From Concept to Construction ™

Tips to Consider When Renovating Your Home

December 11, 2023

Is this the first time you are doing a home renovation? Here are tips that you should follow to have an easy time. Start with the kitchen. Homeowners renovating their homes for the first time frequently inquire about the best order in which to renovate their homes. The best way to go about it is to start with the kitchen because a well-done kitchen adds value to your home. According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s 2022 remodeling impact report, Realtors believe that homeowners can recoup 75% of the cost of a complete kitchen makeover if they sell their home, Furthermore, if you have an outdated kitchen, renovating the worn-out room will allow you to appreciate the place more. Renovations also tend to make the space more comfortable.  Besides improving the kitchen’s aesthetics, you should also consider its size. If it’s too small, talk to your home addition contractors and devise ways of increasing the size. You should start with the kitchen makeover because it generates the most dust and debris, and you don’t want to land on fresh paint or finish projects. Isolating any demolition mess with plastic over entrances or pass-throughs is always a good idea. Because a major kitchen renovation can take several months to complete, consider setting up a temporary substitute kitchen to use in the meantime. You can set it up in your home’s dining room, family room, or adjacent area. This way, you continue with your cooking and, at the same time go on with the remodeling. Interview several contractors You should interview and compare bids from multiple contractors. This is because you find the most qualified and work with them. Assume you want your water heater removed from upstairs and replaced with a new one in the garage. The first plumber you call may quote you thousands of dollars to reroute hot water lines through your living room tray ceiling. It’s also possible that the second plumber will find it too much labor for his timetable, and they won’t turn up. Plumber three may intend to complete the task in a single day and charge a lower fee with no water line rerouting required. When you interview several contractors before deciding, you get to interact with them and make the right decision. The best way is to ask for referrals from friends and relatives. You should then contact these contractors and, after interviewing them, decide on the ones that are a right fit for your project. Have a realistic time flame. Your renovation will take longer than planned, so plan and make allowances to avoid irritation. You might have the impression that replacing a tub will be simple, but this isn’t always the case. While removing the old tub may take a few hours, finding a new tub and vanity you adore may take many weeks. It could be another two weeks before they arrive. As a result, expecting to use your new hall bath within a week can evolve into a six-week delay. You should be realistic about the renovation process and schedule, and choose your new fixtures before removing the old […]

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Bathroom Remodeling Tricks

November 25, 2023

If you don’t like the current look of your bathroom, there are several things you can do to spruce it up. Some of these things include: Spruce up the tub and shower According to Deborah Rozell, president of Innovative Inclusive Design and a certified aging-in-place specialist (CAPS), your bathroom should create a sense of well-being—but it can’t do so if you don’t feel safe accessing it. And, while it’s easy to prioritize aesthetics in your shower and tub, water and tile can be a dangerous combination. To avoid this, you should make a few changes in and around bathing places. Falls are a major issue in the bathroom, but there is a lot you can do to reduce the danger. According to Russell Kendzior, president of the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), you can use items that grip your tiles if your shower or tub floor is slick. These solutions, made with a mild acid, aren’t a coating but a scrub that you put on the surface to break away the buildup of soil and soap and micro-etch it, boosting slip resistance. To stay safe, work with your home addition contractors and get anti-slip floor treatment, suitable for porcelain, ceramic, and stone floors. You also should choose a bath mat with a nonskid bottom to place outside the shower or tub. A shower bench is a great addition as it assists you while bathing or simply as a place to rest and relax. You should find one and install it. You can have one made from concrete or buy one from your local store. When making the purchase, get one that is foldable that you can easily fold once you are done showering, as it saves you space. Consider installing single-lever controls on your tub and shower fixtures. These controls have a lever that is simpler to grasp than a knob, and having only one handle for temperature control allows for finer changes than separate ones for hot and cold. If you’ve always had a fixed showerhead, you might appreciate the versatility of a handheld showerhead with a long hose (59 inches) and a sprayer head. When the sprayer head rests in a holder at standard showerhead height, you can use it hands-free or as a hand shower whether you’re standing or seated in the shower or tub. Also useful for rinsing the walls or shower door after cleaning.) Choose a model that slides up and down on a vertical sidebar for further adaptability, allowing you to raise or lower it to your desired height without holding it while bathing. Add more lighting Ceiling fixtures give general lighting, but don’t forget to include task lighting in spots where enhanced visibility could prevent injuries. You should add lights near the sink, the toilet, and the tub or shower. You will even be better off if you go with dimmable or multicolored bulbs. Go with lights that allow you to change the strength and color of the light from dazzling white in the morning to a warm glow in the evening. Rather than going for motion-sensor lights, choose ones that stay on […]

