How to Remodel Your Philly Rowhome for a Post-COVID World

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many different parts of life for families in Philadelphia, including the ever-important relationship to home.

While spending more time in your property this year, you’ve likely considered several improvements you could make so the space better supports your mental, emotional, and physical health and wellbeing. Even after the pandemic subsides, these residential upgrades will offer sustained value by increasing the comfort and convenience of your Philadelphia rowhome for years to come.

Home Remodeling Ideas Sparked by COVID-19

As a result of COVID-19, homeowners are looking for ways to make their houses cleaner and safer in preparation for future health events. The pandemic has also affected how homes function in order to support some new daily routines. Many professionals are still working remotely while their children are more likely to include distance learning in their studies rather than attending school entirely in the classroom. You also may be spending more hours at home as opposed to going to restaurants, cultural attractions, and entertainment venues.

As you consider upgrading your rowhouse in Philadelphia, here are few remodeling ideas that can benefit you and your family during and after the pandemic:

1. Adding a Mudroom or Utility Room 

Post pandemic mudrooms are gaining popularity in modern households because they provide a staging area where family members can remove their shoes and coats and even wash up before entering the main part of the home, interacting with other people, and touching interior surfaces. Taking care of these activities outside of the living areas can help reduce the spread of germs inside the household . Not enough space for a mudroom? Traditional rowhouse foyers can often be redesigned and expanded to include more storage and closet space.

2. Home Offices and Classrooms 

The degree to which children will return schools for instruction and professionals will resume work at their place of employment depends      on those institutions. However, there are now increased expectations that your home will have designated workspace and study areas. Specific areas for completing assignments and working on the computer, not to mention separate rooms for continued video sessions for work- and school-related activities. Remodeling can create an extra room in your house to serve as an office or classroom providing a place where you and your children can get the space and privacy you need to focus and be productive. Sound insulation is also getting a boost in popularity.

3. Touchless Technology and Appliances 

Although less concerning post covid, germs that collect on high touch surfaces have become the focus of many residential design products. Aside from the many wifi enabled home products controlled by smart phones, dozens of products are making their way from commercial use into the home. We are already used to smart toilets, motion-activated bathroom faucets, automated soap and paper towel dispensers, touchless trash bins and touchless light switches. All of these are now available to you in your home, in addition to smart home devices like kitchen appliances and HVAC controls. Although automating too many things would be silly, integrating certain types of technology into your Philadelphia rowhome helps make it more hygienic, convenient, and often eco-friendly by reducing your utility bills. Many of these devices require no professional installation - assuming you are comfortable following instructions (which is not for everyone!).

4. Home Gyms 

Home gyms are quickly becoming one of the most popular remodeling projects in a post- Covid world. For many, stay-at-home orders combined with no access to gyms, yoga studios, or other fitness centers made it a real challenge to maintain an active lifestyle or exercise routine. By building a home gym, you have exclusive and assured access to the space and equipment you need, regardless of whether public recreation and fitness centers are shut down.

5. Improving Ventilation 

Toxic gasses (like carbon monoxide) dust, and other airborne particles are taxing your lungs and your body. Upgrades to your home's ventilation and circulation will improve indoor air quality. While these investments may not be the flashiest of remodeling ideas, they are very important, as the pandemic has demonstrated. When spending significant time indoors, poor air quality can have detrimental effects on your respiratory system and cause other issues for your family's health and wellbeing. Take the opportunity to investigate your indoor air quality and identify ways to improve circulation and reduce moisture, mold, and mildew. A BPI certified home energy audit is a good place to begin learning.

6. Adding More Outdoor Living Space 

Being stuck at home for days on end isn’t so bad when your home supports an appealing blend of indoor-outdoor living. If your Philadelphia rowhome is lacking in comfortable exterior space, now is a good time to add a rooftop deck, a patio with a smokeless fire pit, or a covered porch. Your design-build remodeler can help you determine what sort of outdoor living is suitable for your property, depending on the size of your home and yard, your proximity to the property line, and other factors.

7. Remodeling Your Kitchen 

Kitchens have already assumed a central role in the life of modern families, and the pandemic has only served to solidify their importance. However, after months of increased cooking, dining, and socializing at home, you may have discovered several ways your kitchen could be improved to better serve its variety of functions. Additionally, your kitchen likely experienced extra wear and tear that needs to be repaired. With a customized kitchen remodeling project, you can fix up the space and make upgrades or tackle a major makeover that transforms the function and form of the room.

Updating Your Philadelphia Rowhome Post-COVID

No matter how your relationship to your Philadelphia rowhome has changed over the past year - whether you’ve grown fonder of the space or more critical of its shortcomings - there are numerous ways to upgrade your property for the post-COVID era. Bellweather Construction specializes in a wide range of high-quality design-build projects, from basement conversions and deck additions to kitchen, bathroom, and whole-home remodels. Based on your project priorities, budget, and timeline, we can help you develop a project that enhances the value of your home and makes it a better fit for your family.