Home Remodeling Tips Every Homeowner Should Know
Are you thinking about remodeling your home? Here are expert tips given by home remodeling architects that will ensure that you have a successful home remodeling project: Always plan ahead How do you want your remodeling project to look? What are the projected results? You should plan this ahead of time. Before you even begin the project, you should know how you want the project to look. You also should know the amount of money you will spend on the project. It’s also important to know who will handle the project beforehand. The last thing you want is to look for a contractor too late. You should note that when you do it too late, you make many mistakes that often jeopardize your project. Have a budget As mentioned above, you should know the amount of money you should plan to spend on your project, and there are plenty of ways to know how to go about it. Visit several stores and find out the prices they charge for their materials. While you should try to save as much money as possible, avoid a store selling its products at ultra-high prices, as they will be ripping you off. You also should avoid those selling you the products at low prices as they might be selling you substandard materials, and you don’t want to use low-quality products on your house, do you? Besides knowing the prices of items, it’s also wise to know how much you will spend on labor, building permits, and decorative finishes. An excellent way to estimate the prices is to get quotations from experienced contractors that know what they are doing. The best way to go about it is to get quotations from at least 3 contractors. If the estimates exceed your budget, consider cutting out some unnecessary elements. To avoid running out of money, reserve at least 10% of your budget for unexpected costs. Find a way to finance your project. Where will the money for the project come from? You need to know this. If you have some savings, you can use them on the project, but if you don’t, you should consider getting a loan. Don’t get the loan from anywhere—shop around and find a plan that gives you the best deal. One of the best to go with is a fixed rate with flexible repayment terms. This way, you have an easy time planning how to repay it. Come up with a timeline. For your project to have a goal, you must develop a timeline. This calls for you to have the project start and completion date. If you are doing the project by yourself, you should have a plan of when you will start it and when you will complete it. If working with a contractor, come up with timelines of when you will achieve certain milestones. As you are coming up with the timelines, ensure that you have time to ship the necessary materials and, at the same time, have enough time to prepare the area properly. As much as you want to complete the project, you don’t want to do […]
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I Want To Renovate My House Where Do I Start
There are plenty of reasons you would want to renovate your house. Maybe you don’t like the current look, the house has become too small for your family, or any other reason. If you want to renovate your house but don’t know where to start, here is a guide given by home remodeling architects that you should follow: Have a plan This is the first thing you should do when thinking about remodeling your home. When you are coming up with a plan, you need to consider plenty of things. These things include: Who will do the project? This is important to consider, as it will directly impact the amount of money you spend on the project. If having a small project such as painting, small-scale demolitions, and baseboard installation, you can do the work yourself, but if it’s a major one such as large-scale demolition or door and window installation, it’s wise that you hire experienced professionals so that they can execute the project expertly. Your budget How much are you willing to spend on the project? The size of your project will influence this. When creating a budget, you must consider various factors such as paint, contractors, cabinets, countertops, etc. Many people try to cut costs with contractors and materials. While it’s okay to bargain, you shouldn’t go too low as you risk getting bad quality services or materials, and you don’t want this, do you? When hiring contractors, don’t hire the cheapest. The best way to go about it is to interview several contractors, settle on the one that charges you the least amount, and have proof that they provide excellent services. Regarding materials, visit several stores and see what is available. Obviously, you should stay away from the high-end stores as you usually pay premium prices for the same quality items you can get at lower prices elsewhere. Like contractors, avoid buying from extremely cheap stores as you risk buying extremely cheap products, which often don’t give you the results you are after. Think about the design and style of your home How will your home look once complete? You need to think about this. Regardless of whether you are remodeling a part or the entire house, you need to ensure that the spaces remain uniform. Most people are confused about the final look of their houses, so if you are one of these people, consult a professional to help you. Think about your budget as you come up with the house’s style. Remember that the more complex the house design, the more expensive it is, and vice versa. Get the appropriate permits. Some projects will require you to get a permit. In most cases, you will need a license when making footprint changes, structural changes, installing new windows, or undertaking plumbing and electrical modifications. You won’t need a permit when undertaking smaller projects such as painting or replacing the floor. To avoid being on the wrong side of the law, do your research beforehand and find out the permits you need so that you can add them to your budget. Another excellent way to go […]
