Home Remodeling in New Canaan, CT
Make Your Dream Home a Reality
Contact Gerety Building & Restoration Today
A major renovation asks an existing home to support new needs without losing what already works. Rooms must connect logically, building systems must fit within existing conditions, and new materials should complement the original architecture. Gerety Building & Restoration helps New Canaan homeowners plan and execute substantial remodeling projects with coordinated design support, experienced craftsmanship, and direct project supervision.
Gerety has more than 40 years of experience in custom remodeling, additions, and historic restoration. We can manage a design-build process, collaborate with your architect or designer, and bring in engineering or other technical input when the proposed work requires it.
Home Renovation With a Whole-House View
Even when construction begins in one part of a house, decisions can affect spaces beyond it. A relocated stair may change circulation on two floors. A kitchen addition may affect exterior walls, drainage, structure, and adjoining rooms. New mechanical systems may need routes through finished areas.
We begin by understanding both the immediate project and the longer-term plan for the home. This helps clients decide what should be completed together, what can be prepared for a later phase, and where early investigation can reduce uncertainty.
Our remodeling capabilities include:
- Whole-home and multi-room renovations
- Additions and interior reconfiguration
- Kitchens, bathrooms, mudrooms, basements, and laundry rooms
- Custom carpentry, built-ins, staircases, and architectural woodwork
- Flooring, masonry, painting, roofing, and exterior improvements
- Historic restoration and sensitive integration of new work
- Garages, decks, pool houses, and outdoor living spaces
Every scope is tailored to the property and the client’s goals. This service list reflects our capabilities and does not suggest that every home requires every type of work.
Planning a Remodel in New Canaan
New Canaan’s Land Use Division includes Building, Health, Inland Wetlands, and Planning and Zoning. The Town also maintains a Historic District Commission, a Historical Review Committee, zoning and wetlands resources, and online permitting.
Which departments or reviews apply depends on the property and the proposed work. An interior finish update follows a different path from an addition, exterior alteration, change near regulated wetlands, or demolition. Gerety helps organize project documentation and construction coordination, while official interpretations and approvals remain with the Town and other authorities having jurisdiction.
Historic Review and Demolition Planning
New Canaan’s Demolition Delay Ordinance adds review requirements when a demolition permit concerns a structure that is at least 500 square feet and at least 50 years old. Under the Town Code, a pertinent objection can lead to Historical Review Committee consideration. If the Committee finds historical, architectural, or cultural significance, demolition may be delayed for up to 90 days.
Gerety helps clients navigate these early planning stages by confirming the structure’s age, the proposed scope, and applicable review requirements before significant project commitments are made. If demolition may be delayed or you prefer to preserve the home’s architectural character, our team can explore renovation or restoration approaches that address your functional goals while retaining significant historic fabric.
By assessing these factors early, we help reduce uncertainty and align the project strategy with the property’s specific historic context.
Our Home Remodeling Process
Every home renovation requires careful planning and clear communication. Our process uses structured collaboration, experienced project management, and detailed construction oversight to translate the client’s goals into a coordinated scope of work.
Understand the Home and the Goals
We discuss the household's priorities, existing layout, known problems, desired changes, and any drawings or reports already available. For larger renovations, we also look at how the project affects circulation, structure, building systems, and exterior conditions.
Develop and Coordinate the Design
Gerety can collaborate with the client’s existing architect or designer, or help coordinate appropriate design and technical professionals. Existing-condition investigation, structural input, and material decisions are integrated as the scope develops.
Define Scope and Prepare for Review
We organize construction information, clarify responsibilities, identify unresolved decisions, and support the documentation needed for applicable permits. For work involving additions, exterior changes, regulated areas, or demolition, the required review process should be confirmed before construction commitments are made.
Build With Direct Supervision
Owner Keith Gerety supervises projects directly. Our team coordinates trades, documents changes, communicates about upcoming decisions, and pays close attention to how new work meets existing construction.
Manage Occupied-Home Logistics
Some remodeling can proceed while the household remains in place, while other scopes make temporary relocation more practical. Access, dust control, utility interruptions, work zones, and family needs are discussed during planning. Gerety works to maintain a neat site, but the appropriate occupancy plan depends on the actual work.
Complete and Follow Up
At completion, we review the work, address documented closeout items, and provide follow-up in accordance with the agreed project scope. Applicable final inspections and approvals are also coordinated within that scope.
Why Existing-Home Experience Matters
Home renovation often reveals conditions that drawings alone cannot show. Previous alterations, concealed framing, aging utilities, and material transitions can influence the work. A contractor’s role is to investigate existing conditions appropriately, communicate what is known and unknown, and adapt the work without losing sight of the broader plan.
Gerety’s restoration background and custom carpentry capabilities are useful when a remodel must retain original details, recreate missing elements, or make new spaces feel at home within an established structure. You can explore our portfolio of recent work before scheduling a conversation.
How Much Does Home Remodeling Cost in New Canaan, CT?
No two remodeling projects require the same investment. Cost is influenced by the home’s existing condition, the size of the renovation, structural modifications, mechanical and electrical upgrades, finish selections, custom millwork, and the level of design coordination required. For New Canaan homes, additional factors such as historic considerations, regulated wetlands, grading, site constraints, permit requirements, or phased construction can also affect planning and overall cost. The most reliable way to establish a realistic budget is through a review of the property and project goals. An on-site evaluation allows us to identify existing conditions, discuss priorities, and develop an investment range based on the actual scope rather than broad pricing estimates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of home remodeling does Gerety provide?
Gerety provides whole-home renovations, home additions, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, basement finishing, historic home restoration, custom carpentry and millwork, outdoor living projects, and other custom residential renovation services. We tailor each project to the home’s architecture, condition, and the homeowner’s goals.
Can Gerety work with our architect or interior designer?
Yes. We regularly collaborate with architects, interior designers, engineers, and other consultants selected by our clients. If your project team is not yet assembled, we can help identify the professional support appropriate for the scope and complexity of the work.
Will our New Canaan remodel need permits?
It depends on the scope of work. Structural changes, additions, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, demolition, exterior modifications, and work involving wetlands or regulated areas may require permits or additional reviews. We help coordinate the permitting process, while project-specific requirements should be confirmed with the Town of New Canaan Land Use Division.
Can we renovate in phases?
Often, yes. Many larger renovations are completed in phases to align with budgets, schedules, or household needs. The best results come from planning the full project upfront so structural work, building systems, and finishes remain coordinated across each phase.
Can we live in our home during the renovation?
Whether you can remain in your home depends on the scope and nature of the work. For smaller or isolated projects, we can often manage work zones and dust control while the household remains in place. For larger renovations involving significant demolition or utility interruptions, temporary relocation may be more practical. During planning, we discuss your household’s needs and the project logistics to determine an appropriate occupancy plan.
Plan Your New Canaan Renovation
Whether you are beginning to explore your options or already have a clear vision and completed plans, we welcome the opportunity to discuss your project. Tell us what you want to change, which challenges the existing home presents, and how the finished space should support your daily life.
An initial conversation allows us to review your property, clarify the scope of work, assess the project’s design status, and determine the most useful next step.
Make Your Dream Home a Reality
Contact Gerety Building & Restoration Today