News — Before

“After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten Homeowners: Bellamy, an executive at The GAP, and Zak, a senior environmental scientist, posted their project on Sweeten Where: Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York Primary renovation: Three stories of a 2,400-square-foot Brooklyn brownstone Notable: Swapping the positions of their renovated garden rental and owners’ duplex Result: Better functionality for the two-family building Sweeten general contractor Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and financial protection—at no cost to the homeowner. Guest post by Sweeten homeowner Bellamy Finding their circa 1900 Brooklyn brownstone home After a grueling year-long...

If you want to have your way with a New York City apartment, “handyman special” is the phrase to look for in the listings. And that’s exactly what our discreet homeowners—we’ll call them MR and SV—found when they walked into this one-bedroom Kew Gardens, Queens co-op. The 1,000-square-foot unit was chock full of prewar features, but would make way for a clean and modern look focusing on the kitchen and bathroom. The renovators posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, and found the right contractor who elevated an outdated apartment into the 21st...

Brooke and Sam knew they were home when they walked into this 1,800-foot, loft-style Brooklyn condo. The three-bedroom Fort Greene apartment was modern and gave them room to grow. That was good, because by the time they’d closed on it, they had  one-week-old baby Leroy in their arms. Brooke, a digital media exec, and Sam, a tech specialist, loved the sleek two-floor space, but wanted to freshen up the kitchen and (three!) baths, and give the apartment whimsical style. While in contract, they’d posted their project on Sweeten, a free service that matches renovators with vetted general contractors. Soon, they’d...