Make Your Home Kid-Friendly With These Essential Home Addition Tips
Having kids at home can be chaotic and fun at the same time. Little children tend to be more adventurous and curious to check out things that catch their eyes. Sometimes, their curiosity can be their parents’ worst nightmare. A nightmare – in a way that they have to constantly keep their children in check and not doing something that can endanger their lives. But just because you have kids at home doesn’t mean your house has to be messy and chaotic. You can still keep your coffee table, upholstered sofa, and other home décor to make your house look more inviting. It’s a matter of making your home kid-proof without sacrificing your personal taste in home improvement. Keeping your home kid-safe Safety is of utmost importance especially for households with small children. This is essentially important if you are planning to hire a home addition builder for a home remodeling project or building a home addition for your growing family. Fortunately, you can make your home a safe haven for your little children without compromising your home’s aesthetic value. If you have children at home, you can expect your house to be messy most of the time. It can be exasperating to clean up after them. Kids will be kids after all, and remember, you were also a kid once in your life. Cleaning up the mess is easier rather than getting into accidents that should have been avoided in the first place. Kid-safe home addition and renovation ideas Some parents assign a play area for their small children to avoid messing up the other rooms. Meanwhile, there are some parents who seem to be cool with the kiddie chaos inside the house. But as mentioned, your kids’ safety should be on top of everything else. This is particularly important if you are planning for a home remodel project. Aside from that, here are some kid-proof home improvement tips you should consider to ensure safety within the house. Choosing the right floor system Hardwood floors can be prone to scratches due to heavy foot traffic and other activities. If you have one at home, you can consider adding an area rug or carpet to protect your wood floors. Make sure that the rug or carpet is non-slip and made from kid-friendly material. For a home addition, you should consider using vinyl flooring as part of your home addition design. Choosing the right furniture If you have had enough of fortress-building in your living room, you should opt for fixed-cushion sofas instead. Avoid any furniture with sharp corners and instead opt for rounded sofas and other furniture instead. These will lessen the occurrence of injuries due to bumps and rough play. Encouraging cleanliness at home The best time to train a child to be independent is as early as now. Of course, these tasks should be age-appropriate. You can add a storage cabinet that they can easily reach and where they can store their toys. As part of a home addition plan, you can build a bathroom or kitchen countertop made from quartz or any durable material. Make sure that […]
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What to Consider in Building an Elderly-Friendly Home Addition
No matter how much we are dedicated to our beauty regimen, our skin will eventually wrinkle. Our brains will fail us at times. Our hair will turn gray, and we will not be as agile as we were in our younger days. Whether we like it or not, we will all reach the inevitable road of aging. At this point, seniors will have special needs in all aspects of their lives. This may include making necessary changes in their domestic life. For example, a home addition design that is suitable for the elderly may be necessary to ensure convenience and safety in their daily lives. If you have an elderly person living with you, you may want to consider a home remodel. As mentioned, the elderly will have special needs supposedly to make their daily life easier and safer. Aside from convenience and safety, building a home addition for the elderly should encourage self-reliance and mobility despite their physical limitations. Getting started First of all, you should hire a home additions builder with experience in building a senior-friendly home addition or renovations. For one thing, home additions or renovations should focus on making the house as safe and comfortable for your elderly folks as possible. However, home additions or renovations should still encourage them to be independent despite their limitations. Meanwhile, the elderly should also be aware of these changes and adjustments. Some may not accept these changes at first as they might think it will limit them in doing things unlike before. However, they should understand that such adjustments will be for their own benefit. These changes are necessary as these are also more practical and safe according to their capabilities. As for planning for a senior-friendly home renovation or addition, the best time to do that is as early as now. It is a good idea to plan ahead and to make the house more elderly-friendly while you are still able. Start from the entryways The entryway is the first thing your guests will see, and the last thing you will walk through before you enter the house. Entryways should also be safe for the elderly no matter the time of the day and the weather outside. Here are some tips for a senior-friendly walkway/entryway. Consider a no-step walkway, which can benefit especially for those who use a wheelchair or cane to walk. A ramp will also help seniors to easily get in and out of the house. A no-threshold entryway is also important to avoid tripping and causing unnecessary injuries. You can also add a non-slip flooring or mat. Make sure to repave pathways with visible cracks and potholes for added safety. Railings are also important especially if your house has stairs. Take note of the rail diameter for easier grip and support. Add stair lighting if necessary. Making your home safer for the elderly The next thing to be considered is making the house interiors safe including the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and the living room. You can hire home remodeling architects to make your home elderly-friendly. We use the bathroom every day, so it is just […]
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Prefabricated Home Additions vs. Building From Scratch: Which Is Better?