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4 Tricks to Modernizing Your Home
If you have an old house, you might think you have to bring it down and build a modern one, but this isn’t the case. According to home remodeling architects, you don’t have to build a new modern house as you can always make a few touches to your old house and give it a modern look. Which are some of these things that you can do? Here they are: Make your home more open and airy It goes without saying that most modern houses adopt the open floor plan that makes the house appear spacious and airier. How can you make your old house more spacious without knocking down the walls? You can get rid of the bigger, bulkier pieces of furniture in your house and replace them with smaller units. It’s common for some people to be attached to some pieces. For example, you might be attached to your wall cabinet. If this is your current situation, consider painting the piece of furniture a color that matches the house’s color. You can also paint it a warm off-white color that helps it disappear into the room. If you have no bulky piece you can get rid of, use mirrors to create the illusion of space. Strategically place mirrors on opposite windows to reflect light into the room, making it appear more open. Of course, you want to use high-quality mirrors with quality frames. Add new lighting to your home. Sometimes giving your home a modern look is as simple as adding new lighting. If your current house is small and dark, you can give it a new look by simply installing new lights. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to go about it. One of these ways is installing table lamps and floor lamps. You can also strategically place a few tall floor lamps in the house’s dark corners and watch how the house comes to life. Layer the lighting with lamps on the side tables to create a cozy and welcoming vibe. If your budget allows it and you are feeling adventurous, replace all your old ceiling fixtures with new and modern masterpieces. Add an outdoor space. The outdoor space transforms the look of the house and provides you with more space to use. You are lucky to have a large compound to play around with, but if you don’t have one, you will need to work with a designer and find strategic areas you can use to your advantage. After putting up the extra space, make it as comfortable as possible by adding rugs, comfortable outdoor chairs, throw cushions, and other comfort-heightening accessories. If you want to give your outdoor space a fancy appeal, put down brick pavers or flagstones, then layer them with outdoor rugs, chairs, and other items. You can also go all the way out and make the area an excellent outdoor escape by installing a large pergola, draping the sides of the area with privacy curtains, adding some music, or even installing an outdoor heater. For the best outcome, work with an experienced professional who knows what they are doing. Add/replace the […]
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4 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Home Remodeling Project
Did you know that you could be sabotaging your home remodeling project without even knowing it? Here are some of the ways you could be doing it as given by home remodeling architects: You change your mind too frequently Home remodeling is expensive, so everyone wants to ensure it turns out perfectly. Due to this, many people keep changing their minds. While nothing is wrong with this, changing your mind too frequently can become problematic. For example, when you change your mind every day. Imagine this. In the morning, when the contractors arrive, you inform them that you would love to make a few changes to the original design. Even if the changes are minor, you should note that they often lead to added costs. There are also changes in the schedules, as the contractors have to devise new ways to handle the changes. Instead of changing your mind after the project has started, the best way to go about it is to take your time and ensure that you have a bulletproof plan. This way, you start your project knowing that your plan will be perfect for your project, and you aren’t going to make any changes to it. Of course, you should get your plan from an expert architect that knows what they are doing. You are trying to apply lipstick on a pig. Here you might have an old house, but since you love it or don’t have the funds to bring it down and build a new one from scratch, you decide to renovate it. While renovating is always cheaper than building a new one, sometimes you are better off simply building a new building as the extent of damage is too extensive for any repairs to make sense or to restore it to its original condition. Don’t try to renovate a house with too many defects to save money and have peace of mind with your project. For example, don’t spend money on fancy cabinets if your home has a sagging foundation. Also, don’t install a high-efficiency furnace in a house without any insulation. If you want to buy a house for renovation, don’t buy it without consulting the experts. You should then follow the advice of the professionals—don’t try to be a smart ass and go against their advice, as chances are you will pump your hard-earned money on a project that isn’t worth it. You launch your project without permits. When you have been planning your project for a long time, it’s’ common to get excited and kick off the project as soon as you get some money. While this might work to your advantage, in most cases, it doesn’t as you start off the project without the necessary paperwork, which, as you can guess, leads to plenty of problems with the law enforcement officers. When the law catches up with you, you not only have to pause your project so that you can get the necessary permits, but you are sometimes fined an amount that you had curved out for the project. Instead of doing this, always be patient. If you are […]
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House Remodelng DIY Tips