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Types of Home Additions You Can Take Advantage Of

September 15, 2023

For most people, home is where they unwind and bond with family. That means it should be comfortable and relaxed. That said, sometimes the home needs to be more spacious and have all the amenities you need to feel relaxed and comfortable. To remedy that, you can incorporate some home additions that will be aesthetically appealing and functional. What are some of these home additions? Check these out given by home addition contractors:  Sunroom There’s just something magical about natural lighting. It can uplift your mood and make your space airy and more spacious. However, sometimes your windows do not allow as much of this lighting as you would want. Fortunately, you can add a sunroom to your home to help bring in more natural light to your space and provide an ideal space for outdoor viewing, indoor gardening, and general relaxation. A typical sunroom will feature a lot of glass, large windows, and sliding doors that will maximize the entry of sunlight into a space. Family room As the name implies, this is a space added to your home to cater to family activities depending on your circumstances and needs. Adding a family room to your home gives you extra living space. This can be particularly beneficial if you have a growing family or need more room for relaxation and other activities like gaming, watching movies, or hosting family gatherings. Master suite Who wouldn’t love a little more space and luxury in their bedroom? You can achieve that by adding a master suite to your space. Typically designed to provide a retreat for homeowners, this kind of addition will often include a private bathroom with supplementary amenities to create a functional and comfortable living space. The highlight of a master suite is the bedroom, which is often larger than the other bedrooms in the house. It can hold a queen or king-sized bed and furniture like nightstands and dressers. Another common feature would be a walk-in closet that offers ample space for shoes, clothing, and accessories. Garage conversion With a garage conversion, you transform an existing garage space into a different functional area within your home. This can be a cost-effective way to gain additional living space without needing a major home addition. By converting your garage to a recreation area, office, or bedroom, you get to repurpose underutilized space and add functionality to your home. That said, it takes careful planning, attention to detail, and compliance with local building codes to ensure a successful and legally compliant conversion. In-law suite Also known as a granny flat, accessory dwelling unit (ADU), or mother-in-law apartment, an in-law suite is a separate living space within a home or on the same property designed to accommodate aging parents, extended family members, or guests. This home addition provides a private and self-contained living area while allowing for proximity to the main residence. Typically, this home addition will include a bathroom, a bedroom, a living area, and a kitchenette equipped with basic appliances like a microwave and fridge, providing a decent space for the occupants. So, if you want to be close to your […]

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Tips to Consider When Remodeling Your Home

