Tips to Consider When Remodeling Your Home
Whether you’re planning a home addition, eco-friendly home upgrade, condo remodel, or basement extension, you need to consider a number of tips to realize your idea as smoothly as possible. Some of the tips you need to consider include: Get the necessary permits and permissions. Before you get away with home improvement ideas and contractors, be sure you have everything in order. This entails obtaining the necessary regulations and permits to begin construction work lawfully. The particular standards and papers you must give will differ by state, but the goal is the same. Many people think permits are a hard obstacle to stop you from doing what you want. However, they protect the value of your property and your neighborhood by keeping the things that made you want to live there in the first place. Remember that you need an electrical, mechanical, or plumbing work permit. The type of permit you need varies from city to city, so always check the local building code and requirements to ensure you get the right one. Homeowners often try renovating their homes without permission, which can be very expensive if caught. If the authorities find out that you remodeled your house without them, you might have to tear down the addition and lose all the time and money you’ve spent on it. If you want to sell your house, you will also need the permit papers. Without them, you will lose money on the house. If you live in an area with a Homeowners Association (HOA) or a designated historic neighborhood, you may need permission from both the local government and these groups. It is important to know that some local building officials may want you to work with an architect before they give you permissions and permits. Even though it’s not required by law, it’s a good idea to let your neighbors know what you plan to do and how long it will take. This way, they won’t keep complaining whenever they hear noises from your house. Have a budget You need to have a budget and ensure that you have enough money. You should note that a lack of funds will rapidly bring your project to a halt or force you to make big changes to your plan, and you don’t want this, do you? When planning a home addition, it is critical to understand home addition costs to create a comprehensive budget. The first step to generating a budget is to find out what design options are available, the likely costs and problems, how long the project will take, and what needs to be done regarding planning and building regulations. Always remember that the decisions you make at the beginning of the project will affect the whole project and set the tone for how you approach the building work and how much you spend. Many cases have been reported of contractors collecting money and running away. To avoid this, ask the contractor to start working and pay them milestones to ensure they are dedicated to the project and will stay with your money. If you must pay before, pay the […]
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Home Addition Tips and Tricks
Are you looking to add a room to your house? Here are valuable tips you should pay attention to as given by home addition companies: Go with the easy one No, we are not saying that you should go the easy route, which means you will likely botch your project. We say that you should work with what is easy to finish. For example, if you are simply interested in an additional bedroom, don’t build one from scratch, as this will take time and be expensive. The cheapest and right thing to do is finish the basement, garage, or even the attic and turn it into a bedroom. If you have all of these spaces and can’t decide on the one that is easier and cheaper to turn into a usable room, get the input of a professional. Always have a plan Even if you are turning your garage into a livable space, always have a plan of how things will work and how the room will look once complete. If you have handled a similar project before, this will be a piece of cake but if you aren’t confident in your skills, work with an expert that knows what they are doing. If you are building a new house from scratch, take time to take the measurements and ensure that the addition will fit your property lines. It’s also wise to check with the local government and confirm how closely the codes in your city allow you to build next to your neighbor’s property. When installing a new addition from scratch, ensure that the new building won’t interfere with the utility lines or pipes. Also, ensure that the structural changes you are looking to make will fit into the framing and foundation of your building. Permits are necessary if you are building a new house, so always get them before you begin your project. Always think about value. As much as you are looking for extra space, always think about the value that the space brings to the table. This calls for you to be strategic about how you go about it. For example, if you simply want an extra bedroom for your guests, don’t add the extra space. Think about how you can add the extra space and still add value to your property. An excellent way to do it is to add an extra bedroom with an in-built bathroom. This way, you make the bedroom more comfortable as it has its bathroom and significantly increase the property’s valuproperty’sxtra bedroom means more space for the prospective buyer. Work with trusted professionals. Regardless of how minor your project is, always involve the services of professionals. And not just professionals—experts that know what they are doing. Many people looking for contractors for their projects go online and hire the first technician they find. This is wrong as it often leads to homeowners hiring the wrong contractor. The best way to do this is to contact at least five promising technicians and then schedule an interview with them. It’s only after you have determined that the technicians are qualified and will […]
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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 […]
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Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid
