Tips to Having a Great Time Remodeling a House
You’re probably extremely excited if a home remodel is on the horizon. Everyone loves a new home design, but first, you must be cautious about how you go about it. Some house renovations can take weeks or months to complete, depending on how extensive they are, and in rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom, this schedule may appear unrealistic. Thankfully, with a little preparation and foresight on your part, you’ll come up with ways to ensure that you have a great time in your remodeling. According to home addition companies, all you need is mental fortitude and put these tips into place to ensure you have a good experience. Place your orders as early as possible. Every remodel will run into unexpected bottlenecks that might cause the project to be delayed. One option for minimizing delays is to order your parts ahead of time. Make sure you’re prepared for the project by having all your parts selected and ordered before starting your project. Either having a lead time as to when they’ll arrive or already having them on site makes a world of difference, as you don’t need to worry about the supplies delaying too much. If you’re rebuilding a kitchen or bathroom and want to upgrade your vanity, hardware, cabinets, and worktops, choosing the fixtures ahead of time will spare you a few hassles during demolition. This way, you won’t be left with a mess in your home or everyday areas that aren’t used for longer than necessary. Cannot decide between different finishes or fixtures? Consult experts who will help with project selection. You only need to ensure that the professionals you hire are experienced and know what they are doing. Consider reconfiguring your space. The flow of a home may not always match your lifestyle; for example, you may require your kitchen to overlook a garden to watch children or pets playing outside, while you may need to relocate the bedroom to the back of a property to reduce outside noise. If you intend to change the property’s layout, now is the time. It is significantly easier to relocate living rooms or bedrooms than kitchens and toilets, which may require extensive plumbing work. If you remove a wall to create an open-plan space, consult a structural engineer to ensure it is not load-bearing. You also should think about your electrical system; you may need to work to bring it up to code, or you could use the chance to install additional sockets or light switches. Aim to keep the air as fresh as possible. During demolition, expect a lot of dust in the air due to sanding and other operations. To avoid ruining your property too much, take precautionary measures to keep dust particles from entering your ducts and returning to the air. If you’re working in a bedroom with a return duct, tape it off—though it’s not ideal for permanent use—when the demo is happening or sheetrock is being sanded, anything that creates a lot of dust should be blocked off. Although your contractor will take precautions to keep the remainder of your home dust-free, this […]
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Living in a House You Are Remodeling? Valuable Tips to Consider
Are you thinking about having a home remodel project? Many people often leave their homes until the home addition contractors are done with the project. But what if you want to continue staying in the house? Which tips should you follow to increase your comfort levels and, at the same time, ensure that the contractors complete the project fast and within the given time frame? Here are these tips: Order your fixtures ahead of time Most remodel projects run into unexpected issues that will cause the project to be delayed. You don’t want this to happen to your project, do you? One way to ensure this doesn’t happen is to order your parts ahead of time. Make sure you’re prepared for the project by having all your parts selected and ordered prior to the start of your project. Either having a lead time as to when they’ll arrive or already having them on site makes a world of difference. If you’re remodeling a kitchen or bathroom and want to upgrade your vanity, hardware, cabinets, and worktops, choosing the fixtures ahead of time will spare you a few hassles during the demolition process. This way, you won’t be left with a mess in your home or everyday areas that aren’t in use for any longer than necessary. Cannot decide between different finishes or fixtures? Get in touch with an experienced interior designer who will help you make the right selection. Think about where you will be preparing the meals. The most inconvenient aspect of home remodeling is the extended downtime in the kitchen. Aside from the bathroom, the kitchen is one of the most often-used rooms in the house. It’s the heartbeat of every home, but during a renovation, those comfortable home-cooked meals are unlikely to be available. However, this does not imply you cannot enjoy home-cooked meals. With a kitchen redesign underway, you can still cook at home; you just need to make a few changes. One trick you can use is to set up a mock kitchen in another room. Prepare a coffee machine, an electric griddle, and a plastic table to set up elsewhere in your home. You will also need to transfer your refrigerator using an extension cord. Of course, eating out is always an option, but you don’t have to, especially if your budget doesn’t allow. To save some money, fire up the grill. Cooking will become more interesting throughout a kitchen redesign. Plan food for barbecues, romantic nights, or family gatherings, or invite yourself to a friend’s place for dinner. Remember to stockpile the paper plates, glasses, and utensils until your kitchen returns to normal. Consider a staycation. It’s no secret that remodeling entails destruction, which means there will be a lot of noise and a disorganized mess. Those who work from home or seek relaxation after a long day at work should approach the project with the assumption that there will be no peace and quiet until the project is completed. Also, you won’t have a clean and tidy residence for the duration of the project. Be prepared for a mess during the project. […]
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5 Best Practices When Remodeling Your Home
