Editorial
Renovation reporting and opinion: the decisions, tradeoffs, and market shifts behind better-built homes.
13 stories
Home Renovation Demand Report: H1 2026 - What 216 Homeowners Asked For
65% of California kitchen renovation requests in H1 2026 were for kitchens over 20 years old, per Renology data from 216 homeowner requests.
Jul 3, 2026 · 6-min read
Why Wood Decks Rot Fast in SoCal
70% of wood decks in SoCal rot within 5 years. The climate, the silent rot, the WUI fire risk, the money trap, and the 2026 standard that's replacing wood for good.
May 20, 2026 · 9 min read
Why Atherton ADUs Differ from the Bay Area
Why an ADU inside the Town of Atherton is not a California streamlined ADU project with a higher zip code, and what to look for in a builder who has actually been through three rounds of Architectural Review Board.
May 17, 2026 · 12 min read
Why Weston Foundations Crack
Why a foundation repair inside Weston, Massachusetts is a glacial-ledge problem, not a Boston-metro foundation problem, and what to look for in a contractor who has actually done depth-to-ledge soundings.
May 17, 2026 · 12 min read
Cherry Hills Basements: Denver Builds Down
Why a basement finish inside the Village's 1-acre lots is not a Denver basement finish with a higher zip code, and what to look for in a contractor who has actually opened up the wall on one.
May 17, 2026 · 12 min read
The McLean Kitchen: DC Entertaining
How a McLean, VA kitchen design holds up to State Department, World Bank, and embassy-level entertaining. The materials, flow, and decisions that matter.
May 17, 2026 · 11-min read
Brentwood Roof: TN Insurer Timing
Why a Brentwood, TN roof replacement is no longer a contractor decision. How Tennessee carriers, hail-belt math, and ACV-only policies now drive the timing.
May 17, 2026 · 11-min read
Paradise Valley Bath: Desert Modernism
How Paradise Valley, AZ bath design holds the line between desert modernism and old Arizona heritage. Materials, light, and what national designers get wrong.
May 17, 2026 · 11-min read
Highland Park TX: A Town-Run Permit Office
Highland Park, TX (75205, 75219) plays by its own permit rules. What a 1948 Beverly Drive bath teardown reveals about HP remodel reality.
May 17, 2026 · 11-min read
Why Seattle Picks a New Contractor Type
Karen Reyes signed for $84,500 and paid $126,300. She is not unusual, she is the rule. A small group of Seattle contractors stopped writing estimates altogether, and the homeowners they work for finally know what they are buying on day one.
May 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Why LA Picks a New Contractor Type
Karen Reyes signed for $84,500 and paid $126,300. She is not unusual, she is the rule. A small group of LA contractors stopped writing estimates altogether, and the homeowners they work for finally know what they are buying on day one.
May 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Risk-Free Remodel in Seattle
A new method is replacing the old game of estimates, change orders, and crossed fingers. A small group of Seattle contractors is already building this way.
May 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Risk-Free Remodel in Los Angeles
A new method is replacing the old game of estimates, change orders, and crossed fingers. A small group of Los Angeles contractors is already building this way.
May 4, 2026 · 7 min read