Home Remodeling Feasibility

Costs, ROI, and Smarter Planning in Woodinville

Let’s talk about home remodeling feasibility. This is where every project should start. Before you design anything, you need to understand what

you are getting into. Cost, timeline, and expectations all matter. If you skip this step, you risk making decisions without clarity.  Filmed at The Hollywood Tavern, Mike Tenhulzen with Tenhulzen Remodeling and Troy Anderson with TEND Home Team break down what homeowners must know before remodeling or buying.

Start with the right question.

Most homeowners ask, “What will this cost?” That matters. However, it is not the only question. You also need to ask what you want from the home. Are you improving your lifestyle? Are you planning to sell later?

Home remodeling feasibility connects those answers to a real plan. At the same time, buyers often choose location first. Then, they figure out how to make the home work.

Understand the tradeoffs early of a home remodel

Every remodel comes down to three things. Speed. Quality. Cost. You can choose two. You cannot have all three. So, you need to decide what matters most. At the beginning, most people focus on cost. However, that changes. As the project moves forward, people value communication, safety, and quality more. Because of this, you should set expectations early. That leads to a better experience.

needs to focus on resale. Some homeowners choose to invest in how they live. You just need to know the difference before you start.

Why people remodel anyway

Most people do not want to remodel. They want a finished home. However, inventory does not always cooperate. So, people buy the location they want and improve the house later. This is where home remodeling feasibility becomes critical. You need to

understand cost, timeline, and disruption. You also need to think about how long you will stay. Many homeowners plan for a forever home. However, life shifts. Jobs change. Families grow. Because of this, you should plan with flexibility in mind.

Build with clarity

A successful remodel starts with clear priorities. What matters most to you? How long can you live through construction? What level of finish do you expect? Once you answer those questions, you can build a plan that fits. From there, strong communication keeps the project on track. It also reduces surprises.

Home remodeling feasibility gives you a clear starting point. It helps you make informed decisions. When you understand the numbers and the tradeoffs, you build with confidence.

2025 Chrysalis Award Winner

Hollywood Manor Steals the Spotlight

We’re thrilled to announce that Tenhulzen Residential is the 2025 Chrysalis Award Winner for Residential Addition Over $250,000. This national honor recognizes excellence in design, creativity, and craftsmanship. Our winning project? None other than the dazzling Hollywood Manor.

This award isn’t just a plaque on the wall. It’s a celebration of the vision, planning, and detail poured into every inch of this extraordinary home.

From Rambler to Award-Winning

It all started with a modest 1950s rambler. Two bedrooms. One bath. Plenty of potential. The homeowners dreamed big, and we were ready to direct the feature-length remodel.

We didn’t tear it down—we transformed it. Working closely with King County, we designed a 5,200-square-foot addition in classic modern farmhouse style. The original home became an office and storage suite. The new addition took center stage, earning ovations from everyone who sees it.

that’s pure cinematic beauty.

Upstairs, themed guest suites offer private decks, fireplaces, and spa-style bathrooms. A three-stop elevator adds convenience and charm. Even the mechanical systems were carefully hidden for a seamless experience.

This wasn’t just a remodel — it was a reinvention!

The Judges Were Impressed

The Chrysalis Awards are among the most prestigious in the remodeling industry. Entries are judged on design, execution, and innovation.

Ken Kanline, Director of the Chrysalis Awards, shared:

“To win in this highly competitive category is quite an achievement.”

We’re honored to accept this recognition. Hollywood Manor truly represents what we strive for at Tenhulzen Residential—creativity, craftsmanship, and customized luxury.

Your Award-Winning Remodel Awaits

At Tenhulzen Residential, we don’t just renovate homes—we tell stories through design. Hollywood Manor was a story of transformation, vision, and excellence. And now, it’s a 2025 Chrysalis Award winner.