Are you thinking about undertaking a remodeling project? Here are valuable tips given by condo remodel experts that will ensure that you have fun and, at the same time, do a good job and produce a project that you love: Install enough lighting You don’t want to feel like you’re constantly in the limelight in your house, this means that your house should not be too bright. At the same time, this doesn’t mean that less is more when it comes to lighting. You should have just enough lighting. You should thoroughly check the electrical designs before beginning your job. Sconces, overhead lighting, chandeliers, and even the location of lamp outlets can help set a cheerful tone before your restoration begins. And, if you’re concerned that your lights will be too bright, use dimmers. You should consider layering different types of lights to give your home the perfect look. As a rule of thumb, you should have: Ambient lighting: Ambient lighting provides diffused brightness to the entire room, making your home feel cozier. You achieve this using ceiling lights or chandeliers. Task lighting: Task lighting directs light to a specified region to assist you in doing an activity, such as cooking or dining. In the kitchen, you can achieve task lighting with an island chandelier or pendant lights hung over a table or island. You can occasionally use wall lights like sconces to add task lighting over a specific work area, like a sink. Decorative lighting: Allow your flair to shine by incorporating ornamental lighting into your renovation. This lighting style produces visual focal points and spotlights in any part of your house that you want to highlight, such as wall art, architectural features, plants, and more. For perfect house lighting, you should incorporate all of these lights. Of course, you should work with experts who will give you the perfect outcome. Think about storage Storage is another aspect of house improvements that you should pay attention to. Storage is vital as it adds functionality to a home. When it comes to storage, you should think about the problems and solutions in your existing setup before your project begins. Work with your cabinet maker to create personalized solutions that meet your wants and lifestyle if your budget allows. This will help you maximize every square inch of available space. Items such as a sheet pan cabinet in the kitchen, pull-out dog-bowl drawers in the mudroom, and parking locations for all of your appliances throughout the house will help you establish an ordered area. Consider your long-term needs. When remodeling a room to make it more functional for your requirements, you need to evaluate whether the alterations must be permanent. If you’d prefer a home office to the guest room your third room serves, swap the bed with a desk. Rather than building a permanent built-in desk and bookshelves for the transition, preserve the framework of your room so that you—or someone else—can simply replace it later when family needs change. Whether you use the space for a craft room, a home gym, or an office, a room designed specifically for […]
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Tricks to Reduce the Cost of Your Home Remodeling Project
Whether you have a large or small budget, the expense of a home remodeling can easily spiral out of control. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to reduce the costs. These things include: Create and stick to a budget. Budget does not imply cheap, but when you spend money, it’s good to know the amount of money you have to set aside for the purchase. You should start with a budget in mind before making design decisions. By doing this, you can tell the prices of the different fixtures and supplies and get a sense of what will and won’t fit your budget. Home addition companies recommend that you have a spreadsheet and just enter everything you need for the project. As you can tell, this will require you to first research and find the prices of the different materials. You need to find the cost of the flooring, countertops, lighting, faucets, paint, cabinets, outlets and switch plate covers, tile, grout, appliances, and other things. The best way to research is to make phone calls to obtain quotations for goods and labor. When preparing the budget, include tax. From your budget, you can tell the areas that require a lot of money and those that don’t need much. You will also know the areas where you can make adjustments by selecting less expensive materials or opting to eliminate items. As much as you should stick to a budget, you should note that there are always unexpected occurrences. To avoid going beyond your budget, account for unforeseen expenses. A good way to do it is to set aside 10% of your budget. Pay in cash It may seem obvious, but paying for your project in cash will save you a large amount of money in interest than you would otherwise pay if you took out a loan or put things on a credit card that you couldn’t quickly pay off. If you’re remodeling to sell your house, it may make financial sense to take out a loan if you know you’ll get a return on your investment, and you will pay off the loan promptly. However, in general, paying with cash is the best option. If you currently don’t have enough money, start thinking about methods to cut your household budget to save money for your project. Don’t be in a hurry. Waiting for funds to renovate isn’t always a terrible thing, because time is your friend when planning for a renovation. It can be tempting to renovate your home all at once if you have the money, but it can be stressful to make a lot of excellent and cohesive design selections when you’re factoring in so many factors. If you rush through things, you will regret some of your decisions. The best way out is to start with one or two rooms and work through them before going on to other sections. Most people find it difficult to complete an assignment before moving on to the next. Prioritize the most time-consuming project and do it first; else, it could take years. You won’t have to live in a […]
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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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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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What Are Some Good Tips To Consider When Remodeling A House?
