Do you remodel homes in Savage?

We do. Savage is one of the 18 south-metro cities we serve from our Farmington base, and we're glad to work anywhere in town, from the older streets near Highway 13 to the newer neighborhoods on the south side. Whether you need a Savage remodeler for one bathroom or a bigger plan, it starts with a free in-home consultation, and you leave with a rough budget range.

What remodeling services do you offer in Savage?

Five, all handled by one team: home additions, whole-home remodels, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, and basement finishing and remodeling. Because we design and build, you can update the kitchen now and plan a walkout finish for later without starting over with someone new.

What kinds of Savage homes do you remodel most?

Mostly the split-levels and two-stories built from the 1980s through the 2000s, which make up the bulk of the city. Those homes usually call for kitchen updates, primary bath remodels and lower-level finishes, and hillside walkouts are especially common. We also remodel older homes near the river, where the focus shifts to layouts, plumbing and wiring.

Do I need a permit to remodel in Savage?

Usually, yes, for anything past cosmetic work. Finishing a basement, removing a wall, adding a bath or rerouting plumbing, wiring or ducts all require permits, and the City of Savage reviews the plans and issues the building permit, with building inspections at key stages. New paint or flooring generally doesn't need one. We take care of all of it: we pull the permits and schedule each inspection. Any basement bedroom will also need a code-compliant egress window.

Our Savage lot backs up to a wetland. Can we still build an addition?

Often, yes, but the lot shapes the plan. Additions go through zoning review with the City of Savage, which checks setbacks, lot coverage and height, and land near a wetland or Eagle Creek can carry extra buffers. A property survey usually comes first. Sometimes the answer is building up or bumping out on another side. Our addition planning guide walks through the steps.

How do I get started?

Book a free consultation. We'll look at your space, talk through ideas, and put together a plan and budget that fit. Call 952-846-8115 or reach out online.

Savage Remodeling Contractor & Home Remodeler

Finished basement with a stone fireplace by MDR Design-Build-Remodel

Local Remodeling in Savage

From the river bluff to the hills: remodeling homes in Savage

Savage began as the village of Hamilton and took its current name in 1904, honoring Marion Savage, owner of the record-setting pacer Dan Patch. Its oldest homes sit near the Minnesota River bluff and Highway 13. Most of the city is far younger. Savage has grown more than eightfold since 1980. Most houses here date from the 1980s, '90s and 2000s, many on rolling lots toward Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve.

Those homes have reached the age where the hardest-working rooms show it. Many kitchens still have their original cabinets, counters and lighting. Primary baths give too much floor to a big tub and too little to the shower. Hillside lots often come with walkout or lookout lower levels, which makes basement finishing especially worthwhile here. Near the river, older houses bring different problems: tight layouts, aging pipes and wiring, and small baths.

In Savage, the city issues building permits and inspects the work, applying the Minnesota State Building Code. MDR pulls the permits and books every inspection for you. Savage also has plenty of protected water, from wetlands across town to Eagle Creek on the west side, so property lines and buffers can shape what you're able to add on. Zoning review checks setbacks, lot coverage and height, and a property survey is often the first step. On sloped lots, a walkout's drainage deserves a hard look before the basement gets finished.

Home remodeling in Savage often means working with hills, wetlands and walkouts, and that's where one design-build team helps most. The person who walks your home with you answers for the finished job. Structure, egress and mechanicals get worked out while the plan is still on paper. You get a written price before demolition and one point of contact the whole way through. Our step-by-step process shows what happens at each stage.

Book a Consultation 952-846-8115

Know Your Savage Home

Three kinds of Savage homes, and where to start

Savage's hills and fast growth shaped the houses here. These are the three types you'll see most, with the project that usually comes first.

Boom-era two-stories

These homes have the space families want and finishes that have aged. The kitchen often comes first: an island that fits, deeper storage and lighting planned around how you cook. A full mid-range kitchen runs a ballpark $45k to $85k. The primary bath is close behind, usually trading an oversized tub for a roomy tiled shower.

Walkouts on hillside lots

On Savage's rolling south side, many lower levels open to the backyard. That daylight lets a basement live like a main floor: a family room with a patio door, a guest suite, an office with a view of the yard. We check grading and drainage on the downhill side, recommend a radon test first, and plan around the windows you already have. See our Savage basement finishing page for more.

Older homes near the river

Closer to the bluff and Highway 13, houses are older and rooms are smaller. These often need work behind the walls: updated wiring, new supply lines, better bath ventilation. If your house predates 1978, we follow EPA Lead-Safe rules anywhere we disturb paint. The reward is an established lot with a layout that finally fits the way you live.

Our Services in Savage