Dennis Gehman, MCR, president of Gehman Design Remodeling

Many homeowners can relate to the need to have updated bathrooms, a better layout in the kitchen or perhaps additional living space for a growing family. Moving to a newer and bigger house is an option, but maybe they have grown to love the neighborhood or do not want to take their kids out of a top-notch school system. If that's the case, a whole-home renovation just might be the solution.

Of course, such a project is no small undertaking, and it is important to have a clear vision from the outset and an experienced team of designers and contractors who have come across all types of scenarios over the years and have the wherewithal to handle them. That's where Gehman Design Remodeling comes in, bringing the value of more than three decades in the design-build industry.

House & Home spoke to Dennis Gehman, MCR (Master Certified Remodeler), president of the company, to learn more about what a whole house renovation entails.

Can homeowners live in the house during a whole home renovation or is it best to find other arrangements while the work is being done?
It depends. Most of the time, clients do remain living in the house. They won't have as much living space and not having a kitchen is probably the hardest thing to deal with. We also need the rooms we're working in to be cleared of furniture most of the time. Sometimes it makes sense for people to get a Pod and have it sit outside or put things into the garage or basement. If we have to work around all of that stuff, it certainly takes longer and that turns into more money. From our end, it's nicer if they move out, but I understand financially why they don't because then they have to rent another place. It also depends on what stage of life they're in. If they have young children, living through the renovation is going to be harder to deal with than if they're empty nesters or the kids are old enough to understand.

Can the client save money by doing one big project rather than smaller multiple projects spread out over time?
They probably do save money by having everything done at once, because there's certainly some efficiency since we're already there and we have our tools out. We would have to set up each time we come back if you break it up into various projects. Most of the time material prices increase each year, so it's probably best to bite the bullet, because you don't know what it's going to be like in the future. Just as important of a question is the homeowner's quality of life. Is it better to get this over and done with rather than living through a remodel every few years?

Why is it important to have a master plan heading into the renovation?
A master plan makes sense because you want to plan things out so everything works together and you don't have to pay twice because you built something and in a future phase you're pulling it apart. From an energy efficiency standpoint, the house should work together as a whole system. We understand the importance of insulation, quality windows and doors, how the HVAC is installed, where the ductwork is run. It's best that the ductwork is properly sealed and it's also best that it's inside conditioned space. Even having drywall properly installed increases energy efficiency of the house.

Is there an advantage to working on several areas at the same time, such as installing new windows and exterior doors while having new siding installed?
Yes. There are times when people want new windows and doors and decide to let the siding go for a while, and that can be done. Obviously, people do that all the time. But the exterior of the house really goes together best and makes the home the most airtight and waterproof if you do the siding and the windows and doors at the same time.

Can a project like this give the client a new house without changing their address?
It sure can. There is a cost to moving. If you sell your house, you have to pay a commission to the realtor. Unless you're young and strong and have a lot of friends willing to help out, you're going to be paying a moving company. And nine times out of 10 when people move into a new house, within the first 24 months they do a significant remodeling project anyway, because unless you're having a custom house built, it's probably not exactly what you want. So when you look at all of those factors, you should at least take into consideration a whole house remodel. It can be worthwhile.

Gehman Design Remodeling
PA-297
355 Main Street, Harleysville, Pa.
(215) 513-0300
GehmanRemodeling.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 21, Issue 11 (Fall 2021). 
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