Home Remodeling Tips Every Homeowner Should Know
Are you thinking about remodeling your home? Here are expert tips given by home remodeling architects that will ensure that you have a successful home remodeling project: Always plan ahead How do you want your remodeling project to look? What are the projected results? You should plan this ahead of time. Before you even begin the project, you should know how you want the project to look. You also should know the amount of money you will spend on the project. It’s also important to know who will handle the project beforehand. The last thing you want is to look for a contractor too late. You should note that when you do it too late, you make many mistakes that often jeopardize your project. Have a budget As mentioned above, you should know the amount of money you should plan to spend on your project, and there are plenty of ways to know how to go about it. Visit several stores and find out the prices they charge for their materials. While you should try to save as much money as possible, avoid a store selling its products at ultra-high prices, as they will be ripping you off. You also should avoid those selling you the products at low prices as they might be selling you substandard materials, and you don’t want to use low-quality products on your house, do you? Besides knowing the prices of items, it’s also wise to know how much you will spend on labor, building permits, and decorative finishes. An excellent way to estimate the prices is to get quotations from experienced contractors that know what they are doing. The best way to go about it is to get quotations from at least 3 contractors. If the estimates exceed your budget, consider cutting out some unnecessary elements. To avoid running out of money, reserve at least 10% of your budget for unexpected costs. Find a way to finance your project. Where will the money for the project come from? You need to know this. If you have some savings, you can use them on the project, but if you don’t, you should consider getting a loan. Don’t get the loan from anywhere—shop around and find a plan that gives you the best deal. One of the best to go with is a fixed rate with flexible repayment terms. This way, you have an easy time planning how to repay it. Come up with a timeline. For your project to have a goal, you must develop a timeline. This calls for you to have the project start and completion date. If you are doing the project by yourself, you should have a plan of when you will start it and when you will complete it. If working with a contractor, come up with timelines of when you will achieve certain milestones. As you are coming up with the timelines, ensure that you have time to ship the necessary materials and, at the same time, have enough time to prepare the area properly. As much as you want to complete the project, you don’t want to do […]
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6 Tips For Building An Addition To Your Home
Are you having a home addition project? Here are tips to consider: Work with an expert A home addition project is an expensive endeavor and the last thing you want is to hire someone that botches up the project. To ensure this doesn’t happen, work with an experienced home addition builder. Before you begin working with the contractor, have everything in writing—this is solely to make the contract binding and have evidence should the contractor fail to deliver their end. The contract should clearly spell out what is included in the price so that you don’t keep being asked to pay random fees that can easily pile up and bury you. Although it’s good to have the contract in writing, you should note that this can’t account for unexpected problems that might arise later on. So, despite having everything in writing, it’s wise to prepare for surprises. Don’t go overboard When you want to impress and give your home the best look possible, it’s easy to go overboard. For example, it’s easy to go all the way out and build an extremely large addition. It’s also possible to be carried away and use the highest quality materials possible. To be on the safe side, construct a house of the right size. When it comes to materials, go for quality materials that will stand the test of time and withstand the usual wear and tear. Be decisive If you ask any home addition contractor, they will tell you of a horror story of when the homeowner changed their mind severally regarding the kitchen cabinets, paint or flooring while the project was underway. You should avoid this as it often causes plenty of confusion. It also increases the costs of labor and materials throwing your budget out of place. If you aren’t sure about how you want the cabinets, kitchen or any other part of the house to look, don’t begin the project. Wait until you are sure then find a contractor. If you aren’t sure about the look you want, get the input of a professional. Be flexible As much as you should to be decisive about what you want, you should be flexible in making important decisions. For example, if you had planned to install a magogany door but it’s not available, you should be flexible enough and install a fiberglass or steel door instead. This way you prevent the project from stalling because you can’t find the exact item you planned for. The only caveat to this is that your decisions shouldn’t affect your budget too much. Buy the materials in bulk To save money and get exciting discounts, you should buy the materials you need for your project in bulk. To attract even larger discounts, buy the materials from one company. If you live in a small town, it’s wise to do your shopping in a larger city as there are plenty of options there to choose from. Don’t shy away from negotiating with the contractor When the home addition companies DC give you their quotes, try to negotiate with them so that you can bring down the […]
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Wondering What Order to Do Home Renovations? Follow This Guide
