When entertaining, your kitchen inevitably becomes the hub. Guests use other common areas, but the kitchen is always the focal point of activity when hosting friends and family. These events highlight the challenges of ...
I recently sat down with my sister, Leanne Mitchell, a local Realtor, to discuss what to know before buying a home in Massachusetts. This article shares her experience and my ...
A waterfront property needed room for entertaining, which meant a kitchen that was comfortable and functional for everyday use and entertaining. The goal was a blend of ...
Making changes to siding design and other aspects of the exterior of your home is a perfect opportunity to enhance curb appeal.
The front door to your home can be a design feature and a functional door that allows access from outdoors to indoors while keeping the house safe and weatherproof. But when the ...
There are many reasons to consider an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). You’ve been having conversations with aging parents who are looking to age in place with family nearby. Is ...
When you can’t get out on the links, it would still be great to have a way to work on your game. If you are eyeing the potential for finding space for a golf simulator in your ...
When a home runs out of space, there are several options: move, renovate unused or underused space, or construct an addition. Deciding what's best for your "bursting at the seams" ...
Even here in New England, with our long-snowy-wet winters, an indoor-outdoor living space is very appealing for homeowners during the spring, summer and fall seasons. Creating the ...
So much goes into a home addition, from the thought, “we could really use more space,” to move-in day. Some elements of the process are visible, like roofing, siding, flooring, ...
Simply put, an addition cannot be built without paying attention to zoning and setback requirements. If you build outside of these requirements, you risk fines and may also be ...
When homeowners decide they want to build a luxurious sunroom, a second-story balcony or even a bay window extending their breakfast nook, there are some essential things to ...
Remodeling that adds square footage to a home begins with a need. You might be looking for a nicer and more spacious home for entertaining. Or, the family is growing, and the ...
After moving to New England from Hawai'i, one family wanted to create an addition that fit well into the region and allowed for an effortless flow between indoor and outdoor ...
A home addition creates opportunity beyond the added square footage. Mechanicals, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems will all be affected. Updating MEP systems will be a ...
It's decision time: you need to move to a bigger home or build an addition. Planning a home addition seems less disruptive, but questions must be answered. What is possible for ...
Whatever style of home, whatever the age, here in New England, ice damming can be a big problem in the harsh winters. Understanding what causes ice dams and how to prevent it will ...
How do homeowners make design choices for home remodeling in 2024? Many are researching online at Houzz or Pinterest, and also using analog methods like a simple look through ...
Homes here in New England can be anywhere from nearly new to literally hundreds of years old. When blending old and new, getting it right takes a lot of knowledge, planning, and ...
One of the most popular home renovation questions we get asked all the time here at Mitchell Construction Group is, “ Which home remodeling ideas will have the greatest impact on ...
You are just trying to sneak downstairs for a midnight snack, and the floors in your home give away your exact location! At first there was just that one spot in the upstairs ...
If it always feels like a “dark and stormy night” in your older home, it may be time to update your lighting. If there are certain rooms that just don’t seem to brighten up no ...
Good deck design depends on the materials and construction methods used. Decking materials have come a long way in the past few years. You might think of them as nearly ...
If you own an older home in New England, the staircases may be charming, but they can also be downright unsafe. Older homes in our region are notorious for staircases that were ...
You are probably not surprised to hear that your older New England home likely does not comply with current local building codes where you live. But you might be surprised at how ...
You bought an older home for the history and charm, but now it’s up to you to take care of it properly. Here in New England, it doesn’t have to be Otis House or JFK’s birthplace ...
You’ve purchased a stately home in Brookline. It needs some updating, but overall it is a stately colonial home with few glaring issues — except for the kitchen. There was a ...
When your older home was built — say sometime in the 1800s — people had a few changes of clothes that would fit neatly into a wardrobe cabinet or a steamer trunk if they were to ...
What lurks behind the walls, in the ceilings, and the various other materials and systems of your older home? If I were a comedian (I’m not, as my kids will be more than happy to ...
You stroll the back patio with a cup of coffee, breathing in the morning air, minding your own business when you look up at the roofline and see it — again! Loose bricks and ...
One legend has it that the first instance of balloon framing was a warehouse built in 1832 by George Snow along the Chicago River. Regardless of how it truly started, the style of ...
You’ve found an old home in the perfect neighborhood. Now what? Or perhaps you own an older home and you are fairly certain it is in need of a bit of TLC. How do you know if an ...
