Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven

Join my conversation with California architect Michele Grace Hottel as we discuss mistakes people make during their renovations- so that you can avoid them! About this week's guest: Michele Grace Hottel, Architect is a firm practicing Architecture, Interiors, and Visual Arts, specializing in Custom and multi-family Residential and smaller Commercial and Institutional projects since 1994. Prior to...

If you have an older home that is still lucky enough to have original windows, please consider restoring the windows before throwing them out and replacing them with modern windows. Why? Listen to this episode and Alison Hardy will explain it to you. This episode's guest: about Alison Hardy of Window Woman of New England : "Window Woman of New England was established in 2003 by Alison Hardy. The i...

What is a smart home? Should you consider the role of technology when you are planning a renovation to your home? I think so! You don't even have to wait until you are renovating, join the growing movement today. Jennifer Mallet is the CEO and founder of Level Up Your Home. Learn more about how they can improve your life at https://levelupyourhome.com Do you need a bit of design help? Check out my...

Are you looking for more living area in your house? If so, you may be thinking of renovating your attic space. Attics can be tricky due to code requirements for head height and local zoning regulations. This episode will help you think of all the variables that you will need to consider. Do you need a bit of design help? Check out my new Ask an Architect design help-line for an hour of advice on z...

Everyone is looking for extra space in their houses these days. Are you thinking of renovating your basement? As you plan your project, here are some tips for a smooth basement project. Do you need a bit of design help? Check out my new Ask an Architect design help-line for an hour of advice on zoom. www.askanarchitect.live Help me spread the word! Send a link to this show to 3 of your friends who...

For whatever reason, you might not want to hire a designer to work for you when planning your renovation. Someone has to do it, so get ready to do it yourself! Do you need a bit of design help? Check out my new Ask an Architect design help-line for an hour of advice on zoom. www.askanarchitect.live Help me spread the word! Send a link to this show to 3 of your friends who you think could use infor...

If you've never renovated your house before or been involved in a construction process, you probably don't know exactly where to start, who to hire or what to do. In this episode I share a conversation with a contractor about what he wants you to know. Should you expand your home or move? Should you live in your house during construction? Should you phase work if you don't have the cash to cover t...

What is a Passive House? How could you incorporate this concept into a full home renovation? Is it possible to create a house that doesn't rely on outside sources of energy? Kurt Neiswender joined me for a discussion in which we covered the basics and how homeowners could pursue Passive House standards in their home renovation. Kurt can be reached at kurt@urbancolab.design His podcast is Coffee Sk...

I was copied on an email recently from a client to a contractor referring to me as “Katharine who is-oh-so-fond-of-walls”. Was I supposed to see that? I don’t know. The truth is, I am fond of walls.   Walls form our spaces, create privacy, allow differentiation, block sound. In this particular case I am really failing in my attempt to persuade this young couple that openin...

Do you look through Houzz and Pinterest and see so many tiles you love but don't know what would be right for your house? Or how much they really cost? Or where to find the tiles that you see online? This episode will help to unravel the mystery and hopefully inspire you to get creative with tile. Susan Hager of Tangotile.com explains tile. About our guest: Susan Hager is the owner of Tango Tile :...

Experienced project manager Will White gives his best tips about scheduling your job, the importance of avoiding change orders, befriending the building inspector and more. Help me spread the word! Send a link to this show to 3 of your friends who you think could use information about home renovations. If you like the podcast, please leave a review and a rating. I would really appreciate any of th...

Kathryn Goldenoak of Spring Green Interior Design continues her advice in this episode on how to fix spaces that aren't working in your house. About this episode's guest: Kathryn Goldenoak is an interior designer, founder of Spring Green Interior Design in Arlington MA: ”Good design should speak to the heart of the occupant. Functionality is not enough; in order to delight the spirit, a space must...

