The Right Place

Q: I have a 1920–to-1940-era Chicago bungalow. What types of projects should I consider?

A: “First, upgrade the electric service if it hasn’t been touched,” said Anthony Tripp, owner of Tripp Builders. And consider a kitchen update because that’s probably where your family will spend the most time, and it also offers the biggest return on investment. If your plumbing system still runs on galvanized pipe and lead service, replace it with copper.

Q: What if my home is more than 100 years old?
A: Tripp said many homes that are old don’t have any insulation, so put that at the top of your to-do list. If you have a forced-air furnace or hot-water boilers, consider upgrading the HVAC system too.

Q: What can I do to update the exterior of my home?
A: “Porch rehabs are big right now,” said Mike Lynch, owner of Handico Inc. “You pay as much for a porch as you would a BMW, but people don’t understand they require maintenance too, like staining and repainting.” For a worst-case repair, you could spend $15,000 to $20,000; more commonly they run in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.
Angie Hicks

By Angie Hicks
Special to the Sun-Times
Nelly Nespor recently purchased a 113-year-old Victorian house in Hyde Park that was originally built to house workers for Chicago’s World Fair. Making the 2,000-square-foot house livable by today’s standards, however, required a gut rehab. “Nothing has been done to it for 50 years,” said Nespor, who’s earmarked $150,000 to put in new heating, electrical and plumbing systems, update the kitchen, expand the bathrooms, and increase the height of the basement one full foot.

“The more we find out about remodeling, the more I’m surprised anyone ever does it more than once,” said Nespor, who’s hoping to have the project done in one chunk over the next few months. “I just want it to be over, but it’s like a ride — once you’re on it, you just have to go!” Sixty-one percent of Angie’s List members responding to a December poll are planning a project to update their home next year. Topping the list were kitchen and bath remodels, landscaping and general remodeling projects. While economists say the continued housing downturn will have a negative impact on the remodeling industry in 2008, Chicago area contractors disagree. “People are sticking in their homes longer because they don’t have a choice, so instead of moving they’re fixing the bathroom and updating the kitchen,” said Mike Lynch, owner of Handico Inc., which specializes in repairs and small construction projects. “Punch-list-type projects where people get the biggest bang for their buck are going to be huge.”

The remodeling standard is always the kitchen and bath because those two rooms offer the biggest return on investment. “People are still going with big kitchens, but the fixtures depend on who’s using it. If it’s a cook, they’re going for the higher-end appliances; if it’s for entertaining, they’re thinking more about layout,” said Anthony Tripp, owner of Tripp Builders. Basement remodels and window upgrades are also big.

“Most of the homes in Chicago are 40 to 60 years old, and the windows are starting to rattle and get loose. “They want to keep warm, but they’re also thinking of energy conservation,” Tripp said. Green remodeling has been slowly growing in the Midwest, and Chicago is starting to firmly catch on. Local contractors are starting to advertise green building practices, and Tripp said more and more of his customers are requesting environmentally friendly products, such as energy-efficient furnaces, fluorescent lighting, insulation made from recycled paper, paints that don’t leach chemicals and carpeting made from recycled plastic bottles.

“[Green] is the next big thing in remodeling,” Tripp predicted. Nearly one-third of respondents to a recent Angie’s List poll said they’ll seek out green building supplies to complete their projects.

John Peller and David Jablonowski of Buena Park made green practices a priority for the remodel of their severely dated 1980s kitchen. “We were really happy to see that green has trickled down to the remodeling conversation,” Peller said. “Of course, the greenest option would be not to do anything, but if our choice is to remodel we should do it as environmentally consciously as possible.” In place of the red clay ceramic tile floor, they are considering cork, bamboo, linoleum or locally sourced wood.

“The range of green flooring options is incredible — this ain’t your grandma’s linoleum,” Peller said. And while the countertop options are also unique — recycled paper and glass — they were twice the price of granite. “Sometimes green just doesn’t fit your budget,” said Peller, who is looking into an environmentally friendly disposal option for the old laminate countertop instead.

Tripp said homeowners should expect to pay 15 to 20 percent more for green products, depending on the project. “You pay for it more upfront and get the savings down the line for using energy-efficient products,” Tripp said. Peller and Jablonowski’s decision to go green will also guide their landscaping plans next year.

“We’re looking into native plants that won’t need a lot of water or maintenance — both because we don’t want to do a lot of work and it’s the right thing to do in terms of water conservation,” Peller said. They’ll also consider the budget. “If it turns out native plants are 10 times more expensive we may just have to go with what’s at Home Depot.” Luis Diaz, owner of Diaz Bros. Landscaping, said raised flower beds and hardscapes will also be popular requests in 2008.

“Most parkways have old trees with exposed roots, and in order to have planting soil, the bed has to be raised,” he said. Another perk to raised beds is that dogs tend to stay away from them. Diaz said that the abundance of different stones and pavers now available is fueling the increased request for hardscapes. “It’s very appealing to the eye because we use a ton of different stones, and it adds to the beauty of the house. I’ve already got several jobs lined up for it next year.” Peller said the project choices and products can be overwhelming.

“We have the luxury of spending too much time trying to decide, and that’s where things get difficult,” Nespor said. “It’s funny how much you second guess yourself!”

Angie Hicks is the founder of Angie’s List at www.angieslist.com.