Buying a fixer-upper can be an exciting way to get the location, lot, architectural character, or square footage you want, and then transform the home around the way you actually live. You can find many homes in the Pittsburgh area with plenty of character and potential. Unfortunately, many of these homes come with decades of previous repairs, renovations, and changing building standards.
The challenge is knowing the difference between a house that needs manageable updates and one that could require far more work than you expected. If you already know that a home will need a major kitchen renovation, new bathrooms, a finished basement, an addition, or significant layout changes, consider speaking with a Pittsburgh remodeler experienced in custom renovations before you buy, or as early in the buying process as possible.
Your remodeler can help you look beyond dated fixtures and finishes and answer the more important question: Can this house realistically become the home you want it to be?
Why Talk to a Remodeler Before Buying a Fixer-Upper?
Any reputable realtor will recommend having a professional home inspector look at the fixer-upper. The home inspection can identify existing conditions and potential problems with a property.
A custom remodeler can take the inspection conversation a step further by reviewing the improvements you want to make and helping you understand what it may take to make them happen.
For example, you may walk into an older Pittsburgh home and immediately notice that removing the walls between the kitchen and dining room could create a more open, contemporary feel and make the area more practical for cooking, dining, and entertaining.
But are those walls structural? Will you need to relocate plumbing, electrical, or HVAC systems? Could the existing footprint accommodate the kitchen you want, or would an addition make more sense?
These are exactly the kinds of questions worth discussing with a remodeler before you base a home purchase on a renovation vision.
Look Beyond the Cosmetic Updates
Fresh paint, new flooring, and updated light fixtures can dramatically change a home, but a true fixer-upper may need much more. If you’re seriously considering a property, your remodeler can help you think through these larger projects and how they could affect your remodeling budget and timeline.
Kitchen and Bathroom Renovations
An outdated kitchen or bathroom may look like a straightforward renovation until you begin considering plumbing locations, electrical service, ventilation, cabinetry, appliances, structural changes, and the condition of what’s behind the walls.
Whether you’re looking at a kitchen remodel, a bathroom renovation, or both, your remodeler can help you determine whether your ideas fit within the existing footprint or whether relocating walls and mechanical systems could significantly increase the project’s scope.
Opening or Reconfiguring the Floor Plan
Many buyers love the character of older homes but want the brighter, more open layouts associated with newer construction, such as an open-concept kitchen/dining and living area.
Removing a wall may help create that feel, but it isn’t always as simple as demolition. A professional remodeler can assess whether a wall is load-bearing and what structural changes may be needed to safely create a larger opening.
Adding More Living Space
What if you love the home and neighborhood, but you want to add another bedroom, a larger family room, a home office, or a first-floor primary suite? Before assuming an addition is possible, it helps to understand the property’s existing layout, lot conditions, and the potential structural and permitting requirements.
Within the City of Pittsburgh, residential renovation projects can involve building, electrical, mechanical, demolition, and other permit requirements, depending on the work being performed. Permitting processes often include project reviews, inspections, and completion requirements. This is where a custom remodeler can take the stress out of the entire process, from a small update to a full home renovation.
Finishing or Remodeling the Basement
If you’re just starting to explore buying a home in Pittsburgh, you’ll notice that many older homes in the area already have a basement space. A basement can be a great opportunity for a comfortable family room, home gym, office, guest space, or entertainment area. Unfortunately, renovating a basement often requires a lot more than adding drywall and new flooring.
Your remodeler can help you consider moisture, ceiling height, mechanical systems, electrical work, insulation, lighting, and safe access before deciding how much usable living space a basement can realistically provide.
Older Homes Can Come With Extra Considerations
As we noted earlier, many older home problems aren’t always obvious during a showing when you’re house hunting.
Previous owners may have made renovations at different times and to different standards. Plumbing, electrical systems, windows, roofing, insulation and structural components may all be at different points in their useful lives.
Or, you may have to contend with lead-based paint. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and renovation work that disturbs painted surfaces in applicable pre-1978 homes must follow EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting requirements.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid an older home! It simply means that the more you understand before planning the renovation, the better prepared you’ll be.
You Don’t Have to Remodel Everything at Once
Another advantage of working with a custom remodeler is that it gives you the ability to create a long-term renovation plan for your new home. Maybe the kitchen needs attention immediately, while the finished basement can wait a year or two. Perhaps replacing aging windows or addressing an exterior issue should come before updating a bathroom that is perfectly functional for now.
The National Association of Home Builders recommends beginning a remodel by developing a prioritized list of needs and wants. This approach can be especially valuable with a fixer-upper because it lets you think beyond a single project and consider how improvements should work together over time.
For instance, it may not make sense to completely remodel your kitchen this year if you already know that a future addition will alter the kitchen’s footprint. A well-planned sequence can help prevent today’s renovation from getting in the way of tomorrow’s bigger plans.
Questions to Ask a Remodeler About a Fixer-Upper
Whether you already own a home or you’re considering buying a home that will require substantial renovation, contacting a remodeler is a great first step to learn as much as possible.
Here are some important questions the remodeler can help you answer.
- Does the renovation I have in mind appear feasible for this home?
- Which projects should be a priority, and which could reasonably wait?
- Are there structural or mechanical issues that could significantly affect the renovation?
- Would it make more sense to reconfigure the existing space or build an addition?
And here’s the most important question: Have you completed similar renovations in older Pittsburgh-area homes?
An experienced, local remodeler who specializes in custom home renovations can help you navigate any local and/or regional permitting and related requirements for the project to move forward. Your remodeler can also help you create a realistic budget and a contingency plan for unexpected conditions.
Find a Pittsburgh Remodeler Who Can Help You See the Possibilities in Your Fixer-Upper Home
A fixer-upper can give you something that’s difficult to find in a move-in-ready house: the opportunity to take a home with the location, character, or potential you love and transform it around your lifestyle.
However, you don’t want to discover that your dream kitchen requires major structural work after you’ve made your first down payment on the house. Or that the addition you envisioned isn’t practical (even though you based your purchase decision and budget around it).
This is where a local, experienced, custom remodeler can make a difference. For example, Ricciuti Enterprise has been building and renovating homes in Western Pennsylvania for more than 60 years.
Today, our remodeling team serves homeowners throughout Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Westmoreland County, with projects ranging from kitchen and bathroom renovations to home additions, interior and exterior improvements, master suites, family rooms, and larger home transformations.
Thinking about buying a fixer-upper, or already have a home you’re ready to transform? Explore our remodeling services to see what’s possible, browse the Ricciuti Gallery for renovation inspiration, and contact Ricciuti Enterprise to start a conversation about turning your fixer-upper into a home you can love for years to come.