Being a DIY enthusiast saves you money and you get to improve your skill level. While this is the case, you have to be cautious and avoid making costly mistakes. To help you out, here are valuable DIY tips you should consider: Think through everything Since they are experts and have handled the project a couple of times, home remodeling architects think through every project before they start it. In fact, they always first make drawings of the projects so that they can see how it will look once complete. Unfortunately, DIY enthusiasts often don’t think through their projects. A classic example is when you add a peninsula in your kitchen. While the kitchen will look better and you have additional space, it narrows the kitchen space to the extent that you can’t remove the fridge. To do it you have to lift the fridge entirely up and over the extension. To avoid making such a mistake, always take your time and always think ahead of the project. It’s always recommended you measure once, measure twice, and one final time before you start your project. Always think through every possible scenario before you change the layout of every room. It will even be better if you can hire a professional and have them help you with the measuring and determining the final look of your space. Don’t go with the cheapest option Since you are looking to save money, it’s easy to get caught wanting to only use cheap materials or install cheap appliances. As much as this will save you some money, it often ends up being too expensive and you should avoid doing it. For example, if your kitchen is in a dilapidated state and you would want to replace the parts, go with the highest quality ones. They might be expensive but they will be worth it. While this is the case, it doesn’t mean you should spend all your money on appliances and materials. The right way to go about it is to take your time and research. Visit a couple of stores and see what is available. Of course, you should buy from a reputable store selling high quality materials at a small price. Use the right tools The tools you use significantly influence the results you get and how well you complete your project. So, as a rule of thumb, use high quality tools that you will have an easier time using and will give you the results you are after. Seek specialty advice from experts Even if you are a DIY expert, you will have areas where you will need the services of experts. For example, if you need to make electrical connections, you will need the services of electricians. To get the most from your project you should only work with experienced contractors that know what they are doing. The same way you shouldn’t blindly buy the remodeling materials you shouldn’t hire any contractor you come across. The right way to go about it is to take your time and hire an experienced contractor. Many people go online and hire the first […]
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4 Areas To Focus On When Remodeling Your Retail Store
If your retail store is old and worn out, you should consider renovating it to attract customers. While it’s important to remodel your store, remember that you shouldn’t go at it haphazardly—you should highly consider your customer’s desires and sensibilities. Work with your retail store contractors and pay close attention to the customer experience. For the best outcome, pay close attention to these areas when renovating: The store entrance This is where your customers will be getting in, so it needs to be attractive to look at. Remember that your customers will make the buying decision based on how they feel when they are in your store. Since the entrance serves as a transition from the outside world into the retail environment, it should have an inviting look. As a rule of thumb, use cool colors that make the customers feel comfortable. If you regularly have a large line of customers, it would be wise to have a few chairs to sit on as they wait for you to serve the others. The walls and ceilings You might have the impression that your customers don’t care much about how your store walls and ceilings look, but this isn’t the case. As we mentioned above, your customers make the buying decision based on how they feel when they are inside your premises. As a rule of thumb, you should work with your contractors and create an inviting vibe. In most cases, you don’t need to do much, as applying a fresh coat of paint is enough to transform your space, but if your store is old and the walls have holes, you have a lot of work. Besides painting the walls, you can also apply wallpaper, graphics, or even graffiti, depending on the nature of your business. For the best outcome, consider the walls and ceilings as blank canvasses that can help capture your customers’’ attention. Remember that you don’t need to make dramatic changes or incur dramatically expensive to make a dramatic impact. Lighting fixtures Lighting can significantly change the look and mood of your store. For example, you can give it a sleek, soft, modern, natural, industrial, or even loud mood depending on the lights you use. There are all types of lighting fixtures ideal for different applications that you can use. If you aren’t sure about the right ones to go for, get the input of a professional. As you are installing the lights, pay close attention to the energy needs. You don’t want to install lights that consume too much of your energy, making them unsustainable. As you create the mood and theme of the retail store, you need to ensure that you also save some money so go for energy-efficient lighting fixtures. Flooring Floors often get damaged, and the situation worsens when your store is old. A damaged floor is an eye sore and often a sign of an unkempt space, so you must keep your floor in top shape. If there are holes, you should seal them. For that perfect look, install flooring material that is attractive to look at and durable. Luckily, there are […]
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How To Renovate A House With No Money
