Should I gut-remodel my Boston home?

This is a question and topic that I have seen frequently come to light in our nearly twenty years of delivering high-end and luxury architectural design build services across Boston.

As we all know too well, these past four years have drastically changed the way Boston homeowners consider and deal with their homes.  Workspace for multiple partners, a space to exercise, and a perfectly laid out kitchen and living space have taken on an increasingly central role.

Many Boston professionals now balance a combination of in office / work from home arrangement.

This tends to inspire the thought process of what can be done with one’s existing home.  What is the potential, and what would be the attendant costs?  Does it make sense to embark on a gut remodel of an existing home or is it wiser to seek out and purchase one’s dream home?

Simply put—can I create my ideal home with a gut-remodel of my existing home?

These are good questions.

The strategy of a whole-home gut remodel has exact advantages which I’d like to lay out here:

1. A whole-home gut remodel allows the homeowner and architect/builder to create a space that is exactly tailored to the client’s specific needs.  Flow lines, spatial arrangements and quality of finishes and fixtures can be precisely as the occupant/user desires.

2. No surprises during construction. Taking a home down to the studs allows the architect/builder to plan in detail with no surprises or hidden conditions coming to light later during the build process.  It’s a blank slate and this has its distinct advantages.

3. New MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) systems can be designed and installed. This affords the clients/occupants the latest technology, brand-new systems and the full peace of mind these afford.  No more 100-year-old pipes bursting mid a blissful Boston winter.

4. Increase of asset value. An intelligently planned gut remodel markedly increases the home’s asset value as new systems are installed and furnishings and fixtures are brought to current standards.

This is an interesting news piece covering such a narrative in Boston

This is a piece I wrote several years ago covering the topic of “Remodeling versus Moving in Boston.”  Many of these basic points are still salient and this may be of help.

Here is an NEDC client testimonial from a full gut remodel we recently did for a family in Cambridge:

“NEDC did a gut renovation of our house. The process with them was amazing from start to finish. From our first meeting with the president, Dave Supple, who inspected all corners of house and talked about our goals, to the wrap-up of the punch list with the project manager and lead designer, everything went exceedingly well. The process began with a series of broad design options and price ranges, then settled to one primary design during which we refined all the details and finalize the budget; then we moved onto all the material, appliance and finish selections, which is also done hand-in-hand with NEDC’s designers.

Once construction began, we had a weekly meeting with the project manager to discuss what had been done the prior week and what was coming. This allowed for timely course correction. The project was completed on time – maybe even a bit ahead of schedule, I don’t remember, despite some COVID permitting setbacks – and at the budget that was set at the end of the design process. We were very happy with NEDC.”

JMD – NEDC Client, Cambridge, MA

In the past few years we have successfully done whole-home gut remodels in Cambridge, Somerville and Chestnut Hill, ranging from 1,400 square feet to 7,000 square feet.

Our recent Chestnut Hill whole-home gut remodel was featured in Boston Magazine as can be seen here.

So, what is Architectural Design build and why are Boston homeowners turning to this approach as they invest in major home remodels?

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN BUILD VERSUS DESIGN BID BUILD:

There are two primary approaches to a major home design and remodel. While this can be made very complex as a subject, the natural creative process is fundamentally simple. I will cover both here:

Design-Bid-Build is the process that has been introduced over the past 150 years or so whereby you as the client directly hire an architect to draft plans and design your project — to then have it bid out to multiple contractors seeking to win the bid and perform the project. This approach has been generalized as mainstream over the past decades and sold to homeowners, often creating client stress and potential loss of both client funds and time. This approach has many liabilities for the client due in no small part to the fragmented spheres of responsibilities which this system and method creates.

There is no single person or entity fully accountable to the client for the entire project’s success.

This single factor alone can create a host of problems for the client.

By default, the client is ultimately responsible for both Architect and Builder as well as the ultimate success of the project. Thus, one can have impractical and expensive design work, impractical planning, numerous change orders, shoddy craftsmanship, and projects which are off timeline and over budget. In the end, the client can be left damaged. You or a family member or friend may have experienced this in the past. We have many clients come to us after poor experiences with this approach.

Architectural Design-Build (also Design Build) is the natural approach to creation of the built environment and has been used for thousands of years to create many of the beautiful structures of earth. Architectural Design Build is the route of choice if one desires to save on time and money, reduce stress, and eliminate a fragmented sense of project responsibility in the people working for you.

Architectural Design Build is a model that stresses single-source accountability with the creative design, planning, and remodel executed start to finish by one firm.

Architectural Design-Build in Boston is currently being turned to by professionals, families, and individuals as the cutting edge of efficiency, aesthetics, practicality, and accountability when it comes to designing and remodeling a home. This approach packages architectural design and interior design services with artisan-level building and remodeling services. This natural synthesis makes for a simple, efficient, and accountable creative process followed by a streamlined and responsible build phase, reducing cost, time of execution, and client stress throughout. With the Architectural Design Build approach, the client is dealing solely with one fully accountable firm.

New England Design and Construction specializes in Architectural Design Build with a specific focus on sustainable luxury homes. We are extremely mindful of environmental impact and passionate about project efficiency and client comfort.

ABOUT NEDC:

We are a creative team of 24 architects, interior designers and experienced project managers.  I created NEDC nearly 20 years ago after graduating from Tufts Architectural and working in an international design studio.  It became clear to me that I needed experience in the trades to competently design and efficiently direct the creation of beautiful, sustainable spaces.  Thus I took a job in the trades in order to teach myself to actually build.  NEDC was thus born—and two decades later we have many lovely repeat clients across this beautiful city we love.

You can read our reviews here.

This short film lays out our ethos, vision and values:

AREAS WE SERVE:

At NEDC we have been doing high end and luxury architectural design build across Boston since 2005.  We offer a full-service architectural design build experience to Boston residents in Cambridge, Somerville, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, The South End, Lexington, Chestnut Hill, Newton, Brookline, Sudbury, Dorchester, Roxbury, Wayland, Weston, Westwood, Wellesley, Waltham, Winchester, Woburn, Watertown, Belmont, Concord, the GBA and Boston’s Metrowest.

We’ve put together a Boston Home Remodeling Cost guide based on our nearly twenty years of experience.  This is available as a free download here.

DAVID MUNIZ SUPPLE – FOUNDER/CEO 

1. DAVE@NEDESIGNBUILD.COM

2. 617 474 0309 

RYAN MANHOFF – BRAND DIRECTOR 

1. RYAMM@NEDESIGNBUILD.COM

2. 484 809 3636