Guide to Remodeling Your Condo
A condo remodel differs from a stand-alone home renovation in that there are shared spaces in a condo that must be considered as part of the renovation, as well as numerous very close neighbors who are likely to have an opinion on any work you wish to conduct. You will also have to follow the norms of your own complex and the legislation that applies to renovating condos in your jurisdiction, which has its own set of obstacles. This post aims to walk you through some of the most essential items to consider before starting a restoration project in your condo. Understand the rules in your area. Before proceeding, you should learn about the procedures that your body has established for your apartment complex regarding renovation clearances. An excellent place to start is by reviewing the strata By-Laws, which often contain specific instructions on what is authorized to ensure the comfort and safety of all tenants within the apartment complex. The By-laws that you need to consider include: What you can and cannot do, such as modifying the windows, what flooring you can use (for example, wood floating floors are frequently not permitted due to noise transfer), and so on. Hours your craftsmen and technicians will be able to work. What you need to do to protect common areas throughout the remodeling (e.g., cover lifts and standard floors with protective material) Which materials you can use Installation of satellite television or air conditioning devices. What alterations are and are not allowed Whether you’re authorized to make any structural changes, and if so, how to do so. The By-Laws aim to establish the regulations under which everyone in the apartment complex functions in terms of what they can and cannot do to their units and their behavior within the complex. The By-Laws protect each owner in the apartment complex while ensuring all inhabitants’ privacy and safety. The By-Laws also outline what can and cannot be done to the common property, such as windows. Once you’ve determined what you can and cannot do within your condo complex, the following step is to create your design and scope of work and present it for approval. Your corporate body will likely require a combination of the following to examine your remodeling application: Plans and/or a design of modifications, typically drawn up by a designer or draftsman (for significant works) A structural engineer can provide advice and drawings for any structural work you want. A thorough scope of work. Projected timelines for your project A timetable of fittings and finishes, particularly any changes to fixed floor coverings. It is critical to be well-prepared when presenting all of the above to your Body Corporate, as it may take some time for your demands to be discussed and a decision made. Do cosmetic changes that are within the rules Cosmetic improvements to your unit can sometimes be performed without formal approval. Still, verifying the By-Laws for your specific condo complex is always a good idea. Before completely renovating your condo, evaluate whether you can fulfill many of your goals with relatively simple updates. Without a doubt, a […]
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Renovating for The First Time? Here Is How to Do Right
While remodeling a home can be a fantastic opportunity to transform an old, run-down structure into your ideal abode, it’s not always easy to take on such a large undertaking. There are obstacles at every turn, from missing deadlines to unanticipated structural issues and mistakes in design. Thankfully, by working with the right home addition companies and putting the following tips in place, you will create the home you have always dreamt about. Discuss your ideas with your team. Ignoring to share ideas with your professional team may lead to problems with functionality or quality. Your project manager, architect, or builder will have helped many homeowners remodel their houses, so they may be eager to provide professional suggestions. When you share your ideas with them, they might be able to recommend more affordable materials or different approaches to the design. When you are having a remodeling project, make every effort to be adaptable, but if your heart is set on something particular, don’t hesitate to speak out for it. Remember that there is no way that your professionals will deliver the right product if you hire the wrong ones. For the best outcomes, ensure that you work with experienced professionals who know what they are doing. As a rule of thumb, they should have handled a similar project before. Avoid doing anything you don’t understand Although it may be tempting to do most of the job yourself, doing so may result in delays, costly corrective work in the future, and accidents. You don’t want this, do you? For some tasks, it’s imperative that you employ a professional if you lack the necessary skills. For instance, doing plumbing, gas, or electrical work yourself is never a good idea. Doing roof repairs, eliminating asbestos, and tearing down walls without professional assistance are other risky tasks you attempt if you don’t have the necessary skills. For peace of mind, let the professionals do their work. Regardless of how handy you think you are, leave it to the professionals if you have never handled the project before as they will do a better job. You have nothing to worry about as long as you hire the right people. Take your time Moving into a newly purchased house in livable condition for a short while is a good idea before starting improvements. This way, you’ll have more time to determine what works and what doesn’t, and most importantly, how you use the house. It will also help to refine a functional and comfortable design rather than just focusing on aesthetics, from where you put the groceries and how the living areas flow to where the house’s coldest and warmest spots are. Allow as much natural right as possible The way natural light shapes a room is one thing that’s not visible on a floor plan. Before you lock in a layout, get a sense of how different areas in your house feel as the light changes throughout the day. For instance, you’ll probably want the maximum light in your primary family living areas. You can increase the light by glazing choices like expansive picture windows […]
