From Concept to Construction ™

Can You Live At Home During A Remodel?

August 29, 2021

In an ideal situation, when you are having a remodeling project you should find a hotel or any other place to live in to give the home remodeling architects enough space to work on. What if you can’t afford a hotel for extended periods of time? Can you live at home during a remodel? The short answer to this question is yes. You can definitely live in your house when having a remodel but you need to consider a set of tips that include: Separate the remodel space Since you won’t be leaving the house, you should talk to your contractor so that they can create a clear separation between the space you are looking to remodel and the rest of the house. The purpose of doing this is to ensure you are safe and at the same time prevent dirt and dust from getting into your living area. There are plenty of ways the contractor can separate the two areas. One of the ways is to erect a pole zip wall or a magnetic wall system. To keep the house clean, the contractor should use an air filtration system such as a HEPA filter that will constantly filter the air and also cover the ducts in and around the work area so that dust doesn’t get inside. Set up a temporary kitchen If you are remodeling the kitchen, it automatically means that you can’t use your kitchen area for some time. To continue preparing your meals, you need to set up a temporary kitchen. Bring the appliances you used to use in your new kitchen. They include: coffee maker, microwave, instant pot, toaster oven, burner hotplates, and any other necessary appliance. Besides the appliances, also think about the sink. Where will you be washing the vegetables? Work with your contractor and hook up the sink to the existing plumbing source of your home. If the laundry room is nearby and has a sink, you don’t have to stress yourself over setting up the sink as you can use that one. Tips to living through a bathroom remodel Living through a bathroom remodel can be complex or stress-free depending on whether you have another bathroom you can use while the other one is being worked on. If you have multiple bathrooms you can use you have nothing to worry about as you simply need to use the ones you aren’t remodeling but it will be a little tricky living through a remodel when you have only one bathroom. If you are in this situation, you should work with your contractor and come up with a plan. One of the things you can do is to set the toilet back at the end of the day. There is nothing fun about living without a toilet so if the contractor has to pull it up to undertake the project, ensure that they put it back to operation before the end of the day. When remodeling the bathroom, chances are high that your regular shower will be out of operation. Should you stop showering simply because you can’t use your shower? Absolutely not. […]

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What Do I Need To Know Before Remodeling?

July 28, 2021

A home remodeling project isn’t cheap, so you need to be cautious and ensure that you have all the details before the project commences. What do I need to know before remodeling? If you are asking this question, you should know that there are plenty of things you should know, with the common ones being: Work with an experienced contractor. This is a no-brainer as there is no way you will properly remodel your house if you are doing the work yourself or working with home remodeling architects who don’t know what they are doing. The contractor is the most crucial person in your project as they are the ones to guide you on what to do and the materials to get for the project. Remember, this is the first time you are remodeling the house, and you don’t know what to do, so the last thing you want is someone that doesn’t know what they are also doing. To be on the safe side, take your time when finding a contractor. In short, don’t be in a hurry to work with the first contractor you come across. As a rule of thumb, take time to sit with the contractor and understand them. As you are doing the interview, don’t only pay attention to the licensing, bonding, and insurance. Also, consider how the contractor conducts themselves. If you have a large project, you will spend a lot of time with the contractor, and you don’t want to be stuck with a contractor with an awful personality, do you? So ensure that the contractor is qualified to work on your project and has a beautiful personality that you will be comfortable spending long hours with them. Know what you want As much as you need a knowledgeable contractor by your side, you should remember that you are the dream carrier while the contractor is the executor. So before you even start scouting for a contractor, you need to know what you want. Walk around home improvement stores and design showrooms to see what is available. It also doesn’t hurt flipping through magazines and browsing online to see home renovation ideas available. It’s good to have your taste and preference, but it’s also good that you see what is trending and what other homeowners are doing with their houses. This will give you a sense of what is available, which gives you plenty of options to play around with. Have a budget Any home improvement project costs money, and in most cases, it isn’t small money, so you need to have a budget of the amount of money you are looking to spend on the project. Of course, your budget will be informed by the size of your project, the quality of materials you want to use, your location, among many other things. To come up with a more accurate budget, have a sitting with experienced architect builders Washington DC and draw it up. As you are putting together the budget, don’t just consider the top line renovation needs. Also, factor in the unexpected costs such as a few tiles breaking and […]

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