Listen to the Blog Post
Patrick Finn, president of Patrick A. Finn, LTD., was selected as one of eight judges for Qualified Remodeler’s 2026 Master Design Awards. Patrick joined designers and remodelers from across the country in Chicago to review nearly 500 entries spanning 22 categories.
Patrick brought more than 40 years of remodeling and building experience to the judging panel. As a design-build remodeler in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, he has spent much of his career helping homeowners adapt existing homes to changing needs while preserving the details that give them character.
Seeing the Decisions Behind the Finished Space
A finished photograph can show what a remodel looks like. Patrick’s experience also equips him to consider what it took to get there: how a team worked within an existing structure, addressed the homeowners’ needs, and made design decisions that would hold up in everyday use.
Those questions were part of the panel’s work. In its account of the judging process, Qualified Remodeler describes discussions about practical constraints, creative solutions, and the details that distinguished projects in different categories.
A Perspective Shaped by Existing Homes
The entries included historic renovations, additions, basements, kitchens, bathrooms, and whole-home remodels. Each category called for a different kind of judgment. In older homes, the panel considered how projects preserved original character while making space for new uses. In bathrooms, small details could carry as much weight as a change to the layout. And while many winning projects were large in scope, smaller projects also stood out when a team solved a challenge especially well.
These are familiar considerations in Patrick’s work. A family may need a better connection between the kitchen and living spaces. Homeowners planning for the years ahead may want a bathroom that is easier to use. In either case, understanding the home and the homeowners’ priorities first helps identify which changes will improve their lives the most, and the best use of their investment.
We’re proud that Patrick’s experience earned him a place on this national judging panel!
Read Qualified Remodeler’s article and meet the 2026 judges. See the winners here.
See More Possibilities in the Home You Have
If you’re wondering whether your home could work better without an addition, start with our free guide, Residential Space Planning: How to Create More Room Without an Addition. It will help you look at underused rooms, rethink how spaces connect, and consider where changes could make the biggest difference.