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Common Mistakes Homeowners Make When Remodeling Their Condos
Studies show that many homeowners make plenty of mistakes when remodeling their condos. These mistakes include: Going for the cheapest contractors The quotes you receive from several condo remodel contractors you interview will differ significantly. The majority of them most likely lie in a similar mid-range, with one perhaps being high and another relatively low. A frugal homeowner may believe they have found the solution after seeing that inexpensive estimate, but things are not as simple as they seem. Perhaps the contractor omitted something from your quote, which is why it is substantially less than the others. It’s also possible they’re giving you a quote without including the cost of permits or debris disposal, or they’re using technicians with less experience or lower-quality supplies. Regretfully, there are instances where the contractor may be purposefully deceiving you. It hurts to learn about it, but it does occur. You should avoid contractors who refuse to provide a receipt or who offer a discount in exchange for payment. This is because these are often signs of dishonest contractors. You should note that there’s usually a valid explanation if a quote is low. When you receive a quote that is much lower than the average, you shouldn’t rush to take it. Instead, you should be concerned about the caliber of the job. If you believe that hiring a professional is pricey, consider the expense of hiring a professional to correct amateur work that you attempted to save money on. This is a note to say that you should go with the highest quote to guarantee quality work. It’s probably not real if it seems too good to be true. When you receive the quote, inquire if the contractor has defined every material by brand, model, and finish. Next, find out if the quote covers every task included in the project, line by line. To be safe and ensure that you don’t hire a contractor that you later regret, you want to see a lengthy, in-depth quote. Short and superficial ones will simply not do your project any justice, so you should avoid them. Focusing too much on the aesthetics There is always the allure of a fresh, modern kitchen or bathroom, but don’t be in a rush. And don’t prioritize fixing cosmetic issues over structural ones. To be safe, take your time and hire a contractor to conduct a house inspection before beginning any new job. This ensures that you know precisely what you are getting into before renovating. Inspecting the house also helps you budget for the remodeling and devise a plan for how you will go about it. When remodeling, take care of structural problems with your home first. This calls for you to start with the foundation, windows, doors, roof, etc. After that’s finished, you can go to the house’s interior. While at it, also ensure that all the parts of the house are working as well as they should. For example, confirm if your kitchen exhaust fan is strong enough. Does it properly vent out of the house, or does it vent into the attic? Find this out and fix […]
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How to Survive a Home Renovation
Whether it’s taking a bathroom out of action or sleeping in the living room, home remodeling can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be disastrous. Surviving a remodeling is possible using the tips given below: Have a solid plan The only way to survive a kitchen makeover or condo remodel is to plan. You should prioritize structural projects (such as replacing your roof, creating new walls, or improving fundamental or electrical systems) before tackling cosmetic jobs like painting. Assume you are staying in your home during the renovation. In that situation, you should communicate with your contractor about the building timetable so that you can design a strategy to eliminate clutter and avoid occupying their construction area. Ask your contractor for recommendations and collaborate to make the process smooth for everyone. Clearly define the scope of the proposed job. Online resources will help you create a clear vision of the appearance you want. You can explore images and add your favorites to ideabooks to share with family members and professionals. Also, consider visiting showrooms and suppliers to see product and finish samples, and take a tour of properties for sale in your region to get ideas about what you can realistically expect. Have a daily routine. Creating and sticking to a daily routine will help you keep organized during your remodel. It also allows you to prepare ahead and predict which days will be the most chaotic. For example, surviving a kitchen or bathroom remodel may require spending the weekend away with the kids if there is rewiring or appliance downtime. The more prepared you are, the less stressful things will be. Of course, disturbance to your and your family’s lives will be part of the process, but there are easy steps you can take to minimize inconveniences, such as sticking to a timetable and requesting one from