As much as remodeling a house improves its functionality and space, many homeowners have been making plenty of costly home renovation mistakes. Which are these mistakes? Here they are as given by home remodeling architects: Setting unrealistic budgets We are sure that you have come across an unfinished remodel. Often this happens when the homeowners are under budget for the project, resulting in the project stalling once the money is exhausted. To avoid this, you should work with an experienced professional to help you come up with a more accurate budget. Regardless of how experienced the professional is, remember that it’s common for the cost of materials to go up. There is also the risk of the project not getting finished on time. To ensure that your project never stalls, set aside an extra 20% of your budget for any surprises that might come up later down the line. Sacrificing function for form As much as you want a beautiful remodel, you shouldn’t sacrifice function for form. This means that the new remodel should be functional, then beautiful to look at. To ensure this is the case, work with an experienced contractor to help you come up with the perfect design for your house. Being too trendy There is no one that doesn’t want a modern house, and there is nothing wrong with this. Some homeowners make a major mistake of significantly updating their new remodels that they look out of place. For example, they will install all the latest and trending materials. While the house will look trendy and new, you should note that trends are often short-lived, and it’s a matter of time before the house begins looking out of place. To be on the safe side, balance the look of the house design. The house should have a properly thought out design that looks good and has the potential to last for a long time. To have an easy time coming up with the right design, work with an experienced designer. Saving on materials As much as you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on your remodel, it doesn’t mean you should buy cheap, low-quality materials that you will need to replace after a couple of years. The best way to go about it is to buy high-quality building materials that will last for years. While they might be expensive, you won’t have to replace them soon. Some good quality materials even last for decades. If you don’t have money for top-quality materials, it’s wise that you postpone your project and only start it when you have enough funds for quality materials. Having unrealistic expectations When many people think about remodeling their houses, they imagine that they will look perfect and flawless. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case as remodeling is often messy, noisy, and inconvenient as you may have to change your living conditions. To avoid surprises, do some research and know what to expect. You can also check with your builder and understand the process involved and what will be expected from your end. Working with any contractor Unless you have a simple […]
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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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Do I Need An Architect For An Addition?
Most home addition projects are small that many homeowners ask themselves, do I need an architect for an addition? The answer to this question is a resounding yes. Regardless of the size of your project, you should have home remodeling architects that will help you bring your dream to life. The architects you hire will be responsible for a variety of duties, including: Designing the house Regardless of the type of addition you are having, you should have a design for it. The architect will help you plan how you will execute the project and how the entire project will look once complete. Besides the architect helping you come up with the project design, he/she will also help you come up with pull permits and design changes to the house’s structure. Serve as a contract writer. If your home addition is going to be big, the architect can serve as a contract writer to pull all the pieces of the project together. This includes: The estimate House specs The scope of the job Hiring the subcontractors Hiring a contractor Since the architect always comes before the contractor, if you don’t have a contractor in mind or don’t want to get involved with the hiring process, your architect should help you identify a good contractor for your project and even hire them. The architect should also supervise the contractor and ensure that they are doing a good job. Advice on fixture and finishes The architect should also advise you on the best fixtures and finishes to install in your house. Some of the areas the contractor should advise on include: Painting and color pairing Drawers and cabinets Lighting Kitchen and countertop works Outdoor landscaping Knobs and metal accents Tiling and flooring Hiring the right architect Since we have seen the vital roles served by an architect, you should be cautious of the contractor you hire and ensure that you are hiring the right one. The cool thing is it’s easy to identify an experienced architect as all you need to do is to ask them questions. Some of the questions to ask during the hiring include: What roles and responsibilities do they think they will be handling? What is their role in choosing and handing fixtures? What strategy will they use to see through the project? Are there challenges they expect in the project? How will they go around them? How will they deal with conflicts in the project? What are their references? When it comes to references, many homeowners collect them, but they rarely follow up. You don’t want to be this way. After the architect gives you a list of customers they have worked with, take it as your initiative to get in touch with the mentioned people and ask them about their experience with the architect. Of course, you should work with an architect with a stellar record—the clients should be happy and proud to have worked with the said architect. What other things should you consider when hiring the architect? Besides asking the architect as many questions as possible that will help you nail down their experience […]
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