Are you thinking about renovating a house but you don’t have money? Of course, it’s impossible to do any renovations with zero cash, but according to architects builders, there are a number of low-cost projects you can undertake that can improve the look of the house. Which are these projects? Here they are: Repaint the cabinets If you don’t like the current look of your kitchen, one of the ways you can improve its look is by updating the cabinets. And the cool thing is that you don’t need to install new cabinets—repainting them is enough. To get the most from the repainting work, ensure that you properly prepare the surfaces. You also should use high-quality paint that will look good and stay in place for a long time. You can do the painting yourself, but for the best outcome, let a professional help you. Give your house a thorough cleaning. Did you know that sometimes all you need to do is to clean your house? You might have the impression that your house is dirty and worn out, but this might not be the case—it might simply be dirty, and all you need to do is to clean it. As you can guess, cleaning the house can’t be expensive, can it? You can clean the house yourself, but let a professional cleaning company do it for the best outcome. Paint the house Painting the bathroom and kitchen countertops works when only these areas are off-putting, but what if the entire house is worn out? You should consider painting the house if you don’t have money to do thorough remodeling. Like when painting your cabinets, ensure that you properly prepare the surfaces. You also should use high-quality paint that accentuates the look of the house. Painting the house is a large and labor-intensive undertaking, so hire a professional to do the work. Use recycled materials New remodeling materials are expensive, so you might be unable to afford them when operating on a tight budget. Thankfully, there are plenty of high-quality recycled products you can use. The cool thing with recycled materials is that besides being affordable, they are durable, so when you install them, you won’t have to worry about replacing them after a few days. The materials are also readily available as all you need to do to step into your nearest recycling plant and place your order. While the recycled materials are cheap, you should ensure that they are properly installed so that they give your house a new look you are after. Work on the front door The front door speaks volumes, and you give your house a new look when you work on it. A cheap way to go about it is to paint it. Of course, use paint that you are comfortable with and significantly improves the house’s look. As a rule of thumb, stay away from cheap paints. While you can paint the door by yourself, it’s wise to stay away from it, especially if you have never done it before, as you most likely will worsen the situation and don’t want this, do […]
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Home Addition Tips You Should Never Ignore
Are you looking to add an addition to your home? Here are valuable tips you should put into consideration: Follow the building laws Imagine this. You have hired the best home addition builder and even started your project. A few days into the addition project, you get a communication from the local authorities that you can’t continue with the addition as you are bleaching the local building laws. You are devastated, as you have already invested substantially in it. Unfortunately, the local authorities don’t want to hear about it as you are building against the stipulated laws. What do you have to do? You have no other way out other than to pause the project and only proceed while following the stipulated laws. Sometimes, you have to bring down the entire project and start afresh. While you can opt to ignore the laws, you should always follow them. For one, if you are looking to sell the house later down the road, no buyer will be excited to buy a home that was illegally built. If you have an accident, you will have difficulty receiving your claim, especially when the insurance company realizes that you didn’t follow the building rules. To stay safe, always follow the building statutes in your area. Aim to add value to your project As you build the addition, don’t just build it—make it to add value to the property. You should note that sometimes you can go overboard and install materials that are too expensive that you fail to recoup your investment. For example, when the selling time comes, you can install high-end granite or marble countertops and fail to recoup your investment. If you are adding the addition mainly to sell the house later down the line, be cautious of the extras you add as you can easily use materials that you will never recoup the money you put into them. If you aren’t sure about the suitable materials to use, get the input of an appraiser. Always have a contingency fund. After you have come up with a plan for the project, your next move should be to draw up a budget as you are coming up with a budget and set aside some amount that you will use in the event of an emergency. A good rule of thumb is to set aside 10% of your total budget to spend on troubles that might come up. The contingency is usually enough, but don’t stop here—think of the future beyond construction. More space means you will have higher energy bills, including heating and cooling. You will also attract higher property taxes. If adding a bathroom, the extra bathroom space means that you will consume more water. You should factor in all these before you begin your project. It would be a great shame to add an addition only to realize that you can’t maintain it. Work with professionals You must work with experienced home remodeling architects Washington DC for the best outcome. While they will be a little expensive, they are worth it, as you will have peace of mind that you are […]
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4 Things to Think About When Remodeling the House