To avoid wasting money, time, and resources, you need to have a detailed order on how to accomplish your home remodeling project. The safest and most sensible way to go about it is to hire home remodeling architects to help with the planning, design, and budgeting, but what if you don’t have money? You should do it yourself. Wondering what order to do home renovations? Here is a guideline to follow: Make a plan The usual cliché, if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail, holds even in a home remodeling project. Before you begin the remodeling, carefully assess the areas you would like to renovate and set your priorities. You will need money to accomplish the project, regardless of whether it’s big or small, so you need to come up with a budget. When creating the budget, factor in all the costs that you will incur. Think about the cost of the materials, transport, tapes, and others. The most difficult cost to budget for is the labor costs, but you will be on the safe side if you put it at 20-40% of your total budget. As you are coming up with a budget, remember to have a 10-20% contingency for emergencies. This amount might seem like a lot, especially when you are looking to make every dollar count but remember that you are better off being left with money once the project is done than to halt the project in the middle after your pockets run dry. Hire a contractor Unless you are a skilled handyman, you shouldn’t try to handle a remodeling project yourself, as you will waste a lot of time and money. Regardless of the size of your project, hire a contractor to handle it. The key to finding the right contractor is taking your time and not hiring the first contractor you come across. You should interview several contractors and settle on the most qualified. Avoid an extremely cheap contractor as they are most likely inexperienced, and chances are high they will botch your project. At the same time, avoid an extremely expensive contractor, as they might be ripping you off. Take your time and find a contractor that gives you value without having to part with astronomical amounts of money. Talk to your insurance company. Do you have home insurance? You should talk to your insurance company and ensure you have the amount of coverage that fits your needs. Most likely, the home renovation will raise your home’s value, so the insurance company should increase your coverage limits, so your investment has better protection. Secure the necessary permits and order the materials Most municipalities will require you to have construction permits, and not having them will have a significant impact on your project, so ensure you have them. You also should check the municipality’s regulations and ensure you adhere to them to avoid being on the wrong side of the law. While at it, order the materials you need for the project. These include: lumber, windows, doors, and drywall. Start the demolitions If there are areas of the house that you […]
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Can I Build My Own Addition?
If you are asking, can I build my own addition? You must be thinking about adding another room in your house, but you don’t have money to hire a home addition builder, right? Well, the good news is that you can build an additional house if you have the necessary skills. You only need to follow the right procedure. Step 1: Draft the house plan. This is the first thing to do. Come up with a plan for the house you are looking to build. Of course, you should have the plan done by an expert. An ideal plan should include the shape, size, architectural points, floor layout, and other room aspects. When getting the plan, be specific about what you are looking for. How many square feet do you want the house addition to be? Do you want the room addition to have a bathtub or walk-in shower? Be specific about it to help the architect come up with a perfect plan. Being specific will also help you come up with a more accurate estimate. Step 2: Get the necessary building permits. Most states require you have building permits for every house you are putting up. To avoid being on the wrong side of the law, check with your local zoning board on the requirements you need to meet. Depending on your state, a building inspector may visit your property to check on the progress, so follow the plans closely and stay within the local authorities’ parameters. Step 3: Sink the foundation. Once you have the plan and the necessary permits, now it’s time to begin the construction work. Mark the areas that you need to dig and proceed with the work. When digging the foundation, ensure the new foundation is as close to your existing house as much as possible. The size and depth of the foundation vary depending on the size and height of your home addition. Step 4: Put up the walls. With the foundation in place, now it’s time to put up the walls. Since you are simply building a home addition and not a full-scale house, it won’t take you a long time to construct the house’s frame. After you have constructed the frame, begin erecting the walls. If you are constructing a small house, you can save money and time by getting prefabricated walls from your local store. Step 5: Install the roof. As soon as the walls are in place, install the roof to protect the walls from the harsh weather elements. For a uniform look, ensure that your room’s roofing style is similar to that of the main house. If you have roofing skills, you can install the roof by yourself but if you have never done it before, let a roofing professional do it so that the new roofing lines up with the existing roof. Step 6: Complete the electrical work. Are the walls and roof in place, and you are satisfied with them? Now it’s time to do some electrical wiring and HVAC system work. Since you will be dealing with electricity and ductwork, it’s wise you have an […]
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What to Consider Before Insulating Your Home
A review from the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA revealed that homeowners can save as much as 20 percent on heating and cooling expenses at home through proper sealing and insulation. Home insulation is important especially if you are living in areas that have the four seasons of the year. Proper insulation is also a great way to lessen energy expenses. Home improvement can drain your budget depending on the extent of the said home project. You can avail affordable home additions or find a home additions builder who can offer an affordable home addition design. One of the most important parts of building a house is installing a proper insulation system. Here are things that you should know first before insulating your home. All about insulation For starters, insulation is a type of material used to reduce the heat or cold getting into a house or building. There are different uses for insulation such as thermal, soundproofing, and electrical insulations. When it comes to homes, it is the thermal insulation that is often used. Among popular insulation materials include fiberglass and cellulose. These can be used both for thermal and soundproofing insulation. Insulation is a big help especially during the winter months by keeping your house warm