your contractor. Be ready for dust in the house. To survive a kitchen, bathroom remodel, or any other renovation, you must be mentally prepared for chronic dust. Even after professionals have cleaned the scene, construction dust will most likely be still present. A wise way to do it is to pack up stuff you won’t need and invest in proper storage while renovating. It’s also a good idea to use heavy-duty plastic drop cloths to block the doorways between your temporary living and renovation area and to tape up vents to prevent dust from entering your home’s air system. If there is a potential that the item being worked on contains lead paint, you must follow the EPA Renovation, Repair, and Paint Guidelines. You can also use magnetic vent covers to keep dust out of non-renovated areas of your home. Another method to consider is using plastic drop cloths to seal the entrance between the remodeling area and your living space. You should also ensure your contractor and all personnel understand which areas of your home are off-limits. You need a private location where you don’t have to worry about staff snooping, tampering with your belongings, or invading your space. Make it clear where they may and cannot go. Have a […]
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8 Renovations That Increase Condo Value the Most
Whether you’re preparing to sell your condo or simply searching for ways to increase the value of your property, you want to make upgrades that have the most significant impact on your property, right? If you are concerned about the best upgrades to go for, here they are, as given by condo remodel experts: New appliances Most people do not want to have to buy new appliances when they move into their new condo, so finding a home with modern equipment is important to the buyer. If your appliances are old and worn out, replacing them will boost their value and future sale potential. If they’re of a reasonable age but aren’t all matching or need to be spruced up on the outside, talk to the manufacturer about getting new matching panels. When installing new appliances to sell your house fast, you should be cautious of buying extremely high-end brands, as you can easily fail to recoup your investment. The right way to go about it is to buy a cheaper brand that still looks good and will last for a long time. Increasing the storage space Space is often limited in big-city condos, so your ability to creatively and effectively add more storage will be critical. And the good thing is that there are plenty of ways to go about it. Consider installing floating shelves to add value to your apartment while saving valuable floor space. You should also consider installing kitchen racks to hang pots, pans, and utensils. If you have the capacity and funds, you can expand an existing closet or build a new one. Install hardwood floors Replacing your floors is a significant undertaking, but it is well worth it. Studies show that condominium owners who repair their floors often receive an 80-100% return on their investment. Good looking floors are a significant selling element, giving the entire space a rich, improved, and updated vibe. If you want a minor renovation that will benefit you whether you remain or leave, putting classic hardwood throughout your condo is a no-brainer. If you are already planning to replace appliances, as we indicated above, now is the time to replace outdated flooring with hardwood. Install smart home features. Smart homes and the ability to operate appliances or a thermostat from anywhere in the world are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners. Making your condo a smart home will enhance its resale value and make it more appealing to potential purchasers. You should consider installing automatic lighting, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide alarms, all powered by smart technology. This will make your home more appealing and give an additional layer of protection and monitoring. You also get to enjoy energy savings on your electricity bill. Sounds like a good deal, doesn’t it? Renovate the bathroom Nothing can turn off a potential buyer or reduce the value of your apartment faster than an out-of-date bathroom that requires considerable TLC. Creating a gorgeous master bathroom and improving the guest bathroom is a great way to boost the value of your home and your enjoyment of your condo if you intend to stay. If […]
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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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Why You Should Remodel Your Commercial Property
Are you thinking about undertaking commercial remodeling? You should go ahead and do it, as it comes with plenty of benefits. These benefits include: Increase property value One of the primary reasons businesses choose to remodel is to raise the value of their property. Your business property will be worth more when you modify it. This is especially true when individuals want to rent or buy your unit. Of course, for the best results, you should engage in projects that increase the value of your property with the highest margins. Enhanced visual appeal When trying to attract new consumers or keep existing ones happy, it’s critical to provide them with something visually appealing. When customers go up to your building or drive by and notice how nice it appears from the outside, they’ll be more likely to come inside and discover what else you have to offer. Nobody enjoys peeling wallpaper, damaged flooring, or fading wall paint. Renovating will assist you in making the ideal first impression on your clients and customers. You attract more customers and clients. Renovating