Vegetable Nirvana

A two-decade-old condo undergoes a resale-focused renovation in Bucktown, Chicago  “After” photos courtesy of Sweeten homeowner Before: Making old bathrooms new again For this Chicago homeowner, updating her bathrooms were important. Plus, time was of the essence: she was living in the 1,500-square-foot condo in Bucktown (located on the northwest side of the city) and wanted to sell. However, she knew that putting some money into refreshing the place with a renovation would increase the resale value . So, that’s exactly what she did!  “BEFORE” of master bathroom “DURING” of master bath She turned her attention to the master and hall bathrooms since they were the biggest concern. They felt outdated, with an early 2000s brown-hued vibe. (A well-designed, new bathroom is one of the top aspects that appeal to potential homebuyers.) This was not the homeowner’s first time renovating and knew a good general contractor would make all the difference. She posted her proje...

Renovate or buy a second home? A new layout in an apartment made all the difference “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten Homeowners: Courtney + Jim gave their home one more chance and posted their full home renovation in Clinton Hill on Sweeten Where: Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, New York Primary renovation: Reconfiguring, more storage, and even a peninsula made 800 square feet work better Sweeten general contractor Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and financial protection—at no cost to the homeowner. Written in partnership with Sweeten homeowner Courtney Wrestling with the idea of renovating We moved to Clinton Hill over ten years ago, and always loved the neighborhood with its history of housing for returning servicemen who worked in the Navy Yard. On a total whim, we went to an open house in the Clinton Hill Co-ops and made an offer on the first apartment we saw: an 800-squ...

A step-by-step guide and timeline for a one-bedroom apartment renovation We’ve covered the expected timelines for kitchen renovations  and bath renovations , but how long does an entire apartment renovation take? Since bathrooms and kitchens are usually the most time-intensive spaces to redo, the timeline for renovating a one-bedroom apartment is not much longer. Another bonus: the more spaces there are, the more opportunity there is to implement economies of scale and to multi-task! This approach allows you to save both time and money. If you’re considering spacing out several projects (for budgetary reasons), you should consider doing them all at once. While it’s a larger sum upfront, it’ll likely be a better value for your money. For example, while you’re waiting for your cabinets to arrive, your contractor can paint the bedroom or install baseboards. And while they are waiting for the paint to dry, they can install tile in the bathroom…you get the picture. As always, size ...

You’re no stranger to extreme heat! Sweeten shares top tips to keep a house cool (and save money) during the summer ( Above ) Design by Phoenix-based designer Ernesto Garcia Phoenix is a favorite place to live because of the area’s favorable weather. Precipitation is low, the sun is strong, and temperatures are high. But sometimes, the temperatures run a bit too high for comfort. Each year, on average, Phoenix’s temperature exceeds 100 degrees on 92 days. Knowing this, Sweeten wrote a homeowner’s guide on how to keep your house cool in those blazing months! Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and up to $50,000 in renovation financial protection— for free. Choose the best HVAC system Air-conditioning is a fact of life in Phoenix and the entire Valley of the Sun metro area. Passive cooling methods are crucial for maintaining a cooler home in Phoenix. But it is an inescapable fact that your home needs A/C. Choose the b...