The metro Houston skyline is filled with high-rise luxury condos, from the Galleria area to the greater downtown.
Concrete and glass modern luxury condo buildings paint the Houston landscape horizon, but their view advantages from the interior are even better.
The luxury condo provides a majestic view of the Houston skyline from a bird’s viewpoint can be breathtaking. It is this point of view and the easy lifestyles that attracts its affluent residents.
Although after you get past the actual panoramic vista of many of the older high rises and you begin to look closely at the unit’s interior, you begin to lose your enthusiasm.
The largest number of high rise interiors in Houston are dated and greatly in need of modern updating.
It’s time to make the interior of these apartments as stunning as their scenic views with a high rise remodel.
Luxury condo remodeling is a challenging task and requires planning and preparation, but it starts with envisioning what your luxury condo will look like completely renovated.
We will discuss the luxury home design process as part of the luxury condo remodel.
The first step in preparing for a home design is identifying high rise remodeling ideas that you want to emulate.
Having images of your luxury high rise remodeling ideas makes the design process more productive.
Letting the designer go through an endless count of concept schematics will only result in both of you being frustrated at the lack of process.
Being prepared with your design ideas and an investment budget amount for construction costs are essential requirements to advance to the actual custom home design process.
Luxury Condo Remodeling Requires a Remodeling Company and Home Designer in Houston
Luxury Condo Design
Before we get into the nuts and bolts of luxury condo remodeling, just a few more words about identifying inspiration for your remodeling design ideas.
This can be the most important step in the entire renovation process. Understanding your lifestyle is key to preparing for your high rise remodeling ideas.
How you will entertain and how you will spend your downtime goes a long way in developing a luxury condo to fit your needs.
The unique challenge with high rise condo modifications is that the building’s structures are engineered and built of steel and concrete.
This generally means that most of the interior walls are non-load bearing and will allow easy moving or eliminating completely.
The bad news is that the floors, ceiling, and envelope walls are made of concrete. This makes it difficult to move waste lines in kitchens and bathrooms, but not impossible.
It forces your remodeling contractor to use some creativity and imagination to achieve some design goals.
The high levels of sunlight from the curtain wall create a natural setting for producing a modern condo design.
The ability to install ornate architectural ceiling features, built in casework, and implementing a patterned floor can turn a dull apartment into a luxurious space.
Although typically small, the bathrooms can be cladded with stone and soaker tubs turned into oversized multiple use showers.
Since high rise condos commonly have open space floor plans, they have the potential to be converted into the contemporary space you always wanted.
Like designing and installing a chef styled kitchen that flows through the entire space. These are only a few of the high rise remodeling ideas available.
One of the disadvantages of living in a modern luxury condo is that they are often small spaces and have little storage space.
This makes it critical to use every inch of available space wisely. Wall unit built-ins are a great alternative for creating additional storage.
Taking the cabinetry to the ceilings and using the upper most sections of the cabinetry can provide you with plenty of additional storage without using living square footage for closets.
Condo Remodeling
Condo remodeling is a hybrid construction process that combines both residential home construction with commercial construction.
Items such as the building envelope, structure, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical fire sprinkler systems follow commercial building codes, whereas interior finishes and products typically are residential code compliant.
There are some special challenges to renovating a luxury condo that is uncommon in residential remodeling.
These are primarily logistical access related problems moving materials to the units. There are only 3 ways to move large materials to the units.
One is removing the façade glass from the exterior to load and unload materials.
The second is an elevator, which is fine provided the elevator is rated for the weight of bulk freight and has at least 8 ft high ceilings.
The third is using the stairways, which is very labor intensive. This logistic issue always creates additional costs and challenges.
Other construction issues that are unique to a luxury high rise remodel are the noise issues related to the construction process.
Because the residents are so close together, the noise and sound vibrations from common construction related services carry through to other units.
This limits the working time that certain items can be done and has the potential of creating a hostile working environment.
Moving trades and materials through the building can cause issues with other tenants.
These are not problems a remodeling contractor normally experiences in the home or commercial remodeling.
The final word on condo remodeling is that you not only are working with the owner but you are also required to work with the property management group representing the HOA.
The condo association rules for providing renovation services to a property owner vary from building to building.
Outside of the actual building rules, there are always the discretionary rules building management comes up with at times that are convenient for them to create.
These challenges make condo remodeling expensive and troublesome for all concerned.
Selecting a Remodeling Company
The remodeling company the owner hires is the most important decision the owner will make when attempting a luxury condo remodeling project.
The remodeling contractor is crucial to the project, due to the challenges we have discussed.
Their experience and knowledge are the primary factors the owner is counting on to execute the high rise remodel.
So how do you find the right remodeling company for you?
It starts with deciding if you want to have an architect or interior designer prepare your remodeling construction documents.
The other option available to owners is to hire a remodel company that provides design build services.
The design build construction method is when the owners hire a qualified remodeling contractor to provide both luxury home design and remodeling construction services.
A remodeling company that provides design build construction offers the owner a single point of contact through the entire design and condo remodeling process.
The design build approach saves the owner time and money by eliminating the possible expense of design errors and the need for redesigning due to bid amounts being substantially higher than the targeted investment budget set for design.
Once you have determined your approach toward creating design and construction documents, it is time to commission a short list of qualified remodeling companies to interview and prepare formal proposals for the project.
This begins by researching remodeling contractors that renovate condos. For the discussions we have presented finding qualified remodel contractors can take time and patience.
Once you have studied the remodeling companies’ websites, you want to have a phone conversation with them to determine if you may be like minded and think that their process is what you are looking for.
Now that you have created a list of 2 or 3 prequalified remodeling contractors you want to set up an interview at the high rise condo.
During the interview, you want to ask the remodeling contractors a list of prepared questions.
The goal is to determine if the remodeling contractor is like minded in their design capabilities and that their business acumen is consistent with yours.
You should have a comfort level and a high level of confidence and trust in your remodel company before you sign a contract.
The reason why it is important to trust and be comfortable with your remodeling contractor is that they should be considered as a trusted advisor when making design choices or construction detail decisions.
If you have doubts about your remodel company’s trust worthiness during a condo remodel, you are not likely to follow their recommendations.
Image having a doctor or attorney and not following their recommendations.
Conclusion
A high rise remodel can marketably increase your lifestyle pleasure while increasing your luxury condo’s value.
Although the space is usually small and restricted, with the proper inspiring high rise remodel ideas your home can be converted into a modern luxury condo.
Hiring the right remodeling company as your partner to renovate a condo is essential for the best results.
With the large number of non direct construction issues that can develop, you want a home remodel contractor that has experience and judgment to perform to your expectations.