When you look at your home, you see brick or stone, siding that might be made of aluminum, vinyl, or even a composite cement material. You see shingles, drywall, carpet, and wood ...
A new layout, cabinets, paint, trim work, lighting, and plumbing fixtures are what most homeowners are excited about when considering a renovation. But behind the walls, the ...
Living in an older home in New England has both its charms and its challenges. One major challenge is how to fix or replace old windows in your unique home. Some of the windows in ...
When you bought your home, the seller’s disclosure gave a clean bill of health regarding lead paint, and there was no mention of asbestos or any other hazardous materials. The ...
Remember when you drove through your neighborhood for the first time? Next door was some amazing Victorian era trim details on the porch - spectacular! Then there was a ...
What comes to mind when thinking about renovating an older home? Likely things like: Can we save the hardwood we found under the 50-year old carpet? Will the kitchen cabinets we ...
You've decided you are overdue for a significant renovation of your home. The immediate question: How will we finance the project? What kind of construction loan for home ...
There’s nothing exactly “wrong” with the primary suite/kitchen/living room (take your pick) in your home. But nothing is exactly right about it either. You know it needs a ...
When you are considering a home renovation project, you may be thinking about negative experiences you, a friend, or family member have had in the past. You have heard the horror ...
Interest rates are up and prices for materials are constantly fluctuating. Your home layout is overdue for an update, but is a home renovation project the right decision for you? ...
The list of things that need “a little work” around your house is not getting any shorter. When were the HVAC filters changed last? Is that water spot under the living room window ...
During what feels like a bygone era, a home office was a nice thing to have, not a necessity. A LOT has changed in a few short years, making remodeling for a home office a top ...
It’s a familiar conversation. The kids are growing up and they don’t want to share a room anymore. Plus, there is just not enough room for entertaining indoors with that cramped ...
In a previous post, I shared in some detail what goes into the construction of cabinets. How can you make sure you are choosing the right materials for the style of cabinet you ...
Choosing cabinets for your remodel or new custom home can be so much fun. You are deciding on an overall style – raised panel, craftsman, slab, or shaker – just to name a few. You ...
An island is often at the top of the list of changes homeowners want to make when they renovate a kitchen. But is there room for an island, even in your redesign? If you shoehorn ...
How much help do you really need to pick out the right cabinets for your kitchen, bath, laundry room, or other areas of your home where renovation will involve cabinetry? Can’t ...
The design/build team here at Mitchell Construction Group recently undertook a major renovation project that required imagination, attention to detail, and meticulous ...
There is no getting around the fact that a home renovation project will take your family out of its normal routines. The good news is you can minimize that disruption with a ...
If you own a New England home that is showing its limitations or just needs some updating, you have two choices: you can renovate or move to a new home. When faced with this ...
Climate change and the overall cost of energy for your home are no joke. Building energy efficiency into the design of your home can help you tackle both. The choices you make ...
You can see it in a drawer that glides smoothly closed. You can see it at the corner of a wall, where crown molding, drywall, and baseboard all meet at a perfect 90-degree angle. ...
The most exciting part of a home renovation or new home construction for many people is to put on those finishing touches. When you are choosing the interior paint colors, you are ...
The idea of building a custom home is enticing. A place built exactly as you want it, with you and your family’s needs put into every detail. Who wouldn’t want that? But that ...
When is the right time to renovate your home? On one hand, there will always be reasons not to renovate. Getting to the beautiful and functional end result takes time, money, and ...
In New England, your asphalt shingle roof will take a beating as the weather shifts, often dramatically, from day to day. That’s why understanding when and why to consider a roof ...
Technology has changed everything, including our homes. Just think about it — not long ago, locking your doors at night meant going through the house and physically checking all ...
You have lived in enough homes that were not built to your specifications to know what you don’t like. It might be a poor layout on the main floor that leaves you feeling boxed ...
You get what you pay for. That is a simple truism, but what does it mean when it comes to building a custom home? To understand the cost, a builder will need to gather detailed ...
How do you make a choice when it comes to finding the right custom home builder? If you want a truly custom home, the best home builders will help you understand your options to ...
“This space just does not work for us anymore.” That statement is one of the main reasons homeowners come to us for a renovation project. To fix an unworkable space, designers ...
The list of home improvement projects is getting longer and longer. The kitchen and bathrooms are really starting to show their age. You’ve never exactly loved the siding you ...