If you’re dreaming of an award-worthy remodel, we’re ready to bring your vision to life. Whether it’s a full addition, a kitchen overhaul, or a show-stopping outdoor space, our team is here to guide the way.

Ready to start your award-winning home remodel?
Visit us at tenhulzen.com to learn more.

Puget Sound Remodeling Trends

Remodeling Trends in Puget Sound: A 2025 Outlook

As we approach 2025, the Puget Sound remodeling trends are witnessing a surge in home remodeling projects. With new home construction slowing down and an aging housing stock, the National Association of Home Builders reports homeowners are increasingly turning to renovations to create their dream spaces.

Personalization Takes Center Stage

Gone are the days of cookie-cutter designs. The trend towards personalization is at the forefront, with Puget Sound homeowners embracing their individuality.  They are creating spaces that reflect their unique personalities and lifestyles. This is evident in bold color choices, including the popular “color drenching” technique, dramatic wallpapers that make a statement.  As well as custom-built features tailored to specific needs and preferences. Bold color choices, including the popular “color drenching” technique and dramatic wallpapers that make a statement along with custom-built features tailored to specific needs and preferences.

As remodelers, Tenhulzen Residential is excited to help clients bring their visions to life, no matter how unique or unconventional they may be.

Bathroom Sanctuaries

Bathrooms are no longer just utilitarian spaces, with Puget Sound remodeling trends focusing homeowners to transform them into personal spa retreats. Popular features include luxurious shower experiences with multiple showerheads and body sprays, Freestanding soaking tubs for ultimate relaxation and natural stone and wood elements for a calming atmosphere.  In the same vein showing patterned and artisan tiles that add character and visual interest. These spa-inspired bathrooms offer a daily escape from the stresses of modern life.

The ROI Factor

While personal enjoyment is a primary driver for many remodeling projects, homeowners in the Puget Sound area are also considering return on investment. According to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report for Seattle:

• Minor kitchen remodels offer an impressive 129.4% cost recouped
• Bathroom remodels provide a solid 80.7% return
• Manufactured stone veneer installations yield a 146.1% cost recouped

These figures suggest that strategic remodeling choices can not only enhance living spaces but also boost property values in the competitive Puget Sound real estate market.

As we look ahead to 2025, the remodeling industry in Puget Sound is poised for continued growth and innovation. Homeowners are investing in their properties, creating personalized, nature-inspired spaces that reflect the region’s unique character and meet the evolving needs of modern living. For remodelers, this presents exciting opportunities to showcase creativity, craftsmanship, and a deep understanding of local preferences and trends.

Cost vs Value 2024

Navigating the 2024 Remodeling Landscape: Cost vs. Value in Seattle

As a homeowner in the Seattle metro area, you know that remodeling costs are, well, significant. But how do you ensure you’re making smart investments that enhance your home’s value and your lifestyle? Let’s dive into the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report and see what it reveals about today’s remodeling landscape.

Understanding the Numbers: A Shift in Perspective

The Cost vs. Value Report is an invaluable tool. For nearly two decades, it’s given homeowners insight into remodeling costs relative to potential resale value. But here’s the key takeaway for 2024: the average cost recouped has diminished across the board. Why? Because homeowners aren’t just remodeling for resale anymore. They’re creating spaces they love, designed for their own enjoyment.

In Seattle, we’re seeing dramatic cost increases. A typical guest bath remodel averages around $80,000, compared to $55,000 a decade ago. And a primary bath renovation now rivals a major kitchen remodel from 2014, costing upwards of $150,000. While it can feel daunting, remember these projects are creating personalized sanctuaries.