April 29, 2023

Whether you’re planning a home addition, eco-friendly home upgrade, condo remodel, or basement extension, you need to consider a number of tips to realize your idea as smoothly as possible. Some of the tips you need to consider include:  Get the necessary permits and permissions. Before you get away with home improvement ideas and contractors, be sure you have everything in order. This entails obtaining the necessary regulations and permits to begin construction work lawfully. The particular standards and papers you must give will differ by state, but the goal is the same. Many people think permits are a hard obstacle to stop you from doing what you want. However, they protect the value of your property and your neighborhood by keeping the things that made you want to live there in the first place. Remember that you need an electrical, mechanical, or plumbing work permit.  The type of permit you need varies from city to city, so always check the local building code and requirements to ensure you get the right one.  Homeowners often try renovating their homes without permission, which can be very expensive if caught.  If the authorities find out that you remodeled your house without them, you might have to tear down the addition and lose all the time and money you’ve spent on it.  If you want to sell your house, you will also need the permit papers. Without them, you will lose money on the house. If you live in an area with a Homeowners Association (HOA) or a designated historic neighborhood, you may need permission from both the local government and these groups. It is important to know that some local building officials may want you to work with an architect before they give you permissions and permits. Even though it’s not required by law, it’s a good idea to let your neighbors know what you plan to do and how long it will take. This way, they won’t keep complaining whenever they hear noises from your house.  Have a budget You need to have a budget and ensure that you have enough money. You should note that a lack of funds will rapidly bring your project to a halt or force you to make big changes to your plan, and you don’t want this, do you? When planning a home addition, it is critical to understand home addition costs to create a comprehensive budget. The first step to generating a budget is to find out what design options are available, the likely costs and problems, how long the project will take, and what needs to be done regarding planning and building regulations.   Always remember that the decisions you make at the beginning of the project will affect the whole project and set the tone for how you approach the building work and how much you spend. Many cases have been reported of contractors collecting money and running away. To avoid this, ask the contractor to start working and pay them milestones to ensure they are dedicated to the project and will stay with your money.  If you must pay before, pay the […]

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6 Things to Think About When Planning Your Home Addition

April 17, 2023

When planning for a home addition, you need to think about plenty of things. These things include:  Your needs and wants These might sound the same, but they are pretty different.  You might need a home addition because your family has grown since you bought your house, and you now need additional space.  You do this because you can’t afford to buy a bigger, newer house right now, so you need to add to the one you have.  On the other hand, you can add to your house or fix it up to increase its value or make it look better. These two reasons have different approaches, and the type of addition you go with will heavily rely on them.  Once you have identified whether you need or want your home addition, you should consult home addition contractors to help you brainstorm the best project to go with.  If you want to make your home bigger, add a master bedroom or a bathroom. You could also add a family room or home office to give your kids a place to play or give yourself a place to work.  Think about whether you want or need the extra space and what kind of room would work best for your family, then work with the contractors to make your dream a reality.  Budget How much are you looking to spend on the project? You need to think about this. If this is your first time doing it, you should consult an experienced professional to help determine the amount of money you should set aside for your project.  Required legal documents In most jurisdictions, you need to get paperwork showing whether you can officially build the home addition. So, always get them to avoid being on the wrong side of the law.  You’ll need to get some permits, like a building permit, to ensure that the addition is allowed on your lot based on the rules in your area. You’ll also need plot plans that show that the addition will stay on your land. In most cases, you’ll need floor plans for your home addition to determine how much space it will take up on your lot. You can get legal plans for your property from the Registry of Deeds in your area, but you must call them first to ensure you have all the information you need. They will also direct you to the right place to get the relevant documents.   You must visit your town or city hall to get the other papers. Again, it’s best to call before going to the office to avoid wasting time looking for papers in the wrong place. Inspection of the existing utilities Before you can think about building, you need to know how your utilities are set up so that you don’t damage them as you add the new house.  If you add a whole second floor, you will need more electricity and put a lot of pressure on your drainage system.  As you can tell, your home addition must have all the services needed to be livable, like lights, running water, and other amenities. When […]

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Guide to Having a Smooth Process Adding a Home Addition

