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I grew up in a military family from the time I was born, until I went to college at 18 years old. My family was bigger than most with 4 kids and my mom and dad, for a total of 6 people. Most of my life, we lived in apartment style homes that resemble the common row homes you see in places like D.C. Philadelphia, and Richmond.
To say that I have experience in finding ways to make small spaces more liveable is an understatement. Even though my family was unable to remodel the homes we grew up in, I still have some great ideas that I would have done if I had the opportunity.This blog will show you my top ideas for creating more space in smaller homes with the remodeling services of Monumental Contractors.
Growing up with a big family inside homes with little space was very challenging because there are always pinch-points in your home. For example, the entrance to kitchens or turning corners in the hallway prevent 2 people from passing without ramming into each other.
In my family, this was the start of many fights amongst my brother and sisters. All my ideas for the kitchen are based on what I think would have made my life easier growing up with a big family.
Adding a hot plate instead of having a stove top is a great way to open your kitchen up and use that space for something else. For example, if you remove your stove/oven and replace it with a portable island, you optimize that space and create more room for your family.
Our interior designers at Monumental Contractors are experts in optimizing small spaces in row homes. One thing to consider is that your oven/stove will be connected to a gas line or electric connection, so you’ll want to have a professional handle the removal process.
According to Home Advisor, you can expect to spend about $300-$500 to get your stove removed and taken care of for you. Trust me on this, transporting your oven to the dump from the 3rd or 4th floor of a row home is awful.
We have experts that make it look easy and will not scratch up or gouge out the walls getting it out of your house. Some of the best hot plates available now can be found for less than $200 and come with built-in smart features for easy cooking from a few buttons on your phone.
With the space you’ll save by removing your oven and using the already established countertops for a hot plate, a portable island can replace that space.
We can add any type of island you want, including one with custom built hardwood and electricity and running water. However, the most affordable type of island we can have built for you is the rolling cart island.
A rolling cart island allows you to optimize small spaces by maneuvering the island anywhere in the house you want. For example, growing up in these tight quarters, my mom would prepare Thanksgiving and Christmas from the kitchen, dining room, and living room. My mom would set collapsable tables in the living room for places to prep. If we had a portable island, she could have used it instead of improvising the way she did.
A rolling cart island can be outfitted with many drawers for silverware, storage for your hot plate, convection oven, or Tupperware. The most expensive rolling cart islands only cost around $2,500 with an average as low as $700.
Our expert contractors will not only give you an exact quote on how much this would cost, but they will show you a virtual 3D image of what your new kitchen would look like with these small additions.
The amount of room you’ll save in your kitchen with a rolling cart island and a hot plate instead of stove/oven will be life-changing. The best part about this is it will only cost between $2,500- $4,000 and give you more comfort and functionality in your kitchen.
Anytime you want to remodel a bathroom you have to consider the plumbing and electrical outlets before you do anything. This is why it’s so important to hire a professional before attempting a DIY project.
Growing up with 1 bathroom to share with 2 sisters and a brother was really tough (to say the least). With very little time in between my brother and sisters getting ready for school or bed, I would slip in the bathroom and get what I needed and often brush my teeth or get ready in the kitchen.
We have decades of experience with row home bathroom remodels and are able to offer invaluable advice to create more room. Give us a chance to impress and I’m confident we can transform your bathroom to accommodate any size family at an affordable price.
The biggest space saving feature to add to your bathroom is a shower stall. The majority of all row homes are built with tub/shower combos. These are great to accommodate families with young children and the elderly who can’t stand without risking an injury.
Many of our customers are surprised to hear that the most affordable shower installation is the shower stall with an average of only $700-$2,000. However, you have to consider the removal and disposal of the tub/shower combo, which can cost an additional $2,500.
A plumber is needed to ensure you don’t burst a pipe and cause your neighbors to suffer a massive flood below you. The amount of room you’ll save with a shower stall will allow you to accommodate multiple family members in the bathroom at once.
I know that Jack & Jill sinks are more of a traditional thing for farmhouses and Ranches with bigger master bathrooms, but they’re great for larger families in small spaces too.
According to Home Advisor, the average total cost for a bathroom vanity change from a single sink to a double is around $3,500.
There are many features that you can add or subtract based on your budget to bring the cost down as much as possible. The best way to find out is to contact our sales team and set up a free consultation over the phone.
Adding a Jack & Jill sink along with a shower stall will open your bathroom up by as much as 6-10 feet! When you consider multiple family members getting ready for school, work, or bed at the same time, this could be a great way to keep the peace in your family.
Anytime we start to plan a remodel, our first goal is to give our customers EXACTLY what they want. However, the next step for us is to make sure our customers know what is going to give them the most return on investment (ROI).
There are a lot of opinions on the best building materials and house styles (Ranch, Farmhouse, Duplex, etc..). Fortunately, there is a general consensus amongst contractors that the two most important rooms in the house for ROI are the kitchen and bathroom.
Even with the majority of time spent in homes being the bedrooms and living room, nothing draws more attention than a newly remodeled kitchen and bathroom. Growing up in tight quarters for most of my life, I’ve learned that most of the issues revolving around space were always the kitchen and bathroom.
With the ability to hire honest, punctual, and amazingly talented contractors, let us help you and your family create a better space that keeps everyone happy and comfortable.
If you’re not ready for a full remodel, we suggest you at least consider a full home renovation to increase the functionality and comfort level in your home. We recently published a blog about just that, our Top 5 Whole-Home Renovation Ideas on a Budget.
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