When you are remodeling your house, you need to think about plenty of things. Which are these things? Here they are as given by home remodeling architects: Your style We all have different styles, and for you to feel comfortable in your house, you should renovate it in a style you love. If you aren’t sure how to go about it, there are plenty of styles to choose from, such as modern, transitional, coastal minimalism, contemporary, and rustic farmhouse. Not sure about the right style to go with, it’s always wise to get some inspiration. This calls for you to visit home improvement stores and design showrooms and see what is available. It also doesn’t hurt flipping home improvement magazines or browsing the internet. When you visit these places, you get to know what is trending and get a sense of what you can incorporate into your home and what you can’t. As you are perusing the magazines, pay attention to the latest fashions and imagine how they will look in your home and whether you will be comfortable with them in your house for five or even ten years. It’s always wise to incorporate technology into your home. You should decide on the type of smart technology you want in your home and one that would benefit you and your family. Of course, you should incorporate the technology that will be of value to your home. When you define the style you want for your current home, you stay focused and choose materials, labor, and everything else geared towards the style you want to achieve. Your budget The other vital thing you need to think about is your budget. How much money are you looking to spend on your remodeling project? You need to think about this before everything, as your budget will determine the size of your project, and the materials you will buy, among many other things. As you set your budget, remember that things can quickly balloon out of place, so always set aside some extra amount. Set aside at least 20% of your budget to be on the safe side. Reason for renovating Why are you renovating the house? Are you looking to sell the house, or do you want the house to look good? Your reason for doing the renovations will influence the type of renovations and materials you will use. For example, if you are renovating to sell the house later, you should stay away from high-end additions such as swimming pools. You also should avoid premium materials such as granite as you won’t recoup your investment. If you want your house to look good, you can use any material you wish to and add any addition. After all, it’s yours, and you want to get the most from it. Timing This is when you are doing your project. As a rule of thumb, you should do your project when you are less likely to have weather delays. To save money, have your project at a time when the local architects builders Washington DC and other professionals aren’t too busy. This way, you […]
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5 House Remodeling Traps to Avoid
Are you looking to remodel your house? Home remodeling architects report that many homeowners make plenty of mistakes that turn their projects into money pits. Do you want to be one of these homeowners? To dodge the magazine of bullets, here are some of the common home renovating traps you should avoid: Failing to do enough research When you are excited about giving your house a new look, it’s easy to go straight to the renovation stages, but you should try as much as possible to fight this. The right thing to do is to take your time and thoroughly inspect the house. During the inspection, you will identify hidden dangers, structural botches, and other house defects that might be a surprise when you start the renovation work. If you are buying a new house, be ultra-cautious and work with a certified professional who will help you identify even the most minute issues that might be there. As a rule of thumb, stay away from a house requiring expensive structural work, as you will spend more money than you should. When buying a house for renovation, take your time and find a house that simply needs a decorative makeover and a little updating of the kitchen and bathrooms. Not a complete overhaul. Underestimating the cost of renovations Most homeowners underestimate the cost of renovating their homes, which results in their projects stalling and leads to unnecessary stress. The right thing to do is always to take time to understand your project and all the costs involved fully. Consult an experienced builder who will visit your home and help you approximate a ballpark price for the project. You should note that the budget isn’t set in stone, so always have an extra amount set aside for emergencies. Experts recommend you set aside at least 20% of your budget. Replacing instead of repairing When your property is old, it’s easy to want to replace everything. As much as this will give the property a new, exciting look, it will be expensive. To save money, consider repairing instead of replacing. For example, overhaul the doors and windows instead of installing new doors. Using extremely cheap materials As much as you want to save as much money as possible, you shouldn’t be too cheap. Cheap is always nasty expensive in the long run, so it’s wise to avoid materials that are too cheap. While you should avoid cheap materials, it doesn’t mean you should buy only expensive items, as expensive doesn’t always translate to quality. There are plenty of moderately priced, but quality items in the market, and these are the ones you should go for. To avoid buying the wrong materials, don’t buy online. Remember that it’s hard to tell the quality of the product (even if it has plenty of raving reviews) from online pictures—you need to see the materials in person. You should be cautious of where you buy your materials from. As a rule of thumb, avoid buying from high-end stores as they are often too expensive. Overcapitalizing your renovation Overcapitalizing your renovation involves adding high-end finishes to your low-value […]
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