Are you long dreaming to have your own house? Who doesn’t want to have a place they can call their own home, right? On one hand, some would prefer renting to be near their place of work or because they are not able to afford a house yet. On the other hand, some would avail mortgage loans for a property of their choice. Meanwhile, some homeowners do not want to relocate and consider building a home addition instead. In building a home addition, a lot of people would still choose affordable home additions that will save them extra money afterward. But before that, it is a good idea to know your home addition options. Pre-fab or build from scratch? For one thing, buying a brand-new house can cost you a lot of money. But for some reason, many home buyers are still able to afford it. Some may have saved enough money for a downpayment. Meanwhile, some are able to avail of a mortgage loan in order to buy a real estate property or home addition. On the other hand, there are others who choose a pre-fabricated home addition instead of building entirely from scratch. By availing a pre-fabricated or modular home addition, it is said to be cheaper and requires less time to assemble. But if you want a customized home addition design, building from scratch is a good option for you. Both options come with a price, although pre-fab houses are cheaper than hiring a home addition builder and construct from scratch. However, it will still depend on how big your home addition, bump-out, or attic renovation will be. Nonetheless, you should consider your home building options carefully. Pre-fab home addition: Pros and cons Also known as “building systems”, prefabricated homes are getting popular these days. For one thing, these are more affordable and easier to build and assemble. The cost per square foot depends on the total size, location, and other amenities included in the package. As the name suggests, pre-fab homes are constructed prior to shipment and then assembled in a specific site within a few days. There are also different types of prefab homes you can choose from. Each of these pre-fab homes has different construction methods and also vary in costs. They also have different designs and built that will suit every homeowner’s needs and preferences. As mentioned, pre-fabricated homes are more affordable than building a new one. They are also easier and faster to build – some even take only a day to complete. Plus, pre-fab homes can be disassembled and rebuilt in another location depending on the need. On the downside, pre-fab homes may be limited in terms of customization. If you want a customized house, pre-fab homes may not be a good option for you. It is also recommended that you are near a pre-fab home factory so that you won’t much on transporting the materials to your property. You may encounter zoning issues along the way, so it is best to update yourself with the latest zoning standards in your area. Building from scratch: Pros and Cons Meanwhile, there are […]
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Can You Buy a Hoarded House (Without Going Nuts)?
A lot of people tend to get sentimental over material things. For one thing, some of these items may mean a lot for that person. On the other hand, there are some people who simply hoard stuff just because. Nevertheless, excessive hoarding is not considered anymore and can be a sign of a mental disorder. Meanwhile, there are home buyers out there who are willing to buy a hoarded house. No matter how crazy it may be, there is something about hoarded houses that some buyers are not able to resist buying. They may consider building a home addition design out of it. Regardless of the buyer’s plan, building a home addition in a hoarded house is still possible. What is hoarding? Going back to hoarding, this is actually considered a mental disorder that refers to the difficulty in disposing of material possessions. A hoarder finds it hard to let go of material things that most people would deem as useless. Such items may be as trivial like broken appliances or furniture or even smelly garbage. Hoarding is different from clutter. The former may be considered a mental disorder and can cause disturbance to others who are also living inside and near the house. On the other hand, clutter may simply need better organizing methods and most of the items are actually usable. Anything done in excess is not considered healthy, and so is hoarding. As mentioned, it can cause disturbance to other people nearby. In many cases, excessive hoarding can even compromise one’s health and affect one’s daily life. Should you buy a hoarded house? If you have watched the TV show “Hoarders”, then you already have an idea of what a hoarder’s life is. You may not simply imagine how a person can live with such trash and dirt, you cannot see the floor anymore. It can be a nightmare for home remodeling architects to convert a hoarder house into a much more liveable space. Still, there are a lot of people who take on the challenge, of which the first step is buying a hoarder house. In real life, hoarder homes can actually be a potential money-maker because of the hidden “treasures” you can find there. Who knows when you are able to find something that is worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of that pile of garbage in the house? Buying a hoarded house can also be cheaper especially if the hoarder is still living there. Since it may not be as desirable as other homes, you can expect to buy it at a cheaper price. If you want to enhance it, you can hire an affordable home additions company to make it more liveable and pleasant to look at. Other challenges you may encounter If you are planning to buy a hoarder house, you can expect to encounter some challenges along the way. Aside from the abovementioned instances, here are some things you can expect if you decide to buy a hoarded house. You may have a hard time getting a house loan. Real estate experts say that getting a mortgage loan for […]