While the phrase “plumbing trends” may not set your heart to fluttering, the end results of a kitchen or bath remodeling project often highlight the exciting results of those ...
There is something about the opportunity to build a custom home. You are starting with your unique dreams and expectations, and have a blank canvas to turn those dreams into ...
When seeking inspiration for your remodeling project, you may look through hundreds of photos online and in design magazines. One aspect that often gets overlooked — but is always ...
Building a custom home will not only reflect your style and tastes, but will be designed and constructed to your specifications. What size should living, dining, and kitchen ...
One of the fundamental truths about life is that we’re all growing older. For many of us, the question that will arise as we age is, “Where will I be able to live?” Fortunately, ...
You may see home renovation as a seasonal activity — something that’s got to be done between spring and fall here in New England. The truth is, the right time to start is when you ...
At some time in the life of every home, cracks will appear in the plaster. There are many causes of cracks; some are more serious than others. For one thing, the weather in New ...
When considering updates and additions to your current porches and patios, you are looking for space to enjoy your home's fresh air and views. Well-proportioned, well-conceived ...
Mudrooms and laundry rooms are not the first areas most people think about when it comes to home renovation. But these spaces should not be overlooked. A well-designed mudroom ...
When you’ve got dinner guests and the kids are loudly playing video games in the next room, your main floor living space begins to show its limitations. Or maybe over the past few ...
A luxury bathroom may seem more like a necessity these days. As the pandemic forced many of us to stay at home for long periods of time, the bathroom became a sanctuary, a place ...
A house does not truly become a home until it reflects the unique character and personality of the family that inhabits it. Here at the Mitchell Construction Group, that concept ...
Anticipating a home renovation project is exciting for most homeowners. Once they decide to make the leap from dreaming to doing, a range of emotions can kick in as they ...
If you’re like most homeowners, home maintenance chores such as painting, replacing gutters, and making deck repairs are way down on your list of fun things to do. Fortunately, ...
Many home interior designers would agree that the master bedroom is simply the largest and most desirable bedroom in a home and is typically where the head of the household ...
If you live in New England, you know how important your home heating system is. And because our heating systems work extra hard to keep our homes warm and comfortable throughout ...
The term “transitional design” is popping up with increasing frequency in architectural and home design circles. It actually originated decades ago, but over the years, the ...
The pandemic has created a home remodeling and renovation boom that has many contractors struggling to keep up with demand. As a result, some are rushing through the planning and ...
Kitchen makeovers are, far and away, one of the most popular home remodeling projects because they are often the heart of any home, where family and friends gather for a wide ...
The holidays are a time for family and friends to gather, celebrate, reminisce, and look ahead to the New Year and a brighter future. For some homeowners, it’s also a stressful ...
Kitchens are by far the most popular room in the home for remodeling and renovation. It can be the most fun and most challenging all at the same time because of the number of ...
Human nature makes it difficult for most of us to pass up a bargain, and home renovation is no exception. One homeowner might “know a guy” who’s pretty handy with a hammer and is ...
Homeowners who are faced with an aging home or one they have outgrown are faced with a difficult decision: should they remodel or move? This is both a financial and emotional ...
The pandemic has created an increased interest in home renovation and remodeling and one of the most popular renovations is window replacement. One of the biggest reasons is ...
The modern home is a technological marvel. Packed with systems, sensors, and devices that provide and control power, communications, heat, water, cooling, and safety, today’s home ...
New England’s winters are legendary. Nor’easters pound the coast and the eastern half of the state with high winds, snow, freezing rain and sleet. Icy winds and heavy snow blow in ...
Mention “home renovation” to some people and watch the color drain out of their faces. For many, there is nothing more stressful (and for good reason) than to have some strangers ...
Frustration. Anxiety. Confusion. These are the words that many homeowners unfortunately associate with home renovation projects because they’ve worked with a home remodeling ...
We all find ourselves frustrated from time to time when faced with the dilemma of reconciling what we want with what we need, or perhaps more accurately, what we can afford. The ...
Nobody likes to spend more than they absolutely have to on home repairs. It’s bad enough when things break and you have to struggle with the inconvenience and disruption they ...
When many people think about the cost of a home, they’re often thinking about the buying or selling price of it. But there is an ongoing and often less visible cost – that of ...