March 28, 2023

You can improve your living space without moving by adding to your house. If you add an extra room or a second floor to your current layout, everyone will have their own space. If you are a homeowner and want to raise the value of your home, adding a few square feet can be a great way to do so. Adding a bathroom, master bedroom and bathroom, sunroom, or second story can significantly raise the value of your home when it comes time to sell it. When you are planning, budgeting, and designing a home addition, there are several things you need to pay attention to for you to have a great addition. These things, as given by home addition companies, include: Define the reason for the addition Ask yourself why you want to add on to your house. You should tell the contractors on the job what your goals are, like giving your kids more space or giving your guests their bathroom. They usually know the easiest way to schedule these repairs so that the renovation project meets your goals and causes you the least trouble. Understand the permits and restrictions involved. When you add on to your house, you need permits and inspections from the city or county. These restrictions are meant to keep things from going wrong in the future and make sure that the building meets all the rules. Also, getting the right permits and inspections is important to ensure the work is done right, which is important when selling a home. If you know about the necessary permits, the structure might be safer than it is. Check out your city or county’s building and zoning websites to learn about your area’s restrictions. Most permits are for electrical, plumbing, and gas, but depending on where you live, there could be many more checks, like a limit on how many stories you can access well or sewer water sources. Some rules say how close your building can be to your neighbors, the curb, or the lots on either side. You should note that you might have to do a property survey to ensure that your planned addition doesn’t break any rules about property lines. In many jurisdictions, the homeowner, not the contractor, is the one who needs to ask for and get these permits, so make sure you know who is in charge of each step. Have the proper budget. Remodeling can be expensive. Consider the current value of the whole house to get an idea of how much your remodeling project will cost. A significant addition will probably cost at least 10–15 percent of your home’s value. After talking to contractors about how much the work will cost, figure out how you will pay for it. Paying with your savings, a loan, or a home equity line of credit? The budget has to fit into the amount of money that is available. You can be creative with how you pay, and many contractors would rather have a payment plan than one big lump sum. To save money, you could do some demolition work yourself, use old […]

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Is It Cheaper To Go Out Or Up For Addition?

December 21, 2022

  Any homeowner looking to increase the size of their house is confused about whether they should build their home out or up. If you are in such a situation, you should know that if you are looking to save money, you are always better off going up. Besides saving you money when you build up, home addition contractors observe that you don’t need to worry about zoning restrictions as you aren’t expanding your house’s footprint. Building your house up also means you don’t have to give up any of your yard for the new foundation. This means that you retain your yard while adding more space to your home. Best practices when building your house up You need to consider several tips to get the most from your addition. These tips include: Work with an experienced professional As much as it’s cheaper to build up, adding another floor isn’t an easy project. For one, you must remove the roof and then rebuild it completely. You also need to have extensive architectural and structural plans. For your project to be safe, you should work with an experienced professional who knows what they are doing. The professional should inspect your current house and determine whether it needs additional beams and whether the foundation needs footings poured to carry the extra weight. When hiring the contractor, hire an experienced one that has handled similar projects before. You don’t want to hire a novice who ends up botching the project you spent a fortune on. Move out of the house. Unlike adding the extra house outwards, adding the house upwards means you have to get out of the house. For once, it will be safer for you as you will have to remove the roof, and you can’t live in a roofless house, can you? The contractor will also use machines to add the extra floor, which might be unsafe for you. As you plan for the new addition, consider the hotel budget, as you will stay in the hotel for some time until the house is safe for you. While at it, also consider the storage costs. Your furniture and appliances will get damaged if you leave them inside the house, so you will need to remove them and store them in a safe place you will most likely pay for. Always plan for this as you are planning for the addition. The last thing you want is to find out that you don’t have hotel or storage money and are forced to stall your project in the middle. Have a solid budget Yes, building up is cheaper, but you still need to spend money on the project. To ensure that you see your project to completion, you should have a solid budget. When coming up with the budget, consider the cost of adding a staircase, hiring engineers, paying for building permits, installing a new heating and cooling system, repairing the house, removing and storing personal items, and many other costs. Many homeowners are excited to start their projects, but you shouldn’t. Take time and have a sitting with an experienced contractor. […]

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3 Things To Avoid When Renovating