and lessens the household’s dependency on heaters. This means proper insulation systems can also improve your house’s energy efficiency and lower your utility bills. As mentioned, there are different types of insulation aside from fiberglass and cellulose. These include others such as radiant barrier insulations (usually installed under the roof or the attic), rigid foam insulation, and Rockwool insulation (made of minerals and rocks turned into temperature-proof fibers). Common insulation mistakes If you are planning for a home remodeling addition, make sure to include a good insulation system in your plan. It can regulate the temperature in your home, especially during the cold season. The key here is to install the insulation system properly. However, there are still a lot of people who commit these common insulation mistakes. Here are some of them that you should avoid as much as possible. Forgetting air sealing As mentioned, insulation helps regulate temperature going in and out of your house. However, this should not block air movement, either. Otherwise, your insulation system will be in vain. Using old insulation systems Installing insulation systems can cost a fortune. That is why a lot of homeowners would find a way to save money on home improvement or a home addition design. One thing DIYers do is pulling out old insulation. However, it can cost you more unlike when you hire experts to do so. Old homes like the ones built in the 50’s or 60’s used asbestos as insulation. On the one hand, asbestos is generally safe when left unbothered. But when you disturb the material like removing it or moving it somewhere, that is where the problem starts. The same goes for vermiculite, which is somewhat linked to asbestos. Overstuffing insulation So you think the more you stuff insulation in your home makes it already better? Unfortunately, not so. When using fiberglass insulation, it’s the air […]
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Situations When You Should Hire A Home Remodel Professional
When you are considering remodeling your house, you can do the work by yourself or hire a home remodel professional. While you save money when you do the job by yourself, it’s always wise that you hire a professional to help you out: When to hire a remodeling expert There are many situations when you should hire the expert. Some of these situations include: When you don’t have the motivation: Let no one lie to you that the home remodeling project is easy—it’s usually cumbersome, and you need a lot of motivation to pick up the sledgehammer or any other working tool. If you feel that you don’t have the motivation to do the hard work, it’s time to hire an expert to help you out. You don’t mind strangers in your house: Many homeowners opt to remodel their houses as they don’t want to lose control of their homes. If you don’t mind having handymen in your home for a few days, you should go ahead and hire the professionals. You don’t have the necessary skills: A home remodeling project doesn’t only require you to buy a sledgehammer and knock down a wall—you need the skills needed to bring down a wall and erect a new one. When you don’t have the time: In addition to the project requiring you to have the necessary skills, you also need to have enough time to do it. If you are a career person and busy, you should hire a professional who will handle the project while you go on with your work. Tip to consider when remodeling your house The first tip is to ensure that you hire a professional to help you with the work. Before you enter into a contract with the home addition builder ensure that he/she is certified and experienced enough to handle the project at hand. If you are reconstructing the house for resale, you should avoid spending more than you can recoup. For you to tell whether the project is worth it, you should hire an expert home evaluator who will help you with the evaluation. When you are doing the remodeling, you should avoid replacing all of the appliances. The best way out is to repair them. Conclusion This is what you need to know about home remodeling and when you should hire home addition companies DC. For you to get the most from the additions companies, ensure that you work with the most experienced ones.
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Home Additions Planning Tips
If you need an additional storage space or office, you don’t need to sell your house so that you can look for a bigger one. All you need to do is to make home additions. For you to ensure that that the process is flawless, you need to prepare adequately. Some of the things you need to do include: Identify the property lines This is the first thing that you should do. You need to know where your property begins and ends. All you need to do is to visit the government offices and find a map of your property. When you know your property lines, you will have an easy time coming up with a home design that won’t violate the building codes in your area. Come up with a floor plan A floor plan is a plan of how you want your property to be. You should start by imagining how you want the addition to look like once it’s complete. Although, you aren’t an expert, you should go ahead and sketch your ideas. When putting your ideas down don’t forget to scale the designs. This is to have an easy time renovating your property and adding more space to it. After putting your ideas on paper, you should now find architects builders or licensed contractors. You should discuss with the builders about the additions that you want to make to your property. Some people rush to hiring construction contractors, but this shouldn’t be you. You should first brainstorm with the architects on how to give the insides and outside of your house a perfect look. Get a renovation contract Once you have settled on the ideal design for your house, you should now get a renovation permit. You should contact the local city government offices and notify them about home addition design plans. You should request a renovation permit so that you aren’t on the wrong side of the law. Have a budget You need money to renovate your house. The amount that you spend doing it depends on a number of factors such as the costs of hiring home remodeling architects DC and the cost of raw materials. You should visit a number of home improvement stores and compare the prices of the various products you need in your work. When it comes to the contractors, you should interview a number of them and work with the most reputable one that charges a reasonable fee.
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