or remodeling your home is a terrific approach to show your consumers or clients that you are doing well. By renovating your property, you have a competitive advantage in attracting more customers. And the beauty is that you don’t need to make significant changes to the property. Minor design adjustments can sometimes go a long way toward making your property more desirable. Changes to your property will also communicate your dedication to your clients and staff, demonstrating your concern for their comfort and increasing their faith in you. You increase productivity A well-designed area that meets your employees’ demands can boost their productivity. They will have greater space to work and move around, resulting in higher overall productivity. Employees will benefit from working in an appealing setting where they feel comfortable, safe, and productive while striving to meet their daily objectives. It will also assist you in attracting new personnel. Instead of introducing new employees to a weary and aging workplace, you welcome them to one that is efficient, lively, and pleasant and watch employee retention rise. You conserve energy Isn’t it true that energy bills account for a sizable portion of your property expenses? Remodeling your commercial property might provide numerous chances to implement energy-efficient solutions. Some simple ways to save energy include installing energy-efficient HVAC models, replacing old windows, enhancing insulation, and installing energy-saving lighting. Along with saving money on electricity, an eco-friendly approach to workplace maintenance can appeal to many environmentally conscious clients in the long run. As you can tell, this means more money in your pocket. Steps to follow when remodeling your commercial property To get the best results, you must follow the proper remodeling steps. Here they are: Start with determining the objective of your remodeling. Commercial building restoration can range from a simple facelift to major structural upgrades that result in LEED certification. Setting specific goals for your remodeling helps you concentrate and focus your spending on the most critical aspects of the project. After the redesign, You should ensure that the property can […]
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Condo Remodeling Best Practises
Are you thinking about remodeling your condo? Here are valuable tips that will serve you right. Understand the space you have to work with You are considering doing a condo remodel because the size of your physical space has limitations you don’t like. The area might be too small, or you might not like its appearance. When you start a redesign, the items in the house can alter your perception of the space. You don’t have to clear them to measure the room, but it will assist. In any case, this minor action will be worth your time. The measurements of the room you are looking to renovate are an excellent place to start drawing a picture that will guide future planning. These essential dimensions should stay the same unless you begin removing barriers and expanding or altering the area. Relying too heavily on a single copy to remain intact throughout your project may result in time-consuming erasing and redrawing. So make multiple copies of the condo and the changes you want. The parameters will act as constant reference points during your renovation. Furthermore, always measure the furniture you intend to maintain and purchase. This includes anything from set pieces like sofas to side tables. Knowing the exact specifications of major objects might save time if your redesign requires a lot of rearrangement. Think about functionality As much as you want to improve your house’s look, you should consider its functionality. The adage “form follows function” really applies to most remodeling projects. Before you start the remodel, be honest about what you want your room to be to help define its function. Some of the functionalities you can go with include: Intimate setting for hosting guests Enough space for large gatherings. Your television room A decorated but appealing corridor leading to additional rooms It is critical to decide early in the planning process so that you may begin to design your perfect layout, furniture configurations, and decorations. If you want more room to lounge with your guests or close visitors, you could remodel your condo to arrange the seats so that everyone faces each other and set up a table where everyone can readily get refreshments. If you work from home and you are looking for more space that you can work with, begin your renovation designs by focusing on the greatest location for your work-from-home arrangement, then organize the lighting, seats, and so on. Pay attention to the colors. Color is a powerful tool for setting the tone of a room. Certain hues are relaxing or soothing, while others might stimulate activity. Variety also affects feelings, so don’t place too much emphasis on the hue of your walls. Sure, it’s vital, but think carefully about the color of everything in your condo. In general, begin with a color palette of two to four hues. Consider how much visual space the things in your condo will take up as you choose. You may begin with the walls, rugs, and furniture. The reason for this is that the color scheme of these larger items will have a corresponding impact on the […]
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Tips To Consider When Renovating Your House
