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 […]
Read more
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 […]
Read more
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 […]
Read more
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 […]
Read more
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 […]
Read more
What Should You Consider When Renovating A House?
Many people rush to hiring home remodeling architects when they are thinking about remodeling their houses, which isn’t a wise thing to do. Before you remodel your house, you need to consider plenty of factors so that you put up a great remodel. Which are these factors to consider? Here they are: The age of the property Most people remodel older homes and while this might be a good move as you will be making your house look better not to mention increasing its value, you should be ultra cautious as you can easily blow your budget out of place when you try remodeling a house that is too old. The reason for this is that older houses tend to have plenty of tricks up their sleeves that can be frustrating and expensive to fix. For example, you might try remodeling a wall only to realize that it’s damaged by termites meaning that you have to bring down the entire wall and build it afresh. As you can tell, this might be too expensive and against your plans. To avoid such surprises, before you begin your project, first consult a professional and find out whether it’s wise to proceed with the project. Of course, you should avoid remodeling your house if your house is too old. Pay attention to the original features Would you like to preserve the house’s original features? You need to think about this before you begin the remodeling. If you are looking to sell the house later down the line, it’s wise you consider keeping the original features as they add value to the property. When handling a large-scale renovation project, it’s easy to fall into the trap of stripping the house back to its bare bones so that you can give it an entirely new look. As mentioned, if planning of selling the house later, it’s unwise to do this, but if you want to keep the house, you can go ahead and turn the house into a shell then give it your preferred look. Structural problems It’s common for older houses to have structural problems and if yours is no exemption, don’t begin the remodeling work without first fixing the structural issues. A common structural problem is the house having visible cracks on the outside. Before you proceed with the renovation, assess the damage or even have an engineer or any other expert inspect the house. When you fix the problems early on, you have peace of mind when working, as you know that the house is safe. The order of work You will hear most people doing remodeling for the first time asking, what order should I renovate? To avoid making mistakes and forgetting certain things, you need to have a plan for your remodeling work. If this is the first time you are remodeling the house, it’s wise you consult a professional who will help you come up with a plan. In most cases, renovation projects will follow this order of work: Stripping out and removal Structural work: These include walls, floors, and ceilings Fixing work: These are heating, wiring and plumbing […]
Read more
Golden Tips to Building the Perfect Home Addition
Are you building home addition to accommodate your new family, or are you simply looking for additional space? There are plenty of tips you need to put into place to have a successful home addition project. Which are these tips? Here they are: Have a home addition plan The last thing you should do is to begin your project without a plan, regardless of how small it appears. As a rule of thumb, you must ensure that the addition fits your property lines. Here you will need to check with your local government to see how closely the codes in your city allow you to build next to your neighbor’s property. As you are coming up with the plan, think about the utility lines or pipes, as you aren’t allowed to interfere with them. To have a design that adds value to your living space and impacts the outside of your house, have detailed plans drawn up by an architect or builder describing all aspects of the project, from the work you will need done to the materials you will require. Have a clear budget You need money to undertake your project, and the last thing you want is to halt your project in the middle. To ensure this doesn’t happen, have enough money for the entire project beforehand. If you do the estimations and find out the project will be too expensive for your budget, it will be good if you can cut back on your house plans or come up with ways to save money on the project. You can get cheaper materials and so on. Besides the ballpark amount, you need for the project, also have a 5-20% set aside to spend on emergencies. Work with experienced professionals. To save time and money, always work with expert professionals that know what they are doing. For this to happen, you need to be ultra-cautious when hiring. As a rule of thumb, get at least 6 bids from different contractors, then thoroughly interview them to find an experienced professional. You should never be in a hurry when hiring, as you will likely hire the wrong contractor who will waste too much of your money. As much as you want to save as much money as possible, be wary of extremely low bids. If you receive a bid that is too low than the industry standards, the chances are that the contractor doesn’t understand what you want or they are inexperienced, and as you can guess, this might mean serious problems later. Hire an experienced contractor, and although they will be expensive, they will save you plenty of money and stress. It also doesn’t hurt to hire one with a beautiful personality as chances are you will spend weeks or even months together, and you don’t want to be stuck with a contractor you can’t comfortably talk to, do you? Find out the things you can do You should leave most of the work to home addition companies Washington DC as they have the know-how to do it, but this doesn’t mean that you should be hands-free with the project. If […]
Read more
4 Home Addition Tips for the Perfect Addition
A home addition project adds space to your home and increases the house’s value. For you to properly add the new addition, there are a number of things you should do. Here are these things: Hire an experienced contractor The contractor you hire can make or break your project, so you should be ultra-cautious of the one you hire. As a rule of thumb, ensure that the home addition builder you hire is experienced and knows what they are doing. Instead of hiring the first person in the search results, take your time to meet several contractors in your area and interview them. During the interview, compare their quotes based on the project details, presentation, price, and communication skills. Anyone can say that they are experienced in home additions, so don’t simply take their word for it—ask for the references and contact them to understand the contractor better and how they work. Stick with the existing aesthetic A perfect home addition is one where the new addition blends seamlessly with the older house. If done properly, you shouldn’t be able to tell where the new structure ends and where the old one begins. Of course, you can’t achieve this if you don’t have a plan—you need to know what you are doing from your choice of material, design, and even color selection. For that perfect look, ensure that your addition matches