: (03:12)

We took advantage of the 70-square-foot closet by putting a workspace, our shoes, our clothes, and even our jewelry. But the best part is, is that these units can easily be taken down so you can comfortably fit a daybed or even a couch.

Daria: (03:23)

We couldn’t be happier with the outcome of our apartment. We hope you enjoyed this tour and good luck on your renovation.

—

Sweeten’s founder + CEO answers whether wood floors are a good investment?

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 on Sweeten.

The post Video: A Full Gut Renovation with Grandmillenial Home Design appeared first on Sweeten.

Click here to watch the video

Jean: (00:00)

Imagine if you could turn your home sweet home into a space that you love. We get that renovations can be overwhelming. Things seem to quickly spiral out of your control. Sweeten is here to change that. We’ll match you with the best general contractors for your project, answer all of your questions, and make sure that everything runs smoothly until your renovation is completely done. Best of all, our service is absolutely free. Renovate fearlessly with Sweeten by your side and watch your dream space come to life. Start your project with sweeten.com today.

—

Sweeten founder and CEO weighs in on what to know before renovating a brownstone.

Want to know how Sweeten works? The service 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 on Sweeten.

The post Video: Jean Brownhill on How Sweeten Works for a Home Renovation appeared first on Sweeten.

Click here to WATCH VIDEO

When Mitzie and Jenifer bought their two-bedroom apartment in DUMBO, they knew that a full home renovation was needed before moving in. A designer, Mitzie immediately started sketching out design plans and reached out to Sweeten to find a general contractor who could bring those plans to life. In the home renovation tips below, Mitzie shares the couples’ bedroom and kitchen renovation inspiration, and their experience working with their Sweeten general contractor to improve the lighting in their new apartment. 

Mitzie: (00:05)

Welcome to our home. My name is Mitzie Wong. I live here with my partner Jenifer Harmon, who is a media executive. I’m a painter, designer, and co-founder of Roar + Rabbit.

Mitzie: (00:35)

We wanted to make the apartment feel very casual, yet luxurious. We had a budget in mind, so we were really careful about choosing the materials. We wanted it to feel very inviting and relaxing.

Photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten

Home Renovation Tip 1: A waterfall island brings living spaces together

Mitzie: (00:53)

When we saw the kitchen initially, it was very boxy. There were lots of angles, the cabinets were jutting out, the counters were short and narrow, so we wanted to make the place a lot more cohesive. We went for a bigger island, deeper with the cascading waterfall marble sides, so it would be a feature because it’s an open plan to the living room. And we unified everything by color. Being an open plan, it had to be a feature. We hid the freezer and the fridge behind the same colors as the cabinet to make it more unified.

We used the same hardware on the drawers and the doors to make it more cohesive, to give it a lighter and brighter space, and we obviously brought the counter forward to give it more a generous sense of space. Because everything was so new looking, I wanted to put in a handmade tile to just soften it up, to give it some texture and some depth.

Home Renovation Tip 2: Turn a plain wall into a colorful headboard

Mitzie: (01:58)

This is a fairly new building, it’s only 12 years old, so we wanted to give the apartment some character. As you’ll see, there’s a lot of build-outs and recesses and weird angles in each corner. I wanted to take the focal point away and make a feature wall. I used two-and-a-half-inch plywood beams and painted it to make an accent wall to give it layered depth. If you look slightly to the right, you’ll see the Manhattan bridge, and it’s a gray-blue, so that was part of the inspiration for the color. It’s a slightly off-color of the Manhattan bridge.

Home Renovation Tip 3: Streamline storage and lighting

Mitzie: (02:40)

We relied on our Sweeten contractor heavily on their expertise for lighting. They dropped the ceilings only two or three inches, and we were able to put in the recessed lighting in both the living room and the office, so we could maintain consistent lighting throughout the day and evening. When we were doing the initial renovation during the gutting stage, there was an additional six inches in the wall [of the master bathroom] that was revealed, so we were able to design together and build a bespoke cabinet.

—

Sweeten founder and CEO weighs in on what to know before renovating a brownstone.

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 on Sweeten.

The post Video: 3 Home Remodeling Tips for a 2-Bedroom Apartment appeared first on Sweeten.

Sweeten on the set! Founder Jean Brownhill stopped by the set of HGTV’s hit show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to lend her advice on licensed general contractors (and muscle!) for a deserving family’s renovation. Check out the behind-the-scenes footage of her visit. 