Are you thinking about remodeling your house? There are plenty of tips to consider to get it right. What are some tips to consider when remodeling a house? Here they are as given by home remodeling architects: Know your why Why are you remodeling the house in the first place? This is important as it determines how you will go about the remodeling and the materials you will use. Most homeowners remodel their houses for two primary reasons: to improve the home’s look and to sell it. If you are remodeling for selling, you should pay attention to the parts of the house that add the most value. These are often the bathroom and kitchen area. You also should focus on turning the basement, attic, and other unusable areas into usable spaces. As a rule of thumb, when you are remodeling the house to sell, avoid high-end materials such as granite and marble as chances are you won’t recoup your investments. To be on the safe side, go with beautiful but cheaper materials. On the other hand, if you are remodeling the house to improve its looks to be comfortable and proud of your living situation, there is no limit to what you can do with it. As long as you are happy with the remodel, go with it. Have a budget The last thing you should do is start your remodeling project without a budget and say that you want to see the amount of money that the project will consume. This is wrong. Before you even begin your project, you should know the amount of money you should expect to spend on the various renovation costs such as labor, building materials, decorative finishes, building permits, and so on. If this is the first time you are doing it, get help from an experienced professional and come up with a budget. To avoid surprises later, have a 10% reserve of your budget for unexpected expenses that might arise later. Do your research Once you know about the materials you want and the amount of money to spend on each, begin your research. Right off the bat, get in touch with several experienced renovation contractors in your area and request estimates. This way, you get to compare the prices charged by the contractors. Of course, you should settle with the contractor providing the best service at the least cost. The other thing you should do is visit your local material stores and see what is available. Compare the prices from the different stores and settle on the one that makes the most sense to you. Work with experienced contractors. Your remodeling project will look as good as the contractors you hire, so ensure that you hire good contractors. As a rule of thumb, ensure that the contractors have at least three years of house remodeling experience. They also should be members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. There are plenty of ways to find the ideal contractor to work with. One way is doing a Google search […]
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4 Common Home Improvements That Do Nothing For Your Home’s Value
When looking to sell a house, most people try to renovate them to increase the house’s value as much as possible. While many renovation tricks deliver the results, home remodeling architects observe that some don’t add value. To help you out, here are home improvements that don’t add value: Extensive professional landscaping As much as a professionally done landscape will be pleasing to look at, it won’t bring back the huge bucks you are expecting. If you have to remodel your landscape, do it because you love the look, not because you are expecting to recoup your investment, as you won’t. So, don’t break your bank installing ponds, pools, or other landscaping features. Unless you love a landscaping feature, stick to the basics. Clear the debris from your yard and trim the lawn. Keep the passageways clear, then invite potential buyers in. Upgrading your appliances If your house is old, chances are the appliances are also old, and when you are looking to sell the house, it might seem logical to upgrade the appliances to make the house more appealing. While this is great, you should be cautious about how you go about it, as you might spend too much money making the upgrades such that you fail to recoup your investment. You can go ahead and replace the old, damaged, or malfunctioning appliances such as old refrigerators, but if the units are still in top working condition, there is no point in replacing them. If you have an issue with the appliances not matching your home, consider ordering new door and face panels instead of replacing the units, as this is much cheaper. Undertaking high-end bathroom remodels Bathroom remodels bring back 87-93% of the investment, so they are a wise way of adding value to your house, but you should be cautious about how you go about it. As a rule of thumb, never install high-end units such as high-end countertops or appliances as you won’t get back your money. Excellent ways to upgrade your bathroom include: adding new paint to brighten the room and re-grouting the bathtub. A new mirror and a few light fixtures will also go a long way towards improving the bathroom look. To reiterate, it’s okay to remodel your bathroom, but don’t go overboard as you won’t recoup the investment. Adding a new room It’s not a doubt that larger houses sell at higher prices than small ones. For example, a four-bedroom house will sell higher than a three-bedroom house. While this is the case, it makes sense to add another room to your home, so you sell it at a higher price, right? Wrong! While adding a new room will make your house more attractive, in most cases you spend more money in the addition than you get back. To be on the safe side, avoid adding another room, and instead, renovate what you have. For example, convert the attic or basement to a bedroom instead of putting up another bedroom. You won’t spend much on the conversion, and you will make the house more attractive to potential buyers, hence your home will […]
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Where to Spend Money on Home Renovations
