Remodeling older homes in Marietta, Georgia

Many Marietta houses are old enough that a remodel is partly archaeology. Around the Square and the historic neighborhoods nearby, and in many mid-century streets across the city, we find plaster over lath, walls that are not square, and wiring from several decades. We also find additions that were built on without a permit, and a porch someone enclosed without enough headroom or insulation.

None of that is a reason not to remodel. It is a reason to price the job for the house you actually have. On the first walkthrough we look into the attic, the crawlspace, and the electrical panel before we talk about finishes. If a wall is carrying load, the beam goes in the proposal. If the panel has no room left, the upgrade is a line item. If an old addition was built wrong, you hear it from us before you hear it from an inspector.

What Marietta jobs usually involve

• Kitchen remodels in older framing, where floors are out of level and walls are out of plumb
• Bathrooms where a slow leak has already damaged the subfloor or joists
• Drywall and plaster repair that has to blend into walls that are not new-construction flat
• Additions and whole-floor remodels for families who would rather stay than move

Permits and historic districts

Properties inside Marietta city limits go through the city. Addresses in unincorporated Cobb go through the county. Houses in or near a historic district can face design review for exterior changes. We check which rules apply before drawing anything visible from the street.

The honest limit

If a house needs electrical work, structural repair, and a new kitchen, the budget has to cover all three, or the new kitchen sits on problems that will outlast it. We say that at the start. Occasionally that means the right answer is a smaller first phase.