Remodeling Tips & Resources | Ember Works Rochester NY

Aug 10

Front Entry Doors and Porticos: Curb Appeal That Starts at the Door

Your front door is the most looked-at square footage you own, and in most Rochester homes it is leaking air. Here is how to fix both problems at once.

Aug 8

Heating and Cooling a New Addition: Options for Western New York

You cannot always just tap the existing furnace. Ducts, returns, and capacity decide whether your new room is comfortable or the coldest in the house.

Aug 6

Insulating a Rochester Century Home: What Actually Works

The cold bedroom over the porch is not bad luck, it is the building envelope. Air seal first, then insulate, and know the moisture rules before you start.

Aug 5

Attic Conversions: Turning Rochester's Unused Top Floor Into Living Space

Headroom, floor joists, roof framing, and the stair decide whether your attic converts. Here is how to find out before you fall in love with the idea.

Aug 1

Bathroom Ventilation and Moisture Control: Beating Western New York Humidity

Mildew on the grout, peeling paint, a musty smell that will not quit. In a tightly sealed Western New York home, beating bathroom moisture is a fight you have to ...

Jul 28

Small Bathroom Remodels: Making Every Inch Count in Rochester Homes

Small bathrooms are the norm in Rochester, not the exception. A smart remodel can make one feel dramatically larger and work far better, often within its existing footprint.

Jul 25

The Powder Room: Big Style in Your Home's Smallest Room

The powder room is the one bathroom your guests actually use, and its tiny size lets you be bold in a way you never could in a full bath without ...

Jul 21

Heated Bathroom Floors: Are They Worth It in a Western New York Winter?

Stepping onto an ice-cold tile floor on a January morning is a small daily misery radiant heat erases. Few upgrades deliver as much everyday pleasure per dollar in our climate.

Jul 18

Walk-In Shower or Tub-Shower Combo? Choosing for Your Rochester Bathroom

Keep a tub or go to a full walk-in shower? The right answer shapes the look, cost, and resale value of your bathroom for years. Here is how to decide ...

Jul 14

Kitchen Flooring That Survives Rochester Winters

Salt, slush, and boot traffic are brutal on a kitchen floor. A finish that looks gorgeous in the showroom can be a regret by its second February. Here is what ...

Jul 11

Custom, Semi-Custom, or Stock: Choosing Kitchen Cabinets for Your Budget

Cabinets are the biggest line item in most kitchen remodels. The difference between stock, semi-custom, and custom is thousands of dollars and, sometimes, whether it fits your house.

Jul 7

Small Kitchen, Big Impact: Remodeling Rochester's Compact Kitchens

A small kitchen is not a lost cause, and you do not always need to blow out a wall. With smart design, a compact kitchen can feel open and look ...

Jul 4

Cabinet Refacing vs. Replacement: Which Is Right for Your Rochester Kitchen?

Refacing can save thousands and weeks of disruption. Replacement can transform a kitchen in ways refacing never will. Here is how to know which situation you are in.

Jul 1

Kitchen Islands That Actually Work: Sizing, Seating, and Function for Rochester Kitchens

The difference between an island you love and one you resent comes down to a few dimensions and decisions made before anyone picks a countertop. Here is how to get ...

Jun 29

Planning a Fall Remodel in Rochester? Mid-Summer Is the Time to Start

It's the middle of summer in Rochester. The deck is in use, the garden's going, and the last thing on your mind is October. But if you've been picturing a ...

Jun 27

Deck Maintenance 101: Protecting Your Investment Through Western New York's Seasons

A deck in Western New York lives a hard life. It bakes through July afternoons, drinks up weeks of autumn rain, disappears under lake-effect snow for months, and then gets ...

Jun 25

Backsplash Ideas That Elevate Your Kitchen Remodel

Here's a kitchen-remodel truth that surprises a lot of homeowners: the backsplash is one of the smallest line items in the project, and one of the biggest visual payoffs. Cabinets ...

Jun 23

Repairing vs. Replacing Original Woodwork in Rochester's Older Homes

Walk through almost any home in the South Wedge, Park Avenue, Maplewood, or the older streets of Webster, Fairport, and Pittsford, and you'll find something builders simply don't produce anymore: ...

Jun 21

Second-Story Additions: When Building Up Beats Building Out in Rochester

You love your neighborhood. The street, the schools, the ten-minute drive to work, the neighbors who wave when you're shoveling in January. What you don't love is the square footage. ...

Jun 19

How to Set a Realistic Remodeling Budget (and Actually Stick to It)

Ask any Rochester homeowner who's been through a remodel what surprised them most, and the answer is rarely the paint color or the tile choice. It's the money. Not necessarily ...