December 14, 2022

Are you thinking about renovating your kitchen, bathroom, or entire house? Here are mistakes to avoid making: Being in a hurry Most people will have the urge to renovate their homes when they have a big event coming. This can be a birthday party, family gathering, and so on. As you can tell, they are usually on a time crunch to get things done before the big day. While this is good as they have a time when they should have the project done, it often leads to them being in a hurry, increasing their chances of making plenty of mistakes that end up being too expensive. For example, if the event means some people will sleep over, you might have to have an extra bedroom. This means that you have to hire home addition companies to do this. As you can tell, this isn’t a small project, as you have to knock some walls down or even put others up. You don’t do an excellent job in a hurry on such a project. To have a great experience, you shouldn’t be in a hurry when renovating a house. When you are remodeling due to a coming event, don’t start a week before the event, as chances are that you will be in a hurry and you will mess up. Instead, start a few months before the event. Experts recommend that you start at least three months before the event. This way, you have enough time to find the right contractors and fix issues that might arise, among many other things. Hire the cheapest contractor Many people renovating their houses want to do it at the lowest cost possible. So, they will go with the cheapest options available. This ranges from the contractor they hire to the materials they use. While having a budget is good, you shouldn’t be too cheap as it often backfires. For example, in most cases, the cheap contractor you hire is most likely inexperienced, and they will most likely botch your project. When it comes to cheap building materials, they might be poor quality, and they not only look ugly but also don’t last as long. To stay safe, get quality materials that will give you a great experience. The materials will be a little expensive, but they will be worth it. The same applies to contractors. Don’t hire the cheapest. Take time to find quality ones that know what they are doing. Like the materials, they will be a little expensive, but you have peace of mind that you won’t need to go back to repeat the work they have already done. Don’t work without a plan. It’s tempting to start the renovations as soon as you get the money, but this isn’t a wise move as you tend to make mistakes that can be difficult to reverse. The right thing to do is plan how you will renovate. Before you begin the project, sit down with an experienced professional and ask them to help you develop a plan for the project. Through the planning, you will know when the project will begin, how […]

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Tricks That Will Make A Small Room Feel Larger

November 21, 2022

Do you have a room you feel cramped in every time you step in? Any homeowner would want to bring down the walls and build a new one. While you can do this if you have the space for it, home addition companies observe that you don’t always have to go this route, as there are several tricks you can use to make the house look larger and less cramped. Which are these tricks? Here they are: Get rid of clutter Nothing makes a small room look dirty and congested as plenty of trash is lying around. To make the room look clean and more organized, you should get rid of all the trash, properly arrange everything, and place it out of sight. To maximize space, clear the floor as much as possible. It’s even better to get rid of large rugs to make the floor appear larger. For the walls, it’s okay to have a picture here and there, but you shouldn’t cover them with a lot of art. Remember that one large paint or tapestry is much better than a group of smaller paintings as they make the walls look dirty. To make the room appear to have more space, go for low-profile furniture pieces. For example, if you are having a smaller bedroom, go for a low-profile bed and bedside table. Make use of mirrors Mirrors are an age-old trick. The cool thing with mirrors is they not only reflect light but also reflect images of the space, which makes the space look larger than it is. To get the most from mirrors, choose a focal point and angle the mirrors towards it. A great way to go about it is to place the mirror near a window reflecting the world outside. You can also place mirrors on the walls and glass tabletops, making the room more open. You can install mirrors on the floor if your home design allows it. You should note that it can sometimes get out of control, especially when you improperly install the mirrors or install them so that they make the house look cluttered. Make use of lighting. Like mirrors, lights can significantly make a room look larger when properly used. If you have access to natural light, install large windows that will bring in as much natural light as possible. It also doesn’t hurt to install sheer window curtains or even pull back the curtains as much as possible, so you allow as much light in as possible. If you don’t have access to natural light, you can add some creative lighting effects using light fixtures. Paint the room white White paint has a reflective quality that opens up a room, making it feel airy and light. To make the house appear larger, paint it white. For maximum benefits, paint the walls and ceiling the same shade of white. Painting a house isn’t hard, so if you have the time, you can do it yourself, but let an experienced professional help you out for the best output. Make use of vertical elements. Vertical elements such as wood paneling help emphasize […]

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Home Addition Tips You Should Never Ignore

August 4, 2022

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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