If you want to fix your house but are unsure where to start, you’re not alone. Many people start planning a home improvement project without knowing what to expect. When things go wrong during renovations, they only realize they should have had a plan. If you don’t plan, renovating your home can disappoint you. This is because, unlike when you build a new house, you aren’t starting from scratch. There can be costs and problems that come up out of the blue that makes the process harder. So, before you start down the winding road of home improvement, here are several things given by home addition contractors that you need to know to have a great project: Start with the kitchen. People often want to know in what order they should make home improvements. It’s best to start with the kitchen because these renovations add value to your home. If your kitchen is old and worn out, updating it will let you enjoy it more at home. You should also remodel the kitchen first because it will create the most dust and debris you don’t want to get on freshly painted walls or new finishes. Putting plastic over doorways or passageways is a good way to keep demolition mess from spreading. Remember that a big kitchen remodels usually takes several months, so you’ll need to set up a temporary kitchen in your dining room, family room, or a nearby room. Spend time in the space. Even if it seems obvious, you should wait to decide on things like paint colors, carpet, and light fixtures until you’ve spent some time in the space you’re fixing up. For example, if you want to replace an old carpet, there are many options. Dense or loose fibers? Or no pattern at all? What shade of gray should you go for? The answers depend on choosing paint colors and other parts of the renovation. Even if you choose paint colors before remodeling, you still need to see them on the walls. As you spend more time in the house, you might change your mind about the house colors. Also, newly painted walls and new carpet can show that the lights you already have don’t give off as much light as you thought, and you are forced to change them. Before you paint or replace the carpet in the room you’re remodeling, take a few minutes to think about how everything fits together. This will save you from having to go back to the drawing board and spend a lot of money on it. Don’t hire the first contractor. It pays to talk to multiple contractors and look at their bids. Many people make the mistake of hiring the first contractor that they come across, but this isn’t the right way to go about it. Instead, you should talk to three or more contractors and compare their bids. You might be tempted to hire the cheapest but don’t go this route, as chances are the contractor isn’t experienced enough and will most likely botch your project. At the same time, you shouldn’t hire an expensive one […]
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Tips to Having a Great Time Renovating Your House
As much as you are improving the look of your house, house renovation can be one of the most stressful parts of owning a home. Over the years, you’ve probably heard many horror stories about home buyers caught off guard by unexpected costs, lousy work, and delays. In the worst cases, the contractor would disappear with the money, leaving the homeowners high and dry. Choosing the right contractor is a hard job by itself, but once you’ve made your choice, getting the contract right is another way to help avoid problems in the future. Whether doing a condo remodel or any other remodeling project, here are tips to ensure you have a great time handling the project. Avoid upfront payments It goes without saying that if you pay upfront, contractors or designers who aren’t honest could run away with your money. If the work turns out to be bad, getting your money back will be harder. To stay safe, pay as little as possible upfront, and ensure you have a good payment structure that works in your favor. A great way to do it is to make payments in parts, like 10% when the floors are done, 40% when the kitchen is done, and so on. You should only pay for the work once it’s done. You should avoid paying more than 20% to start work. If you have to pay more than that, ask your contractor why they need such a hefty payment upfront. It will be better if you add a schedule to these milestones so that the contractor has to meet both the schedule and the standards. Ensure all defects are fixed beforehand. Even when working with the most experienced contractors, problems might arise. You might assume that the contractor will fix all problems before handing over, but some contracts need to be clarified. Some contracts say a problem can be fixed within a certain amount of time (up to 30 days after the job is done), while others may not even mention the problem. Pay attention to the fact that some contracts put all responsibility on a subcontractor. For example, if there is a problem with the electrical work, the contract might say that you have to talk to the electrician on your own. Always ensure that defects are fully dealt with and spelled out in the contract to your satisfaction. Don’t forget that the last payment should not be due the contractor has fixed until all the problems. Have written proof. Don’t count on verbal promises or confirmations because you can’t prove them later. Whatever your contractor agrees to or changes, it must be in writing. You can do this through email, text messages, or written documents. When things are written down, they are not only binding but also less likely to be misunderstood. Ask about warranties What happens if your cabinets start to bend after only a year? Or if the tiles are already beginning to lose their color? Some materials may come with a warranty that lasts a lifetime, while others may not have any warranty at all. Whether buying materials or working […]
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