The Insider: Columbia Waterfront District Reno Goes DIY

A couple with three young kids renovated a four-story rowhouse that had not been updated in decades. They lived on the two lower floors and rented out the two upper floors to create income. Coughlin Scheel Architects handled major work while the homeowners completed much of the physical labor themselves, especially refreshing the rental apartments. The husband performed electrical work with his father, and both partners contributed to the project. Renovation included opening the rear facade on the parlor level and adding a steel-and-glass wall with doors to a new steel deck. A new open rear kitchen was created with floor-to-ceiling storage and a maple island, while windows, wide plank oak flooring, and HVAC upgrades were completed by professionals. Kid-focused decor and homemade art shaped the home’s unpretentious feel.

"It's still possible for a couple with three young kids on a limited budget to transform a four-story row house that hadn't seen renovation in decades into a cheerful family home with income-producing units - as long as they're willing to DIY."

"They wanted to own a multi-family townhouse and were totally okay with a project. They weren't looking to do a highly finished, museum-like renovation. She's in a creative field; he's an attorney who was brought up doing construction. They both did a lot of physical work on the house, especially upstairs, to refresh the two rental apartments. The husband did all the electrical with his father. The whole spirit was a team effort."

"Coughlin Scheel opened up the rear facade on the parlor level, inserting a steel-and-glass wall with a pair of doors leading to a new steel deck off the back. The architects also laid out a new open kitchen at the rear of the parlor floor, with floor-to-ceiling storage and a maple island. Installing new windows and wide plank oak flooring, and upgrading HVAC for all three units, was also left to the pros."

"The unpretentious, kid-centric decor is the homeowners' doing. The front half of the parlor floor is "very salon-like, with homemade art by the kids," Coughlin said. There's also space for the family's piano, books, and bikes."

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