Regular maintenance improves the value and extends the life of your home. Learn about typical materials, mechanical systems, and common maintenance issues in your bungalow or vintage home and prolong its life by assessing or completing simple repairs and regular maintenance tasks, reducing energy usage, and gaining the basic vocabulary essential for talking to contractors.

Today, more and more young couples and families are recognizing the innate value of Chicago bungalows and adapting them to fit their needs—attic and basement spaces can be finished for young families to grow into. With a little thinking outside the bungalow "box," anything can be done with this sturdy footprint that was built to last for generations to come! Just be sure to do so in the most practical and sensible manner possible.

From understanding Chicago's combined sewer system to identifying flood risks on your property, use this as a guide to learn what problems to look for, where and when to look for them, low cost improvements, plus helpful hints and next steps.

Creating the right landscape can greatly enhance a bungalow’s architecture. It can also extend the home by making attractive outdoor spaces in which to play, party, or just putter. Use this as a guide to learn the basic principles of good landscape design, sustainable landscaping, and how's and why's of installing a rain garden!

Can't make it to our free educational seminars? Access the same practical advice through our How-To Home Series on YouTube. In the first three episodes, walk through what happens from a home energy assessment phase to a complete retrofit of your home with our Preservation and Resiliency Specialist and a member of the DNR Construction team.​