Upper Arlington has a character that sets it apart from newer Columbus suburbs. The homes here have history. A lot of them were built in the mid-twentieth century, and they’ve accumulated decades of updates, additions, and changes that don’t always work together as a cohesive whole. That creates a specific kind of remodeling challenge. It’s not just about choosing cabinets and countertops. It’s about being in the know of the structure of an older home, working within its constraints, and producing a result that feels current without erasing what makes the home worth keeping.
We work with Upper Arlington homeowners on kitchen renovations, bathroom remodels, and broader home renovation projects. Our team has experience with the structural considerations that come with older housing stock, including load-bearing wall work, outdated electrical and plumbing systems, and floor plans that need reconfiguration to function the way a modern household expects.
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The kitchens in Upper Arlington homes were designed for a different era. Most of them were built as closed, compartmentalized spaces when open-concept layouts weren’t yet standard. For homeowners who want a kitchen that connects to the dining or living area, that often means structural work before any finish selections get made.
We handle that structural work as part of our kitchen renovation process. Removing or modifying load-bearing walls, installing LVL beams, reconfiguring traffic flow, and expanding the kitchen footprint are all projects our team has completed in Upper Arlington homes. We coordinate with engineers when structural changes require it and pull all necessary permits through the City of Columbus.
One of the most requested changes in Upper Arlington kitchen renovations is removing the wall between the kitchen and an adjacent room. Done correctly, this opens up sightlines, improves natural light, and makes the kitchen feel like a genuine part of the main living area rather than a separate working space tucked off to the side. We assess each wall individually to determine what’s structural and what isn’t before anything comes down, and we document all of that work through the proper permitting process.
Older Upper Arlington kitchens often have original cabinetry or cabinets that were replaced cheaply at some point in the past. In either case, the storage tends to be inefficient and the construction quality tends to be dated. We replace cabinets with systems that include soft-close hardware, full-extension drawer slides, pull-out pantry shelves, and interior organizers sized for how the household actually uses the kitchen.
We work with custom, semi-custom, and stock cabinet options depending on the project budget. For Upper Arlington kitchen renovations that involve structural changes and a full reconfiguration, semi-custom cabinets tend to hit the right balance of quality and cost.
Upper Arlington homeowners tend to gravitate toward finishes that hold up over time without being trendy in a way that dates quickly. Quartz and granite remain strong choices for countertops. For flooring, hardwood and tile are both popular options. When replacing flooring in an older home, matching existing floors or refinishing what’s already there is often the right call, and we assess those options honestly rather than defaulting to full replacement.
Bathrooms in Upper Arlington homes vary a lot depending on when updates were last made. Some have been partially renovated at different points and end up with a mix of fixture generations that don’t quite work together. Others are fully original and haven’t been touched in decades. Both situations are ones we handle regularly.
A full bathroom renovation in an Upper Arlington home typically involves replacing everything: tile, flooring, vanity, fixtures, lighting, and in some cases reconfiguring the layout. We start with a thorough assessment of the existing plumbing and electrical to identify anything that needs to be brought up to current code before new materials go in. This is particularly important in older homes where plumbing configurations don’t always meet current standards.
We build walk-in showers, tub surrounds, and tub-to-shower conversions for Upper Arlington bathrooms. For primary bathrooms that haven’t been updated in a long time, converting an original tub-shower combo into a dedicated walk-in shower tends to be one of the most impactful changes in terms of both daily function and resale value.
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A number of our Upper Arlington clients are long-term homeowners who want to stay in their homes as they age. We install grab bars, walk-in shower configurations, curbless shower entries, and other features that make bathrooms safer and more accessible. We follow ADA guidelines and local code requirements on all of this work.
The most important thing we do in Upper Arlington is take the time to understand what’s actually there before committing to a plan. Older homes have surprises, outdated wiring, plumbing that doesn’t meet current code, framing that doesn’t follow modern standards, or structural configurations that require engineering input before changes can be made. We find those things during the assessment phase rather than mid-project, which keeps timelines and budgets from going sideways.
We handle all permits and inspections and keep homeowners informed throughout the process.
We serve Upper Arlington and surrounding communities including Dublin, Grandview Heights, Worthington, Hilliard, Powell, and the broader Columbus metro area. If you’re ready to talk through a kitchen or home renovation project, we offer free in-home consultations.
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Service Areas: Columbus, Dublin, Powell, New Albany, Westerville, Worthington, Upper Arlington.
