Deciding to remodel your home is one of the biggest decisions you can make as a homeowner because of the commitment involved – of finances, time, energy, and inconvenience. Because of this, it’s essential that you are equipped with as much information as possible to make the right decision for you, your family, and your home. Below you’ll find information on common mistakes to avoid when remodeling your home, the difference between a design-build firm and a remodeling company, and misconceptions about the design-build remodeling process.

Not every Portland-area house is designed to accommodate children, so if you’re fortunate enough to be able to design a custom home from the ground up or engage in a whole-house remodel for the benefit of your family, you’ve got lots of options to ponder.

Portland, Oregon’s chilly, wet winters make weatherization and energy-efficiency indispensable for every homeowner. The following suggestions include tips that a do-it-yourselfer could handle as well as jobs best done by a professional. Some major fixes  and improvements can be accomplished as part of a home remodel.

A basement renovation can take any number of forms, from the relatively minor framing of a couple of walls for a spare bedroom to a full-on remake of the lower level of the home for luxury living and entertainment space. Because of the multitude of options a basement can provide, the cost of a basement remodel in Portland will vary greatly. Below, we've compiled average figures based on our experiences, and figures from Remodeling magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report.

In the same way that gardeners brighten the dark, rainy days of winter by poring over brightly colored seed catalogs, homeowners use this dreary time to plot their summer remodeling projects. When the rain starts tapering off in late spring, contractors in Portland get busy, so now is the time to get on the builders’ calendars.

You live in Portland, Oregon, a beautiful city in a beautiful setting. Your home already incorporates features that bring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest inside, but now you’re thinking about building an outdoor kitchen that would allow you to enjoy the out of doors in Portland year-round.

The perfect design of the dining space in your Portland, Oregon, home depends on your lifestyle. Think about how your family gathers for meals — or doesn’t. Do you usually catch meals on the run, and that’s OK? Or do you feel it’s important to have a time — and a place — set aside for eating together? Do you often have visitors over for meals? These considerations and more should go into your final design of the perfect dining space for your home as you plan a remodel or custom home build.

The perfect outdoor space is a place where you love to be. And it’s going to look different for each person. For you, it might be a cozy place to gather with friends around a fire pit. Or a lush landscaped yard, or a serious gardener’s paradise, or a gourmet outdoor kitchen, or an alternative living room with all the amenities. Let’s take a stab at some basic ideas that will make the out-of-doors at your Portland, Oregon, home perfect for you.

Asking, “What’s the best time to begin a remodel?” is a bit of a loaded question. It brings to mind the old Chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” That proverb actually makes a lot of sense when applied to home remodeling, because successful remodeling requires some careful thinking on your part. If you’ve never been involved in a home remodel before, you may want some help in identifying what you should consider before beginning construction. The point is, If you want to be delighted with your remodeling results, take your time.

Taking the plunge, so to speak, into remodeling the master bathroom in your Portland home? Make sure you’ve thought through these eight major considerations.