When remodeling your house for sale, you should know that not all renovations will give you a return, so you should be cautious where you put your money. Are you wondering where to spend money on home renovations, so you get the best returns? Here are some of the best places as given by home remodeling architects: Kitchen The kitchen is the center of the house, and most buyers base their house-buying decisions on how the kitchen looks. This means that spending money on kitchen remodeling is an excellent move as you are bound to recoup your investment. Some of the remodeling you should do to your kitchen include: replacing the worn-out appliances, installing new countertops, re-flooring, repainting, and other tasks that will improve the look and functionality of the room. When remodeling the kitchen, take caution of the materials you use. While they should be attractive and add value to the room, they shouldn’t be too premium to put off potential buyers that you get an offer that is too low that it’s not worth it. Work with experienced contractors and renovate the kitchen using materials and appliances that you are guaranteed of getting a return. Bathroom The bathroom also plays a massive role in influencing a homeowner’s buying decision. When it’s clean and well maintained, homeowners will be interested in it, but if dirty and worn out, no one will be interested in it, or you will receive a ridiculous offer. Some of the worthwhile renovations you can make include: replacing the lights, re-flooring, toilets, bathtubs, and adding paint or wallpapers. Like with the kitchen, avoid installing costly materials, as you most likely won’t recoup your investment. Heating and cooling appliances There is nothing as off-putting as showing a house to a client when it’s too hot or cold. To create a good impression, install heating and cooling appliances that you can easily control. Most homeowners are concerned about the maintenance of their appliances so pay attention to the efficiency of the heating and cooling units you install. Some of the excellent units you can go with include: modern wood burner, heat pump, air conditioner, or central heating system. Of course, avoid high-end appliances or inefficient appliances that will be too expensive to keep running. Lighting No homebuyer will be interested in a dark den, so you should invest in your house’s lighting. As mentioned, homeowners are concerned about the house’s efficiency, so don’t just install traditional lights—concentrate on as much natural light as possible. When renovating, ensure that your home’s design takes into account how the sun moves across your property and place the windows and glazing in such a way that they suit your location and climate. Although, you should concentrate on allowing in as much natural light as possible, invest in high-quality decorative pendant light in an area of maximum exposure, such as the dining room. Floor The floor significantly affects the house’s look, so if it’s worn out, you should give it a touch. The cool thing is there are plenty of floor materials you can go with, including timber, carpet, tiles, and many […]
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How Do I Plan A Home Remodeling Project?
If you are having a home remodeling project, you need a plan. Are you wondering how do I plan a home remodeling project? There are several ways to go about it. Here is one of the best ones as given by architects builders: Have a vision How do you want your home to look once the project is complete? You need to think about this. A good way to go about it is to make a list of the must-have features. For example, if remodeling the kitchen, you can put a kitchen island as a must-have. You also should come up with blueprints and sketches of the finished project. Will you be doing the project yourself or hiring a professional? You need to think about this and divide the project into DIY steps and the steps that will require a professional. As you are coming up with a plan, think about the local zoning regulations and permits and ensure that your neighborhood is zoned for your remodel. While at it, find out whether you need a permit for your project. While different jurisdictions have different rules, most areas will require you to have a permit if your project involves changing the structure of the house or the use of a room. Find out the necessary permits you need but don’t hurry to apply for them—wait until you have hired a team and built a project timeline. Set a project budget Once you have the project’s vision, the next thing to do is to come up with the budget and financing. Of course, your budget should include all the projected expenses, including the miscellaneous. A great way to develop a project is to go through each goal and set a realistic estimate for it. For example, if you are planning on installing new kitchen cabinets, think about the materials you need, the paint, labor costs, and any other costs involved. The unique thing is that if you have been thinking about remodeling your home for a while, you most likely have a figure in mind of the projected expenses. To come up with better estimates, work with experienced professionals. Build your team Who do you need to complete your project? You should begin putting them together. Many homeowners go online and hire the first company that pops up in the search results. Don’t do this, as you often end up hiring the wrong professional. The right thing to do is to take your time and research the different companies in your area. You should then schedule meetings with them and settle on the best one after interviewing three or more contractors. Some of the things you should look out for when hiring include: Years of experience: You want a professional that has been in business for five or more years. This way, you are sure they know what they are doing, so they have a high chance of delivering an exemplary project. Licenses: Of course, the contractor should be licensed to work in your area. References: You should request the references that the contractor has worked with before. And don’t stop […]
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