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Common Home Renovating Mistakes You Need to Avoid
Home renovation can be an expensive affair depending on how complicated the project will be. Finding home remodeling architects can also take time especially if you don’t have connections to rely on. More so, a home renovation project can also take some to finish and would need some personal adjustments along the way. But despite all of the hassles and hard work, seeing the end results will all be worth it. Unless you are knowledgeable and experienced in this field, you can hire home additions builders with your home renovation project. For one thing, a home remodel should be handled only by professionals especially if it’s a major home improvement project. However, the entire project won’t start without you. You, the homeowner, and the contractors should collaborate to ensure that everything goes well as smoothly as possible. Home renovation mistakes are also common, but you can choose not to commit them. Common home renovation mistakes Here are some of the most common home renovation mistakes you should avoid: Focusing only on the aesthetic value One major reason for a home improvement project is to give your home or a part of your home a fresher look. This is regardless whether you are planning to change the floor tiles, add a kitchen countertop, or update your living room furniture. However, this should not only be your goal. Instead, you should also check whether there is a need for repair works. Otherwise, you may end up tearing up your newly-renovated area because you did not repair or replace a leaky pipe underneath. It is also a good idea to plan a home improvement project to upgrade into high-quality materials instead of simply adding to a room’s aesthetic appeal. Choosing a cheap contractor Looking for an affordable home additions contractors can help you save money. However, you should be careful in choosing a home addition builder. For one thing, a cheaper contractor does not always mean high-quality workmanship. Some contractors may offer cheaper quotes – at the expense of the materials used and the overall work quality. A reliable and trustworthy contractor should provide a detailed quote containing the materials that will be used. Likewise, it should indicate the estimated lead time, installation costs, waste management plan, and other important aspects of the home improvement project. Underestimating your budget Setting a budget is important when planning for a major home renovation project. In budgeting, you should also consider setting aside for contingencies. Home addition companies and other home improvement experts recommend adding at least 15 percent of your budget for emergency expenses. Doing too much at once Some homeowners want to accomplish tasks all at once. Apparently, they want to utilize the time and resources they have at that time. However, it can cause stress to the homeowner. That is why it is important to focus only on one project at a time, and then move on to the other one when the first one is already done. Should you go DIY or hire a professional? On one hand, you can choose to DIY your home improvement project, albeit with certain conditions. You […]
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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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Every Bathroom Should Have These
For those who are having their own condo for the first and those who’ve been living in one for many years now condo remodeling is one the main projects, you’ve wanted to achieve. Maybe others have been doing a makeover to their nook whenever necessary or just to add a little spice into their private haven. The Bathroom Does Spark Joy Because the bathroom is the most intimate room in every home, sometimes it is also the least glamorous and stylish. There are homes that use a common bathroom where guests use it too. Moreover, if your new pad has a common bathroom, which you have to share with everyone, make sure that it is stocked with the important bathroom necessities that can be accessible to anyone. The Essentials Your Loo Should Have (It’s A Must) SHOWER CURTAIN AND LINER. If you happen to have an unattractive tub or shower – which you should do something about – use a dark plain or a colorful curtain that is also easy to move during instances where you have to hide or cover that space. But if your shower is something you can be proud of, a sheer curtain is enough to allow some illumination into the shower area. TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER. You can always make use of cute glasses or mugs as your toothbrush holder or better yet, shop for a more chic holder