Prioritizing Your ROI: Smart Investments in 2024

So, how do you maximize your return on investment? Consider these strategies:

 

• Focus on Function and Style: While recaptured value may be down, smart improvements still pay off, especially with smaller more modest projects. Think a fresh coat of paint, new fixtures in the bathroom, or a minor kitchen refresh. These upgrades can dramatically improve your enjoyment of the space and boost curb appeal without breaking the bank.
• Energy-Efficient Upgrades: With rising energy costs, energy-efficient upgrades like new windows (recouping around 67% for vinyl, 63% for wood), smart thermostats, and improved insulation will not only lower your utility bills but also add value to your home.
• Curb Appeal Boosters: Projects like garage door replacements (193.9%) and manufactured stone veneer (153.2%) continue to offer excellent returns, enhancing your home’s curb appeal and making a strong first impression.
• Consider a smaller less invasive Kitchen Remodel: With a Minor Kitchen Remodel recouping 96% of costs, they offer the best investment for this sector of home improvement.

Remodel for Yourself, But Remodel Smart

Ultimately, the best remodeling projects are those that enhance your lifestyle and bring you joy. While resale value is still a factor to consider, don’t let it dictate your decisions entirely. Do your research, prioritize your needs and wants, and partner with a reputable contractor, like Tenhulzen Residential, who can guide you through the process and help you make informed decisions. With careful planning and a focus on quality, you can create a home that you’ll love for years to come, regardless of market fluctuations.

Maximizing Time in the Remodeling Process

If you’re considering a home remodel, you know that it can be a stressful and time-consuming process. Maximizing time in the remodeling process is a critical component that often causes homeowners’ stress. Not only do you need time to get to know how your house lives throughout the seasons, but you also need to take the necessary time through design.

The Importance of Design

Design is a crucial part of any home remodel. Rushing through the design/build process can result in regret and remorse later on. We always caution our pre-move-in customers to avoid rushing through this phase of the process. Taking the necessary time during design ensures that you’ll end up with a finished product that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.

Financial Strategies

Financial strategies for home remodeling vary, but one common approach is to live in the house during construction. However, this can become increasingly difficult as projects become more invasive. Alternatives include renting a nearby home during construction or going on an extended vacation. Another option is to begin renovations immediately after closing on your purchase.

Soft Costs vs Hard Costs

Every project has soft costs and hard costs, which are important to consider regardless of financing options. Soft costs include relocating furniture and utilities during construction while hard costs are generally represented by the amount of the construction agreement.

Total costs are generally much less when you occupy before remodeling because it allows you to complete the renovation project in stages rather than all at once. By occupying the space during the renovation, you can avoid additional expenses associated with temporary housing and storage of your belongings. Additionally, living in the space during the renovation process allows for more flexibility in terms of scheduling and budgeting, as you can prioritize which areas of the home to renovate first based on your needs and available resources. This approach can also help identify any unforeseen issues or changes that may arise during the renovation process, allowing for adjustments to be made before significant time and money have been invested.

Whole-House Projects

If you’re considering a whole-house project, we recommend doing so when the house is empty if possible – i.e., newly acquired. This is because new floors, paint, etc., requires vacating most personal items. However, without having spent time living in the house, it’s difficult to envision the best solutions for individualized needs.

We recommend taking adequate time during design and maximizing time throughout the remodeling process to help minimize stress and ensure a successful outcome for any home renovation project.

Starting with the first reported local COVID-19 case in January, our region has experienced unprecedented shut-downs of business activity. As the science and health communities continue to stress the importance of limiting the spread of this virus, government agencies are beginning the process of opening up lower risk private sector industries.

The residential construction industry is expected to be among those allowed to re-start in the first phase of Governor’s pending recovery plan. This means that stalled projects are likely to re-start within the next 2-3 weeks.

It also means that the flood gates of pent-up demand are likely to overwhelm small to medium-sized remodeling companies for the next few months.

Like fueling up your vehicle prior to a snow storm, we are encouraging our entire customer base to not get caught in the masses by waiting too long.

If you have a home improvement idea or two, watch this video about Michael Tenhulzen outlining how long the process can be from the time you first make contact to when construction actually starts.

