Whether it’s adding outdoor spaces for relaxation, adding another room for functionality, changing aesthetics to update the look of your home or making improvements for energy efficiency and savings on utility bills, this is the time of year to get it done.
Griffitts Construction and Buraski Builders are both family-owned and operated businesses that have been a part of the Springfield area for generations.
Dennis Griffitts of Griffitts Construction, 1501 N. Dirksen Parkway, says the company is receiving numerous calls from homeowners interested in insulated siding and replacement windows. He said in addition to giving your home a fresh look, those upgrades improve energy efficiency and have sound-dampening qualities.
“Window styles that are currently popular have a more simple look with clearer views,” Griffitts said.
The grid pattern is known as one horizontal and one vertical, which differs from the multiple panes that have been popular for quite some time. Darker colors on exterior products are also trending, but Griffitts recommends paying attention to the quality of the product, as darker colors can fade over time, especially if the product is f lesser quality.
With a shortage of available inventory of homes for sale and home prices climbing, many homeowners in the Springfield area are investing in their current home instead of moving or building, according to Jason Buraski of Buraski Builders, 3757 S. Sixth St.
“We are seeing people do projects such as screening in a porch, which is an economical way to claim some space away from the bugs,” he said. “Front porch conversions are also very popular.”
This encloses the porch, allowing you to heat the porch in the colder weather and make it a three-season room. Another economical way to enhance the curb appeal of your home is to add a railing or columns to the front porch.
Both Griffitts and Buraski are getting requests from homeowners to change the color of the front door or do a complete door replacement.
Griffitts said, “There’s been an uptick in craftsman-style doors, which are stained to show the wood grain. Even fiberglass doors can have a wood-grain exterior.” Buraski agrees that the wood-grain stain on fiberglass is popular, but painting the front door is still in demand. Color can change the style of a home. Popular statement colors for entry doors are rich and dramatic such as deep blues, forest greens and striking reds.
“We’re also getting phone calls for guttering and gutter protection,” said Griffitts, which are gutter covers that redirect leaves and debris from settling into the gutter. Griffitts noted that local companies have competitive pricing as compared to national companies.
Buraski said his company did so many bathroom remodels in 2024 that they refer to it as “the year of the bathroom.” Buraski Builders is still getting many requests for bathroom remodeling, including shower remodels. Some people want the bathtub removed completely and replaced with a shower, while others want to revamp their existing tub and shower combination.
Buraski added that decks are very popular at this time of year, especially those made of composite decking. It has a higher initial cost as compared to wood decking, but is durable and low maintenance.
Other projects that Buraski Builders has on the schedule are en-suite additions (a private bathroom connected to a badroom) and laundry room remodels.
The good news is that if you’ve been thinking about doing a home improvement project, you might still be able to get it done this summer or fall. Griffitts said the industry has “rebounded well from the supply-chain issues of the pandemic, and we are not currently contending with long lead times. We generally have a two- to four-month turnaround, depending on the extent of the project.”
Buraski said his company is “booking roughly six months out. We try to work in smaller projects as our schedule permits.”
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This article appears in Home and Garden.
