Remodeling offers practical, emotional benefits

Whether we love our homes or hate them, there is always something we dream of changing about them.

As residential architects, we naturally question what triggers someone to turn those remodeling dreams into reality.

There are three areas that motivate people to get the ball rolling. The first is the tangible need for a different physical arrangement. Things such as the anticipated birth of another child, a change in jobs with a plan to work from home or the need to bring a parent or relative into your home on a permanent basis are examples.

The second driving force is more emotional or psychological. This impetus stems from a desire to upgrade our current situation to make our homes more functional, livable and/or attractive.

While a new mudroom may not be critical to the family's survival, the increased control of clutter and the ability to find coats and backpacks easily on a school morning will contribute to your family's quality of life on a daily basis.

As we have stated previously, architecture is more than looking pretty. It has real and tangible effects on how a person or family functions.

Our physical surroundings affect us psychologically and can either add to — or detract from — our emotional and mental health. People need some beauty and inspiration in their surroundings, and if this can be obtained from our everyday environment, all the better.

Progress is also important to mental health: While we may look back fondly on the early days of marriage with its hodgepodge of hand-me-down furniture in a basement apartment, as the years go by we expect our situation to improve. The home we live in is one measure of this expectation to progress in life.

The third incentive to plunge into remodeling is money. A sudden windfall (winning the lottery, etc.) would make the decision to remodel much easier. However, we don't recommend waiting for this option.

It is difficult to save up for a major remodel, because the bill always runs quickly from the thousands of dollars into the tens of thousands, and very often into the hundreds of thousands. Like anything worthwhile, remodeling doesn't come cheap. Deciding to incur debt is serious business and requires a thoughtful analysis of benefits vs. cost.