your home’s current aesthetics and your contractor understands the importance of having a streamlined result. Don’t make too many compromises. Cutting corners might seem like an excellent way to cut costs, but this isn’t always the case. This is because you often end up hating the new addition as it often limits your square footage or affects the quality of your finish, appliances, and fixtures. To take pride in your addition, follow all the necessary home addition steps. You also should work with an experienced contractor who will help you explore all the creative solutions that might give your house a seamless look you are after. Set the right budget Plenty of people have had to halt their home addition projects in the middle when they run out of money. To avoid this, take your time and budget carefully before beginning your project. Go through everything carefully with your contractor and ensure that you haven’t overlooked any aspect of the process. It will even be better if you can go over the project’s demands with two or more experienced contractors to ensure that you have covered all ground before you kick off the project. When coming up with a budget, don’t set aside exact money that will exactly cover the project. It’s always wise to allocate 15-20% for unexpected expenses during the renovation. As the plumbers are connecting the new pipes, they might discover that the interior of the sewer is cracked, and you have to fix it. The extra amount you had allocated will cater for this. If you complete the project without touching the extra amount, you can always spend it on landscaping and furniture. As much as the furniture looks good, it might not be ideal […]
Read more
3 Home Additions That Aren’t Worth It
Many homeowners remodel their homes so that they can improve their value. While it’s a great move, did you know not all remodels are worth it? To help you out, here are some home remodeling projects that aren’t worth it as given by home remodeling architects: Major kitchen remodeling If you go through major home remodeling publications, you will find them saying that you should pay close attention to the kitchen, as it’s a major house seller. While this is true, you should be cautious of how you go about the remodeling as you might fail to recoup your investment, rendering your project useless. According to Zillow Talk, a kitchen remodel will bring you back half a dollar for every dollar you spend, which is one of the lowest returns in the market. To avoid spending too much money while you get little back, be cautious about the materials you use in your project. As a rule of thumb, avoid high-end materials and rather stick to the most popular ones. The cabinets and faucets are the first to be outdated so replace these. When you install cabinets, you may have to also replace the countertops. When it comes to the countertop material, go with quartz as it has been shown to give the highest ROI as it doesn’t wear out fast. For the backsplashes, go with porcelain tile and ceramic instead of stone, glass, or quartz. If you are planning on working on the floor, choose hardwood as it’s more popular and will last for a long time. Is your faucet old and needs replacement? Instead of going for a customized one, choose a unique one that gives the house a unique vibe. The cool thing about doing this is that your house stands out and you don’t break a bank. Installing a swimming pool When you install a swimming pool, you give your house an elegant appeal and everyone will be fighting to buy the house, right? Well, no, that’s not the case. As much as pools are associated with luxury, many homeowners (especially those will small children) stay away from them, as they are a danger to the children. The pools also require high maintenance so most homeowners view them as an additional maintenance expense. Pools aren’t cheap to install and they often don’t fetch the amount you invest back. This is not to say that you shouldn’t install a pool in your home. If you are simply installing it to relax, you can go ahead and install it, but if you are doing it so that you can sell the house at a higher price, don’t do it as you won’t. Elaborate finishes If your house is old, you might have the impression that it’s too basic and you won’t get a good amount of money from selling it. While there are plenty of things you can do to make your house more attractive to a potential buyer such as repainting and cleaning it, some homeowners opt to refinish their houses. They will install new wardrobes, floor, ceiling, lights, and so on. While this is a great […]
Read more
6 Home Addition Projects To Increase Square Footage
Are you looking to increase your house’s square footage but aren’t sure about the right home addition projects to go with? Here are some of the best ones as given by home addition companies: Bump out the kitchen Bumping out your kitchen entails pushing out the kitchen by a few feet, usually a maximum of 2 feet. To do this, you will need to remove a section of the existing exterior wall and add more or longer flooring. You should then build a new wall along the expanded floor’s perimeter, then cover the expansion with roofing. When you bump out the kitchen, you have additional space and significantly increase your home value, as kitchen remodels have been shown to increase the value of a house significantly. Bumping out your kitchen is also less costly, and you don’t need to worry about installing a new foundation. You also don’t need to install additional heating or cooling. To get the most from the project, properly paint the walls. Also, ensure that you match the new floor with the already existing floor to have a uniform kitchen. Finish your basement If you are like other homeowners, your basement is unfinished, and all you need to do to add more square footage to your home is finish it. By so doing, you have extra living space. You can also use the extra space as a home theater or entertainment room. When working on your basement, ensure that you factor in the zoning restrictions in your area so that you don’t run into any problems. Try a modular addition. If you want to expand your house upwards, you can always go for a pre-fabricated room instead of constructing a new one. This way, you save 20-30% of the cost and put up the modular house at any part of your compound. Expand the bathroom Like the kitchen, bathroom addition or expansion is an excellent project that increases the usable space and significantly increases the house value. If adding the bathroom for your use and you have the budget for it, there is no harm in splurging on high-end materials and features such as a walk-in closet, but if you are undertaking the addition to sell the house, be on the lookout and avoid high-end materials as you might fail to get your money back. For example, avoid marble or granite for your countertops, as you won’t recoup your money. Instead, opt for moderately priced materials that will look good, increase the value of your house and save you money. Enclose the front porch Are you at home most of the time, or spend a lot of time on the front porch? You can enclose it and turn it into a plausible room. Before you install the enclosure, note that you will need to install heating and cooling systems. You will also need direct access to the extension cable. While at it, check with an architect and engineer and confirm that your house will hold effectively after the installation. Turn your attic into usable space. Like the basement, many people rarely use their attic or use […]
Read more