Winter in Greenwich, CT can feel like a time of dormancy and stillness, but this season can also provide a wonderful opportunity to make progress on the performance, aesthetics and market value of your home. This time of the year, after the holidays and before the warmer months, provides the downtime needed to focus on the home maintenance and home repair projects you’ve been meaning to tackle.
Another reason winter in Greenwich, CT can be a smart time for home maintenance and remodeling projects is that tradespeople are not as busy as other times of the year. In busy renovation months, like spring and summer, even simple renovations can take months to complete. Reach out to Duffy Home Solutions property management team to discuss the following projects.
There are likely a number of unfinished spaces in your home that would be excellent candidates for refinishing. Attics and basements, for example, can be remodeled quite efficiently. These spaces are perfect for a home office, gym, playroom, pantry or media room. Storage is also something to consider. Finished, climate-controlled rooms are excellent for storing items, particularly those of value.
The residential property management team at Duffy Home Solutions provides full build-out services for unfinished space. Our professional team of luxury home remodeling and home design experts can handle the full scope of your project including conceptual planning, project execution and fully fitting out your new space.
According to HGTV columnist Kathy McCleary, “kitchen or bath remodeling is a sure-fire investment, often returning more than 100 percent of the cost.” And winter is a great time to tackle a bathroom remodel.
The Duffy Home Solutions property management team can guide and facilitate Greenwich homeowners through bathroom renovations of any scope. We will ensure the project is handled with efficiency and an eye for detail. Our streamlined process ensures that you avoid the headaches associated with coordinating unreliable contractors, changing timeliness and unexpected costs. Our team will provide:
Your project can also be coordinated and scheduled around an upcoming winter or spring vacation for increased efficiency and convenience.
It doesn’t take long for a kitchen to lose its luster or simply go out of style. And sometimes you just want the space to function better as your needs evolve. Oftentimes kitchen renovations don’t require a full gut job. Kitchen remodels can be effective with just a refresh that may include new countertops and/or backsplash, additional cabinet or island space, fixtures or new cabinets. Items such as flooring, moldings, and plaster or wallboard can remain in place in a refresh.
This winter the Duffy Home Solutions Design-Build team can help you strategically scope a kitchen refresh project that will update the style, comfort and functionality of your kitchen without the expense of a full renovation.
Given today’s extremely long lead times on new furniture, it may make sense to repair certain existing pieces. The Duffy Home Solutions Property Management team’s in-house designers can orchestrate the repair and updating of your existing furniture. Re-upholstering otherwise good quality chairs, sofas and headboards can be a fun and exciting way to upgrade the look and comfort of your favorite furniture items. We can also oversee the repair and refinishing of your wood furniture using expert furniture finishers.
Paint color is one of the most obvious design elements that can make a room look dated. Newly updated color-schemes can dramatically enhance the aesthetics of your home. The Duffy Home Solutions Property Management team can guide you with a new palate for a particular room or for the entire home. We also coordinate accessories to tie it all together! The cold winter months in Greenwich, CT are an opportune time to repaint while painters generally have less work.
Winter in Greenwich, CT means that trades are more available for renovation projects. When you’re a Duffy Home Solutions property management customer you have one point of contact for all of your home renovation, remodel, repair and maintenance needs. Handling home maintenance work this way provides peace of mind, makes things run easier and smoother, and ensures that all of your home projects will be handled by local experts in their field.
Every section of the country has its unique challenges when it comes to home maintenance, renovations, new construction and residential property management. Weather, geography, vegetation, and permitting all play a role. So what do you need to think about when considering how to manage property and/or renovate in the town of Greenwich? There are several unique attributes of Greenwich in particular that makes it a challenge. These same factors also make it a privilege to live here. Let’s take a look.
The Greenwich, CT area has unique landscape features that can make renovation, new construction and landscaping a bit of a challenge. The area has a lot of ledge, for example. This specific issue has been a thorn in the side of Greenwich homebuilders, residential property management companies and homeowners for years. Ledge in the ground makes it very hard to dig for a pool or basement foundation. Growing grass, trees and plantings can also be difficult unless you’re able to get enough soil over it to allow for proper root growth. Blasting the ledge is typically the solution when looking to dig deep into the ground.
Having a relationship with an experienced Greenwich area homebuilder and maintenance professional will be key when looking to build and maintain a waterfront property. The land in the area typically has a high water table and so drainage and redirection of water is key for keeping finished basements dry and building new foundations. In addition these types of lots often have sloping and rocky topography with highly technical engineering requirements for building.
When it comes to maintenance, it’s important to have a residential property management professional that understands how to take care of waterfront homes. The salt air and winds coming off the water will ware on the structure and landscaping much quicker than homes that are inland. More frequent inspection, repair and maintenance of roofing, flashing, decking, doors and windows is typically the norm. Greenwich Home Management manages waterfront properties and so we understand what it takes to keep up.
If you’re building or buying property directly on the waterfront, or positioned just off the water, you’ll want to consider the interior of the home as well. Sand and saltwater will inevitably make its way inside. Flooring, fine rugs, and upholstery can be subject to ware when exposed to these elements. Consider installing an outdoor shower and be sure to have a mudroom space or entry with durable flooring to catch sand. And make it a habit to remove shoes before entering the main space.
Greenwich is an area with a large population and high frequency of complex home building and renovation projects. Large homes that are built on challenging land require specific permit requirements from the town. It’s critical to have a building partner that understands the local permitting process. At Greenwich Home Management we’ve been managing residential properties and building new homes and renovations for years in Greenwich. As a result we have relationships with town officials as well as an intimate knowledge of the permitting requirements.
This factor is not unique to Greenwich, however the New England climate is something that homeowners here need to consider. Typical Connecticut seasonal weather factors require ongoing maintenance. Autumn means fall cleanup, gutter cleaning and tree trimming. The winter snow and ice as well as heavy spring rains and summer heat can ware on roofing, flashing, decking, masonry, siding, and other parts of the home. When homeowners are enrolled with Greenwich Home Management property management program they have one point of contact for professionals across all trades.
If you’re considering building a new home or renovating an existing property in Greenwich, CT, it’s important to know the challenges you may face. This way you’ll be prepared when it comes time to build or buy and you’ll know what to expect in terms of ongoing property management requirements. At Greenwich Home Management we’ve helped numerous families navigate the area. We’ve found that living in this beautiful section of the country is well worth any of the challenges that it may pose.