A home renovation project can be a highly dynamic event full of excitement, anxiety, anticipation and, yes, stress. Of course, no homeowner wants to pay any more than absolutely ...
Dealing with a damaged home is no fun. Fallen trees, burst pipes, flooded basements, lightning strikes – they all can cause the kind of damage that makes a home difficult to live ...
One of the first questions we get as a home renovation contractor is “How long will this project take?” Any reputable, experienced contractor could immediately reply, “As long as ...
If you’re like most homeowners, you take great pride in your home and property. You mow your lawn and trim your shrubs and trees regularly. If you have wood siding or deck, you ...
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s how to relax at home and get outside more. The popularity of outdoor living has grown leaps and bounds over the past year and a half ...
If your home has an unfinished basement, you’re sitting on a gold mine of additional living space, flexible entertainment and relaxation options, more efficient storage, and added ...
If there was one thing the pandemic was good for, it was helping homeowners discover every poor design element and floor plan weakness in their homes. As people spent more and ...
A recent study by the Pew Research Center has revealed that growing numbers of buyers are looking for homes that will accommodate more than just a single family. Shifting ...
A homeowner’s relationship with their home – like any relationship – can change over time. Just like marriages, friendships, and partnerships, your relationship with your home can ...
Remodeling a kitchen is a lot more than just new cabinets and appliances and a different color scheme. Effectively renovating a kitchen for more functional efficiency requires a ...
Home renovation and remodeling projects come in all shapes and sizes, but except for the very simplest, virtually all of them require structural and aesthetic changes. Some ...
One of the most frustrating challenges many homeowners face when considering a home renovation project is difficulty visualizing specific changes to improve their home’s ...
Virtually every level of home renovation – from simple room redesigns to kitchen remodeling to home additions – involve an equal level of emotion and stress. Homeowners undertake ...
“What am I going to do with all this kitchen storage space?” said no one, ever. As a design/build construction firm with years of experience designing and building kitchens, one ...
Renovating your home – whether you’re just remodeling a bedroom or renovating your entire house – is a highly personal project. The old saying is true: “Home is where the heart ...
The kitchen is the central hub, the heart, of almost every home. Even people who aren’t especially fond of cooking use their kitchens for a multitude of activities – whether it’s ...
The simple truth about home remodeling and renovation is that successful projects require proper planning. Period. There are no shortcuts, no miracles, and no depending on good ...
Renovating your home is a big decision involving a lot of elements, some of them emotional and others operational. As a result, sometimes homeowners make decisions for the wrong ...
One of the first questions we hear from homeowners when discussing a renovation or remodeling project is “How long will this take?” And while it’s certainly understandable that ...
One of the first questions many homeowners ask when considering a renovation project is: “Will this project provide a good return-on-investment and boost the resale value of my ...
One hard and fast rule in home renovation is, "Don’t start a remodeling or renovation project without a realistic budget." But getting to a realistic budget requires a detailed ...
In 2018 it seemed like the world fell in love with farmhouse interiors and bright and white kitchens that took over everyone’s homes. While we’re still loving this look, 2019 is ...
This once cramped and poorly functioning kitchen was converted into a gorgeous, bright, and airy space that is perfectly suited for a large and active family. The existing kitchen ...
On Thursday, March 28th, we hosted our Second Annual Customer Appreciation Event at the Papa Razzi Trattoria in Wellesley. Past and current clients joined the Mitchell Team for an ...
Summer is officially here and we are coming upon the 4th of July weekend. What are your plans? Are you usually invited to a certain friend or family members home because they have ...
We would like to congratulate the Mitchell Construction Group Team for winning multiple EM NARI CotYAwards!
Medfield, MA – 11/16/16 – Tom Mitchell, President and Founder of Mitchell Construction Group in Medfield, Massachusetts, has been awarded the prestigious 2016 Remodelers Advantage ...
Fall is in the air and although it is only October, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but…we have to begin to think about Winter. Two years ago, as we all know, New England had ...
Here at Mitchell Construction Group, we find ourselves very thankful. Thankful for our wonderful clients, thankful for our award winning staff and thankful for a new project we ...
Home sweet home! Our homes are one of our biggest monetary investments, but how much do we really know about them? How to properly care for them as they age? How much attention do ...
Medfield, MA – 12/14/16 – Just five weeks after being awarded the Remodelers Advantage Impact Award, Medfield’s Mitchell Construction Group has earned more recognition—and ...