that is attractive enough to add a little glam to your toilet. If you are using an electric toothbrush look for a holder that is big enough to handle its bulkiness. TRASH CAN. This very important toilet item can be simple or trendy. When some bathroom uses an open trash can, it’s better to have the one that flips its cover to conceal all the unpleasant bathroom waste. DURABLE BATH MAT. For safety reasons, choose the non-slip bathroom mats that are sturdy but lavish. This will benefit your unattractive toilet floor, or you can get a bigger mat or small mat size to be able to cover a bigger portion of your bathroom flooring. CLEANING SUPPLIES There are so many effective cleaning tools in the market, you just have to choose the ones that you need, the one that is convenient, and the ones that are easy to keep. INNOVATIVE STORAGE ITEMS. You can find these in bath stores, but you can also use mini bookshelves, bedside tables, baskets, and stock boxes for keeping all your essentials organized. Just make sure they will not occupy too much of your bathroom space. HOOKS. You can use over-the-door hooks or wall hooks depending on your creativity and availability of wall space. BATH TOWELS. You are free to choose the color and designs of your bath towels. But if you wanted a towel that matches everything, the white bath towels are your perfect choice. Just make sure that you choose an absorbing one. LONG-LASTING FRAGRANT SOAP. Your bath soap is different from the hand soap should be placed near your bathroom sink for everybody’s use. ILLUMINATION. Having a great lighting system in your bathroom should be one of the things that […]
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The Importance Of Having A Foyer
The job of every home addition design experts and contractors is to transform any visually unpleasant or unpleasing space or room into an area worth coming home again too. And their job also includes the foyer. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR FOYER The foyer area of your home is like a butler that introduces the house to your guests and is the first one who welcomes them. It is basically the first part of a home that you will see the moment you set your foot inside. It is also the are that can make a big impression to your guests. So if your foyer is not that attractive, then your guests will be expecting the same with the rest of the house. THE FOYER CONNECTS THE HOUSE TO YOUR GUESTS Over time, the foyer becomes similar to a hallway, entryway, or an entrance hall. So in a nutshell, the foyer is where your guests are being entertained first. Whether it’s a house or an apartment, foyers are usually spacious with plenty of room for additional furniture or accessories. This means that you’ll have to be making some tough decisions and choices when it comes to decorating this portion of your nook. You have to be certain about the main function of your foyer will be, think about your lifestyle, and think about the style you wanted for the foyer area. GIVE YOUR FOYER A NEW LIFE Storage The foyer needs storage considering the items that need to be stored like hats, coats, shoes, bags, accessories, and a lot more. With a proper storage system, you can keep all the items kept in a well-organized manner. Décor Options You can decorate your foyer with either a carpet or an area rug, wall art or a side table, and other decorative accessories of different shapes and sizes. This includes vases and lighting designs. It’s much better to put an attractive carpet or a rug that will automatically get your guests attention as they enter your house. Tables A round table or a console table will add glam to your foyer. You can have them placed either against the wall or in a corner of the area. Put a vase, scented candles or other aromatic and scented pieces that your guests will find attractive and pleasing. Walls Never take the walls for granted. You can hang either frames, artwork or some DIY wall décor pieces that you can easily find in the store or online. Lighting Of course, the most important of all home decors – lights. A chandelier will look perfect on high ceilings as well as pendant lights. While sconces can be easily mounted or attached on the foyer walls to add illumination and style altogether. Mirrors Using a large mirror can really showcase a foyer. By placing it on the wall, it will reflect either the living area or any room that is adjacent to its view. The mirror has always been a glamorous piece of accessory that can turn any foyer into an amazing indoor focal point. Seats A bench or any stylish living room chair can be a […]
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Choosing The Right Vanity Mirror Size
