The new front door for this unit, which cost the homeowner $185,000 from start to finish, is on the side of what was once the garage. There is a small patio by the new front door.

Vicky’s task is much easier. On a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty, with 10 being the toughest job, I’d rate it a 2. The hardest part is to build a temporary inner support wall that would hold ...