Mason,

I have a small (1400 sf) old Cape. There is a wall with a double-door opening that separates the living room from a small sunroom. Around the corner from that, there is a tiny bathroom and corridor that separates that sunroom from the kitchen. I'd really like to remove the wall and the bathroom and open the whole space up. My question is, what are the factors that need to be considered to do this and keep my house from falling down? I hear the term "load bearing wall" and don't really know how to tell. And, what if it is? Can I still open up the space? 

This clearly is a job for a pro

Mason:

What are the three best questions that a homeowner can ask when trying to choose a design/build firm and why?

Evan

 

Evan,

I appreciate your question... naturally, finding a good "fit" between yourself and a building / remodeling partner is the first and most important key to a successful project experience.

Take a look back at my archived post "On Selecting a Contractor" (August 2007).  There, we talk about achieving a level of comfort with the prospective contractor, his reputation, people and processes.  All of this applies regardless of any particular delivery system.

The search for a

Dear Readers:

Greetings from your chief blogger that, nine months ago, had no idea how these things work!

Our web developer has given us some analytics for our site, indicating that AskMason is the #1 most-visited section of our website; in excess of 1,000 views a month. Promotion has been mostly “word of mouth” and via the typically-available search tools (word-of-mouth for the 21st century).

I know that EVERYONE has questions about caring-for or improving their home. When I talk to my friends and acquaintances about posting those to the site, the overwhelming response is “Oh, I wouldn’t want

Surfing the remodeling industry blogosphere, I found this thought-provoking post on Remodeling Magazine’s website blog.

The topic is certainly of interest to remodelers and prospective remodeling homeowners alike, so I thought I’d share it with you, Dear Readers.  My short answer to the question (THAT is out of character for me!), is that HGTV and the like have been both wonderful (spurring interest) and horrible (let’s just say that many of us refer to it as “remodeling pornography”) for our industry.  Read on….

Mason

Can I put hardwood floors in my kitchen and entryway for $1,000? And get new

Mason:

Could HomeMasons advise me on saving money in remodeling by reusing existing components of my house like doors, cabinets and the like? It would be helpful if you could tell me where reuse of my existing materials would save money and where it would not be advisable.

Could you also give advise on how to incorporate "green" energy saving and "sustainable" components in my remodeling project?

Thanks.
PB in Richmond

PB:

“Green” remodeling has little to do with your color selections (although I do believe that 60's Avocado is coming back!). Remodeling, a form of recycling, is inherently “green”.