Phased Remodeling a Growing Trend

Des Plaines, IL, Aug. 5, 2009--Residential remodels are no longer those once-in-a-lifetime projects, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

Instead, many homeowners opt to do a series of remodels as their schedules, budgets and lifestyles evolve over time, the association said.

In fact, according to a recent Consumer Reports poll on home remodeling, 36% of homeowners who plan to remodel plan to do so in phases.

Serial remodels, or phased remodeling projects, can go over several months and even years. For example, homeowners might opt to start slow with a remodel to a powder room or closet and then tackle a larger project, such as the kitchen, master bath or home addition.

“Most people don’t think of their house as 10 projects they want to do and prioritize them,” says Matt Lederer, president of Mahogany Builders in Chicago.

“It’s not a one-time shot. People choose projects they can afford and will influence resale.”

These phased remodeling projects are part of a larger trend in American consciousness, which Trendwatching calls “Foreverism.” It speaks to people’s desire to continue conversations, relationships and projects over time.

“In a lot of these situations, homeowners buy an existing home with the idea of changing things after they move in,” Lederer says “They are not flush with cash, or they just don’t have it in them to do a series of projects, so they break them up.”

Phasing a remodeling project has a number of benefits, Lederer says. For homeowners who can’t fund the entire project upfront, breaking elements of a major home remodel into stages can help extend costs over time and buy homeowners more time to save or find funding. Embarking on a series of smaller projects also keeps homeowners less stressed.