| kitchen remodel (3)

Every year when Remodeling Magazine releases its newest Cost Vs. Value Report we study it to see which projects have the top recoup value in the Grand Rapids area. This annual report compares how popular remodeling projects are retaining their value at re-sale throughout the country. The studies are broken down by geographic area and are based on professional remodelers completing the renovation.

Thompson Remodeling of Grand Rapids, Michigan has received a 2016 Design Award in the annual national competition presented by Professional Remodeler magazine. Thompson Remodeling won the Gold award in the Kitchen Under $50,000 category. “This is the first Professional Remodeler Design Award for the Thompson Remodeling team and we are very excited to win in this very competitive category. This kitchen remodel was a challenge due to its size and position within the home, but our inventive design plan used every square inch wisely and even included a hidden doorway to the basement through the pantry,” said Ben Thompson, President of Thompson Remodeling.

Several decades ago, it was commonplace to install hanging kitchen cabinets that could be accessed from two sides. Typically they would be hung beneath a bulkhead and would partially block the view in and out of the kitchen. In the case of this Grand Rapids remodeling story, the kitchen included this design element as well as bulkheads above all of the cabinets and doorways. Our clients requested a design that would make their kitchen feel more connected to the rest of their home.

Many of our kitchen remodeling clients will ask us about painting their cabinets instead of replacing them. Often, they are considering taking on the task themselves as a DIY project. Before we can provide a simple yes or no answer to this question, there are a few important considerations. We certainly understand staying within budgets and looking for ways to save money, but sometimes painting your own cabinets may not be the best solution.

Granite Vs. Quartz With as many kitchen and bathroom remodels we design every year, we hear this question from many homeowners and we are happy to help them make the right decision for their project. To determine if granite or quartz is a better choice for you depends on several factors and both materials have their pros and cons.

The holiday season is fast approaching and that means your kitchen is about to start working overtime! As you prepare for the meals, parties, and baking that the holidays bring, you may feel like your kitchen isn’t meeting your needs. And if you do, you’re not alone. This is the time of year when most people recognize the flaws in their kitchen and we get a lot of calls from folks just after the holidays that have decided it’s time for a kitchen remodel.

We often think about our dream house and what it might look like. Is it a brand new home, an old home with character, or perhaps your existing home with some major remodeling? Do I buy a new home or remodel? That’s exactly the question our clients were considering when they returned back home from living overseas. They initially thought a custom home might be the way to go, but the idea of waiting through all the planning and construction seemed like a waste of valuable time they could be spending together as a family. So instead, the family decided to buy an existing home and remodel it to perfectly suit their own needs.

Does your kitchen look dated? Could it use some updates to make it more functional? Just like any other room in our house, as time passes it may need a bit of sprucing up. With as much time as we spend in the kitchen, you want it to be visually pleasing and user-friendly. To help, we’ve put together a list of updates that you can implement with a relatively small investment.

The joining of two families is a joyous occasion! And when you have an existing home in a lovely neighborhood with space to spare, a thoughtful whole house remodel can make the space work for all eight (and one dog). Thompson Remodeling was happy to help improve the family spaces of this 4-bedroom, 3-level home and create new bedrooms and bath spaces to accommodate everyone. This whole house remodel included renovations to every level of the home, most notably on the main floor and the basement. Take a virtual tour below complete with existing and after floor plans and before and after photos of this familytastic remodel.

Our clients purchased an old house in East Grand Rapids that needed several updates to make it family friendly. The existing floor plan had an expansive formal dining room that the owners had no plans to use. It also had a small and dark kitchen with a drafty breakfast nook area. Another problem with the layout was the closed staircase, which blocked both sight and sound of the children coming and going.

The owners of this Grand Rapids home came to us in search of a way to improve the functionality of their small kitchen. The existing layout was not only tight, but also included four doorways into other rooms. It was functioning more like a hallway with a few appliances added in for good measure.

If you are considering a major remodel to your home there are so many important reasons why you should hire a design build professional. Whether it’s your kitchen, bathroom or whole house renovation, this blog will help you examine the risks of doing-it-yourself or going with the lowest price firm.