Interior designer Kathryn Goldenoak is back, speaking to us about how humans react to spaces and why. How can we take this knowledge and make our homes somewhere that make us feel good? About this episode's guest: Kathryn Goldenoak is an interior designer, founder of Spring Green Interior Design in Arlington MA: ”Good design should speak to the heart of the occupant. Functionality is not enough; i...

When it comes to what the future may hold, I have no idea. A friend described this feeling as "standing at the edge of what I know". I feel more comfortable sticking to what I know, which is residential spaces. Personally I am giving some thought to what homes of the future might include.  This is a solo episode, just me sharing some thoughts on- Home offices reimagined Homeschooling spaces F...

Have you thought about getting solar but you don’t know where to start looking for an installer, don’t know what to think of those people who come to your house selling solar panels, don’t know how much it is going to cost or if your house is a good candidate? Should you include solar in your renovation plans? Listen to this episode with Malcolm Littlefield who fills me in on the solar d...

3rd episode in the three part series on lead, asbestos and mold in the home with Ron Peik of Alpine Environmental (https://www.alpine-environmental.com) Do you have mold issues at your house? Are you ready to address the underlying issues? Listen to this episode about mold with expert Ron Peik and learn what you can do to improve your indoor air quality before and after a renovation. About this we...

2nd episode in a series of episodes on lead, asbestos and mold in the home with Ron Peik of Alpine Environmental (https://www.alpine-environmental.com) About this week's guest: Ron earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, with a focus on thermodynamics, HCAC systems and indoor air quality. He worked for tow years as a civilian engin...

Do you have lead in your home? If you will be disturbing any surfaces, you need to find out. Ron Peik of Alpine Environmental talks about what we need to know when it comes to renovating an older home that potentially contains lead paint. About this week's guest: Ron earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, with a focus on thermodyn...

Ryan Schwartz shares stories of projects that didn't go well, offering lessons on planning, communicating with your partner, taking the time to plan out elements of the project. About this week's guest: Ryan Schwartz is a licensed practising architect in Canada, specializing in the design and construction of new custom homes. That beautiful project on the episode art is the project he mentions tha...

Roofing We all have a roof, but maybe we don’t think too much about it. If you are in a position to install a new roof, you’ve got options.  Episode Recap  What should people consider when they are getting ready to choose a new roof?   Do the roofs all have to be asphalt? Are there any other options?  Why is metal roofing here so expensive but metal roofing is al...

I'm part of a facebook group for architects and I asked them if any of them would be willing to share stories of when something went wrong on a project. Here is the first of bonus episodes in the Learning From Mistakes of Others series.   Help me spread the word! Send a link to this show to 3 of your friends who you think could use information about home renovations. I would really...

Environmentally friendly renovations discussion with Debbie Bentley Designing your house for the future: Build less Do you really need to build more and increase your footprint? Think about how you use your house now and list everything that you would like to change. Are there areas in your house that are under-used? These days that is often the formal dining room. Can you change how you think abo...

Episode 8- Kitchen and Bath Fixtures Jason Sevinor, President of Designer Bath and Salem Plumbing Supply, discusses what to look for in bath and kitchen fixtures and how to get professional help. Episode Recap Why shop at a showroom rather than on the internet or a big box store? What to look for when choosing fixtures Is there really a $10,000 toilet? What is the difference between that and...

Episode recap New Velux skylights don’t leak Skylights bring in more daylight than vertical windows Ve= Ventilation, Lux= light, hence the company name VELUX Integrated blinds can be programmed You still need to air out your space even if you have air conditioning Modern skylights have UV blocking glass Learning from mistakes of others- use the right skylight for the right application. A deck...

Rick Bertolami, an owner of JB Sash and Door in Massachusetts, explains what you need to know about choosing your windows and doors for your project.  Episode recap The internet is a good place to start research on window options, but there isn’t a substitute for going to a showroom and seeing and touching the windows in person Types of windows that are available How to narrow down window cho...