Planning a home makeover of your own? Sweeten handpicks the 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 on Sweeten.

Design Team Darren Keefe: (00:06)

Jean! Hey, how are you?

Jean: (00:07)

Hey, I’m great. How are you?

Design Team Darren Keefe: (00:08)

I wanted to introduce you to our builder, Dave.

Builder Dave: (00:10)

Hey, nice to meet you.

Jean: (00:11)

Hi Dave.

Design Team Darren Keefe: (00:11)

Jean’s with Sweeten.com, and she specializes in matching homeowners with renovation experts. And so she’s seen demos, renos, and all the kinds…(laughs).

Jean: (00:22)

Oh, yeah, we literally have seen everything.

Builder Dave: (00:22)

Yeah.

Design Team Darren Keefe: (00:23)

We’re really glad to have Jean from Sweeten here because we have this un-permitted breezeway that the Holtzclaw’s inherited. And she knows what it takes to solve these problems.

Design Team Darren Keefe: (00:33)

A lot of times that happens, you’ll buy a home and you think you can renovate something that’s been un-permitted and it’s like peeling back layers of a nightmare, right?

Jean: (00:40)

It’s like a Pandora’s box. So once you touch one thing, you know this?

Builder Dave: (00:45)

Yeah.

Jean: (00:45)

Everything has to be up to code.

Builder Dave: (00:46)

Yeah.

Jean: (00:46)

You can’t just fix the electrical. You have to fix the plumbing, you have to fix the structural, and the foundation. And I think that people think that like, “Oh, I don’t need to hire a licensed general contractor. You know, it’s too expensive or it’s too cumbersome.”

Builder Dave: (00:57)

Yeah.

Jean: (00:58)

But the reason why there is a license to be a general contractor is because you have people’s safety in mind. And this space is obviously not that.

Builder Dave: (01:06)

Absolutely.

Design Team Darren Keefe: (01:08)

So first thing that we need to do is strip all these walls. So we’re going to demo all these walls, get it down to studs.

Jean: (01:12)

Amazing.

Builder Dave: (01:12)

All right.

Design Team Darren Keefe: (01:13)

All right, You ready?

Jean: (01:13)

Yeah.

Builder Dave: (01:13)

What are we waiting for?

Design Team Darren Keefe: (01:14)

All right, I got a hammer for you. Swing away.

Design Team Darren Keefe: (01:20)

Nice.

—

Sweeten founder and CEO weighs in on what to know before renovating a brownstone.

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 Sweeten Founder Featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition appeared first on Sweeten.

First-time homeowners Sara and Mike have big plans for their Tudor in Bronxville, NY. We asked them to show us around. To tackle the renovation, the couple posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and chose a design-build firm. 

In the final two episodes,  we see how a formal Tudor transforms into a modern home inside. A kitchen has an open concept and is flanked by a baker’s pantry, mudroom, and powder room, while the gutted bathrooms upstairs reveal a fresh new look.

In case you missed it, click to see the “before” and “during” walkthroughs in Vol I and Vol II videos. For more, read Sara and Mike’s full renovation journey in their blog post.

Episode 7: Final reveal of the first floor

The kitchen and dining room are now combined.

Episode 8: Final reveal of the second floor

New looks for the Jack-and-Jill and master bathrooms.

READ MORE about Sara and Mike’s full reno story here

—
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 Construction Diaries: Sara + Mike – Vol. III appeared first on Sweeten.

First-time homeowners Sara and Mike have big plans for their Tudor in  Bronxville, NY. We asked the couple to share a “selfie” tour of their Sweeten project. To tackle the renovation, the couple posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and chose a design-build firm. 

In this set of videos, they take us to the second floor showing us their two bathrooms—a Jack-and-Jill and a master bath. We then get a peek at the in-progress stages of both floors.

In case you missed it, see Sara and Mike’s video introduction here. For more, read Sara and Mike’s full renovation journey in their blog post.

Episode 3: Before demolition of the second floor bathrooms

The bathrooms will be gut renovated.

Episode 4: During the renovation of the first floor

The walls begin coming down between the kitchen, DR and bedroom.

Episode 5: During the renovation of the second floor

Sara shows us the progress made on the second-floor bathrooms.

UP NEXT: Click below to watch Volume III. 

—

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 Construction Diaries: Sara + Mike – Vol. II appeared first on Sweeten.