During the final touches of any home addition design, many would agree that the most overlooked items are the mirror or the bathroom vanity mirror. Technically, the moment you look at it, you tend to see a reflection of everything else around you before you even see the actual mirror itself. Though treated that way sometimes, a great looking mirror is one of the most important components in any room, most especially in the bathroom. When it comes to its style, size, and shape, you will never run out of choices and here are some tips that you can use to be able to take home the best mirror perfect for your vanity area. How To Choose A Vanity Mirror Sizing Your Mirror There are two things that you should look into when choosing the size of your ideal mirror: Proportion and Function. To achieve a balanced look in your bathroom, visualize the size of your mirror based on your vanity space. Ideally, your vanity mirror should not be bigger or wider than the space itself. The easiest and safest way to pick one is by choosing a mirror that is almost as wide as the space you wanted it to be placed. Some opt for a custom-sized mirror because you won’t find a pre-made vanity mirror that will exactly fit the width of your bathroom vanity area. The perfect functional vanity mirror should only reach at least 30 centimeters over and under your eye line or whoever will be using the bathroom. Hence, the more height you apply, the better, because it can provide a wider viewing angle and space. Single vs. Multiple Bathroom Sinks If you have a bigger bathroom designed to cater more people, you have to have a wider and spacious vanity area, even more, if you have multiple sinks. This leaves you with the option of either using multiple mirrors or just a single vanity mirror that is wide enough to service the entire room. You can have multiple skinny and tall mirror if you wanted to give the bathroom a bit of an upright view. With this, you have to consider the height, especially if you have a high ceiling. Although, you still have the option of using one large vanity mirror you’re okay seeing more of your bathroom’s opposite walls. Also, you are free to use multiple mirrors even when you only have one sink. In fact, when you place a mirror at the center of the sink and then add another mirror symmetrical to your center mirror, it actually balances the look of the room even more. Consider A Bathroom Appeal Sconces Having sconces in between a vanity area is one of the reasons why smaller mirrors are being chosen and installed. Technically, you can install vanity lights anywhere within your bathroom nook, but having them beside the mirror provides more light for the face which is more functional and convenient. Wall-to-Wall Mirrors If you prefer to use a more stylish approach in sizing your vanity mirror, ignore the size of the vanity and instead use mirrors as wall accents. This will […]
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The Advantages and Disadvantages Of A Full Carpet Flooring
Part of any home remodel checklists are the floor and its covering, like whether you would settle with a bare flooring or you’ll go with an area rug or a full carpet. But if you are after a soft floor covering that will make your feet at ease while walking, then what you need is a full carpet flooring. Although, you just don’t choose a carpet without considering a lot of things. Like the patterns and colors are a factor that can affect the way your house looks, as well as your furniture and decorations. Consider the PROS and CONS of CARPETS, based on what YOU NEED. In picking a carpet as your textile floor covering, you have to know which carpet can truly provide you with more advantages than disadvantages. Every carpet characteristic can greatly affect the way you see and need it. Carpeting can be good and bad depending on the various contributing factors in the environment. With the information that this section provides about the benefits and flaws of a carpeted floor covering, you can finally decide which floor covering is best for your home. The PROS Carpets are quite Carpets are great sound absorber. They can reduce any noise by contributing to the sound insulation of your home. This kind of element is perfect for those who are working from home, residents of an apartment, and those with large families. So if you are the noisy type of person, a fully carpeted floor can save you from any neighbor complaints. The softer the floor the softer the fall If you have little humans around expect that falling is what they do best – for now. At their age, toddlers can’t control themselves, but fall and topple most of the time. So with carpets around, especially on your stairwells, you will not worry about your little ones getting hurt. Smart move there. Of course, carpet maintenance should not be the least of your priority. Carpets keep you warm With the stubborn winter season, having a soft, warm carpet around your nook with a nice fireplace, you will definitely tell yourself that the cold will never bother you. Homes with full carpeting as their floor cover get to have a satisfying insulated space every time winter season comes. Carpets are replaceable Of course, carpets wear and tear over a long period of time. And you don’t want to have an old-looking décor sit around your nook, right? With the whole nine yards of shades, designs, and patterns, carpets are an instant game changer when it comes to the overall look of your house. With proper care and maintenance, you can always lengthen the life of your carpets and other floor covering. Carpets keep you on your feet Carpets happen to always be in tempo with friction, which means that you’re able to keep your balance while walking on your soft carpeted floor. Especially if you have toddlers and elders in the house, they are safer with soft undersole floorings whenever they walk. This also minimizes the risk of accidents and injuries. It’s fairly cheap! This is definitely the […]
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