We are here to work through our customer workflow on a first-come first-served basis. Inquiries can be made on our contact page: tenhulzen.com/contact

We’ve been tracking lumber, labor and fuel prices for the past several years as a trend indicator for residential construction costs. The dramatic drop in lumber over the past couple months, combined with a lagging and less significant drop at the pump suggests the best deals will be limited to the next several months.

If you haven’t already dreamed up your home improvement project and on track to have built before the end of the year, you may be missing the highest investment potential of the decade.

A depressed market followed by potentially high demand indicates an increase in construction costs. This is a simple equation of supply & demand. Currently, the supply is higher than demand, but as that dial starts going the other direction, capitalism inevitably takes over.

Those projects with pricing locked in prior to Q3 of this year will get the best bargains. Especially as financial markets are assisting with the recovery.

There is no substitute for having extra time.

Our customers are enjoying being able to focus on the improvements to their homes. Virtual meeting platforms give us the flexibility to continue the design process without risk of cross-contamination. Although most of our world is planning to shut down, we will continue to operate our pre-production process in effort to be ready to start construction when given permission to do so.

Zoom has proven to be a wonderful platform to convey the design process. By sharing a screen, the two and three dimensional layouts are displayed in an interactive way.

Even materials are being selected on-screen. For the tactile confirmation of finish materials, we are comfortable delivering to our customer’s doorsteps.

Our entire team is excited to maintain our design process performance throughout the next few weeks.

While quarantined and working from home, we find lots of time to dream about what our homes could be.

Whether your needs are upgrades, repairs or complete replacement, we have the experience to help with inspiration. And not just to accommodate today’s needs, but to think through how the improvements will function as the needs change over time.

The planning phase can take a few months, so we recommend starting the process. For example, if you were to initiate contact today, we would schedule the initial consultation within 2 to 3 weeks. Following acceptance of your design agreement, the site measure would be scheduled for roughly 4-6 weeks out.

This is a kitchen addition that allows for a cornerless corner folding window system.

A 3-foot addition makes the kitchen feel double the size, and adds lots of features like added storage, improved lighting and fun personality. Inset cabinetry with creme and chocolate glazed cabinetry is accented by granite countertops and glass tile in a vertical subway pattern.

We can engage with design concepts over the phone or in a virtual meeting.

As we all go through this challenging time, we encourage you to maintain a glass half-full attitude and wish you all a happy and healthy St. Patrick’s Day.

Bigger is not always better.

When a home starts to feel like its not functioning the way it is supposed to, the natural tendency is to add more space. But more square footage does not necessarily mean a more spacious or efficient house.

Instead of raising the bridge, consider lowering the river. That is to say, instead of adding another room, try transforming existing rooms into spaces with dual purpose.

Remodeling is a Green building process by nature. Existing homes have an established footprint, reducing environmental impact to their environment when modified.

Historically, homes have been built with specific purpose rooms: dining room, living room, family room, etc. So, what if these rooms were designed for multiple purposes? Would our homes then need to be as large to accommodate the same functions and number of people?

A recent case study is of a family of 5, who wanted a media room added on to the back of the garage, adjacent to the living room.

 

Thorough consultation revealed that the family room, inside the front door to the right, was only used for holiday gatherings. This made for inefficient unused space that was a net loss in cost value of heating and furnishing the room.

 

“Everyone comes in the front door and turns left toward the kitchen and living room” reported the homeowner.

 

As a result, an 8-foot diagonal motorized screen retracts into the ceiling of new custom library cabinetry surrounding the fireplace in the old family room. And with the click of 2 buttons and a dimmable light switch, the furnished library converts to a home theatre.

 

“The family has been using the room a lot more” the owner later reported, happily adding that the efficiency of the home was improved without
spending 3x more for the addition.

 

Our advice: If an addition is necessary, make sure it doesn’t prevent proper flow with the existing home. Otherwise, it can feel unnecessarily disconnected.