First-time homeowners Sara and Mike have big plans for their Tudor in  Bronxville, NY. We asked the couple to share a “selfie” tour of their Sweeten project. To tackle the renovation, the couple posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and chose a design-build firm. 

Here, they tell us how they found their 1929 forever home and how Sweeten gave them the “curation factor” they needed to find the right general contractor.

For more, read Sara and Mike’s full renovation journey in their blog post.

Introduction: Sara + Mike tell us about their project

Episode 1: Before demolition of the first floor

In this first episode, they walk us through the plans for opening up the first floor of their Westchester Tudor, combining the kitchen and dining room and creating a new butler’s pantry, mudroom, and powder room. Let’s check it out BEFORE demolition begins! (Camerawork courtesy of Mike.) 

Episode 2: Before demolition of the second floor

Sara and Mike talk about plans for turning the second-floor hall closets into laundry space.

UP NEXT: Click below to watch Vol II 

—

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 Construction Diaries: Sara + Mike – Vol. I appeared first on Sweeten.

Sweeten’s Founder + CEO Answers Your Renovation Questions

Welcome to #15 in our series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance. 

Feel free to email me at JBrownhill@sweeten.com with any reno questions or dilemmas you’d like addressed.

QUESTION: Why should I move out during my renovation? 

JEAN: The answer is, because you love yourself, and you want to stay healthy. There are so many airborne particles in the air during a renovation, from paint to sometimes, asbestos. We highly recommend that people move out of the space when they’re gut renovating, although it’s not necessary for every project or to move out for the entire time.

If, for some reason, you can’t, whether it’s financial or otherwise, we suggest that you put some kind of vapor barrier between the space where you are living and where the renovation is happening. You want to make sure that you are healthy throughout your entire renovation. Think about it: while someone is demoing, they usually have a mask on and they also leave the property. You don’t want to be sleeping in a room filled with dust particles. We definitely suggest to at least move out of your space during the dusty demolition phase.

—

Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the fourteenth installment in this series, Q&A with Jean: Should I Take the Lowest Bid?

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 Q&A With Jean: Why Should I Move Out During My Renovation? appeared first on Sweeten.

Sweeten’s Founder + CEO Answers Your Renovation Questions

Welcome to #14 in our series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance. 

Feel free to email me at JBrownhill@sweeten.com with any reno questions or dilemmas you’d like addressed.

QUESTION: Should I take the lowest bid? 

JEAN: The short answer is no. To us, a bid that is significantly lower than all the rest you’ve received is a red flag. Usually, that means someone has missed something: maybe they didn’t look at the drawings or don’t really understand the project. If estimates are all within a certain percentage of each other, you like the person who bid the lowest, you communicate well, and you really love his or her style and craft—absolutely go with them. But just don’t hire your cousin’s nephew’s brother who says he can do it for half the price. We have been called to try to fix that kind of project many times—it often doesn’t work out well.

—

Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the thirteenth installment in this series, Q&A with Jean: What’s the Proper Etiquette With a Contractor? 

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 Q&A With Jean: Should I Take the Lowest Bid? appeared first on Sweeten.

Etiquette isn’t just for formal occasions! Read on for simple etiquette tips for working with your contractor.

Sweeten’s Founder + CEO Answers Your Renovation Questions

Welcome to #13 in our Renovation Question series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance.

This week, we’re tackling a question regarding etiquette for working with a general contractor and their crew. Luckily, with some small gestures and clear communication, you’ll set yourself up for success.

What is the proper etiquette when working with a general contractor?

JEAN: When a general contractor crew is working in your home, I think people wonder about things like “Do I offer them water?” or “Can I contact them during off-hours?” Obviously, it’s up to you. Just keep in mind that these folks are in your home for a long period of time. Anything you can do to maintain a professional relationship and make it a pleasant work environment is positive. We want people to be comfortable and to be as productive as possible.

Setting up a separate text thread using apps such as WhatsApp versus direct texting offers a specific place to discuss business that is not on personal time. If your contractor’s team will be in a hot apartment, it’s a nice gesture to have a refrigerator filled with water for them. Similarly, you can make bathroom arrangements for them. It doesn’t have to be yours, but you could make sure that there’s a bathroom in your building they can use.

After you’ve hired a Sweeten contractor, letting the other contractors know that you’ve moved forward with another firm and thanking them for their time is a courteous way to close the loop.

—

Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the twelfth installment in this series, Q&A With Jean: How Do I Document Change Orders?

