Neal's Home Remodeling and Design Blog

To maximize the features of their urban lot in one of Cincinnati's most scenic and historic neighborhoods, the homeowners of this project were looking to convert a one-car garage into a new two-story, two-car garage in line with the carriage houses of old. This project was directed by several challenges, including retaining existing landscaping, figuring out how to get the most out of the structure, and working with both the local zoning authority and the neighborhood historical board for approval of the design. This project is a 2016 Local NARI Contractor of the Year Award Winner in the Detached Structure category.

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Outdoor living extends the function of our home's property by providing useful areas to hang out, grill out, and chill out, outside of the house. While some homes come with great outdoor areas already in place when you move in, often time these lawns, porches and patios don't account for the specific ways you and your family want to interact with the outside. In the six examples below, we've highlighted before and afters that show what a bit of personalization can do to improve the usefulness and quality of your home's outdoor living areas.

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For this West Chester, OH project, the homeowners were looking for a seamless addition to the back of their home to increase the square footage in their kitchen and laundry room. The primary purpose was to provide more space for entertaining in the kitchen, and to improve function and space in the laundry room. The project also provided a chance to update and improve finishes in the kitchen. The resulting addition is a 2013 NARI Contractor of the Year Residential Addition Winner.

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Almost immediately after moving into their newly-constructed house, the homeowners realized that the existing outdoor living space would not fulfill their needs. The focus of this remodel was to enlarge the existing space without completely starting over, as well as to correct some of the existing functionality issues. The new expanded porch offers lots of comfortable space for the family and looks as if it had been part of the original construction. This project is a 2016 NARI Contractor of the Year Local Residential Exterior Winner.

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