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 Q&A With Jean: What’s the Proper Etiquette with a Contractor? appeared first on Sweeten.

Welcome to #12 in our series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance. 

Feel free to email us at team@sweeten.com with any reno questions or dilemmas you’d like addressed.

QUESTION: How do I document change orders? 

JEAN: Each general contractor has his or her own methodology when it comes to documenting change orders (changes that alter the original scope agreed and signed upon), but they should definitely be documented in some way. Change orders can be as simple as a contractor opening up a wall and discovering that pipes or electrical wires need to be replaced or updated before installing an appliance. Another common change order is when a renovator chooses materials that require special installation, such as a tile that has a complex pattern or is very small or large-format.

Documenting can be a quick snap of a photo with a written description and the cost; just make sure that changes are documented, understood, and approved on your end before they move forward. Have that conversation up front with your general contractor because inevitably (or I would say with most projects), there are at least one or two change orders.

—

Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the eleventh installment in this series, Q&A With Jean: How Many Contractor Bids Should I Get?

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 Q&A With Jean: How Do I Document Change Orders? appeared first on Sweeten.

Sweeten’s Founder + CEO Answers Your Renovation Questions

Welcome to #11 in our series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance. 

Feel free to email me at JBrownhill@sweeten.com with any reno questions or dilemmas you’d like addressed.

QUESTION: How many contractor bids should I get? 

JEAN: We find that three bids give you a really good sense of where the price range for your scope of work falls. You also get the chance to meet different personality types of general contractors so that you can find the best fit for the way you like to communicate and for your project.

—

Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the tenth installment in this series, Q&A with Jean: How much time should I spend selecting and ordering materials?

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 Q&A With Jean: How Many Contractor Bids Should I Get? appeared first on Sweeten.

Sweeten’s Founder + CEO Answers Your Renovation Questions

Welcome to #10 in our series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance. 

Feel free to email me at JBrownhill@sweeten.com with any reno questions or dilemmas you’d like addressed.

QUESTION: How much time should I set aside for selecting and ordering materials?

JEAN: The amount of time really depends on your selection process. When I go shopping, I like to be in and out of the store as soon as possible, but I have plenty of friends who spend a lot of time looking for the perfect pair of jeans. Start by considering how you shop in other areas of your life and how much time you like to spend researching and comparing prices.

In addition to choosing and deciding on materials on your own, it’s a good idea to communicate with your contractor on the product items you’re considering; different materials require different levels of labor. For example, a mosaic tile is harder to set and needs a much more skilled subcontractor than what a standard penny round tile would call for. To keep things running smoothly, it’s best to have everything ordered before the renovation begins. So, give yourself plenty of time to see what you like and keep your general contractor in the loop throughout the process.

If you have more questions on selecting and ordering materials, check out our blog posts on countertops and hardwood flooring.

—

Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the ninth installment in this series, Q&A with Jean: What is an alteration agreement?

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 Q&A with Jean: How Much Time Should I Spend Selecting and Ordering Materials? appeared first on Sweeten.

Sweeten’s Founder + CEO Answers Your Renovation Questions

Welcome to #9 in our series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance. 

Feel free to email me at JBrownhill@sweeten.com with any reno questions or dilemmas you’d like addressed.

QUESTION: What is an alteration agreement?

JEAN: If you live in a co-op or condo building in New York City, you’ll have an alteration agreement. In the document, your board lays out all of the rules and guidelines for renovating in your building to ensure there is minimum disruption to your neighbors while a renovation is in progress. This can include rules on the allowable work hours (to limit noise) and when the freight elevator will be open for deliveries or materials. When you’re buying, or if you’re thinking about renovating in a co-op or condo, you should read your alteration agreement immediately before talking to a general contractor; you’ll need to share those guidelines right from the start.

Another important piece of information usually found in the agreement is how much insurance your building requires. This amount is usually from $1 million to $3 million, which you’ll want to relay to any contractors you’re speaking with in order to make sure that they have that coverage in place before they even step foot inside your home. If you post your project on Sweeten and include this amount in your profile, Sweeten will make sure to only match you to contractors who can cover the requirement.

If you have more questions on the topic, check out our blog post Renovating? Here’s How to Navigate a Co-op Board.

—

Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the eighth installment in this series, Q&A with Jean: When should I start planning for my renovation?

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 Q&A with Jean: What Is an Alteration Agreement? appeared first on Sweeten.