From Concept to Construction ™

4 Types of House Renovations

April 17, 2021

Different people renovate their homes for different reasons. Some do it to improve the functionality and appeal of the house while others do it to improve the house’s value. Are you looking to renovate your home but not sure the type of renovation you should go for? Here are four types of renovations you should consider as given by home remodeling architects: Basic renovations This is where you renovate the basic features of the house that everybody and anybody can see. The cool thing with basic renovations is you can do them without hiring a highly experienced contractor. You also don’t need to spend an astronomical amount of money on them. At the end of the basic renovation project, you should have functioning gutters, a roof that doesn’t leak, a dry basement, a solid floor, a reliable furnace, working retaining walls, and walls in top condition. You should note that you don’t have to replace the amenities. Simply focus on regular maintenance and if you have to upgrade the units, don’t spend a lot of money on them. If you are making the renovations to flip the house, make them in such a way that your house stands out from the competition but don’t make any unwarranted upgrades that will excessively exceed the other properties in the area. This is because this will scare off potential buyers and at the same time lead to you losing money. Curb appeal renovations These are renovations that people don’t focus too much on, but can significantly improve the selling of your house. We can say these renovations improve the appeal of the house and help the prospective buyer make the buying decision quicker. Some of the renovations of this nature that you can make include: applying a fresh layer of paint, cleaning the carpets, mowing the lawn, and replacing worn-out appliances. While you might be looking to significantly improve the appeal of your curb, be cautious of the additions you make. For example, this is not the time to incorporate bold designs into the décor. You also should be cautious of the lights you install. As a rule of thumb, don’t overdo the lights as you can break the bank or overrun your home circuitry. For an affordable and modern-looking house, install LED or recessed lights. If you are having a problem with this, consult an interior decorating professional. Value-added renovations From their name, these are renovations that add the most value to the house and at the same time give you maximum returns. These renovations as given by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) include new siding, new windows, and kitchen renovations. When done right, these renovations will help you recoup up to 80% or more of the costs. Other high-return renovations include: refurbished decks, upgraded bathrooms, and energy-saving improvements. Personal preference renovations From the name, these are renovations you make because you love or need them. If you are looking to sell the house, some of your potential buyers might not like the renovations, but you love having them. The most popular of these are: tennis courts, wine cellars, swimming pools, […]

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Make Your Home Kid-Friendly With These Essential Home Addition Tips

November 14, 2019

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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Tips To Illuminate Your Bathroom

December 28, 2018

Choosing the right lighting system for your home can really be overwhelming, but the home remodeling addition experts can guarantee you that with the right guidelines and tips you can eventually light up your home with the appropriate fixtures you wanted and dreamed of. But, when it comes to your vanity area – the bathroom – next to your bedroom, you sometimes prefer something more special or personal. Your bath area includes the shower area and the tub area and all of them have a specific lighting requirement that will not only give more radiance to your bathroom but style as well. THE BATHROOM FIXTURE GUIDELINES Try Using The Side-Mounted Sconces. Side-mounted sconces are the best lighting choice for any bathroom area. Either you use one on your left or right side, or mounted both on an eye-level, both ideas are cool, you just have to consider some few things: The backplate of upright, tube-shaped lighting should be mounted on an eye-level. The glass down-lights opening shade must be slightly fixated below eye-level. The glass up-lights opening shade must be slightly installed above eye-level. If you choose to have it centered above your sink area, install the light a few inches to the left and right side part of your bathroom mirror. The closer it is to your face, the better. Consider The Layers of Light. If you wanted to showcase your bathroom area, the layers of light can do you wonders. To have an evenly distributed illumination, try the combination of ambient lights  like flush mounts, pendants, or chandeliers, then task lighting as your second light layer which is perfect for your grooming sessions such as shaving and makeup application, then lastly, the accent lighting which is a great choice for highlighting the architectural design of your bathroom as well as the decors. Pendant Fixtures Are A Great Alternative. If you wanted to try other options for a candlestick-type fixture, the pendant lighting should be your choice. They will look perfect in your vanity area and can also work as an accent or ambient lighting at the same time or whenever it’s necessary. Stay With Kin Finishings. If sconces are what you have installed in your bathroom keep them affixed where they are because you shouldn’t always adjust it with your other fixtures. They will maintain the wholeness of your bathroom space as well as the total design of it. The Tub Area. The sconce fixture can enhance the ambiance of any room, especially your tub area. Although overhead lighting is also good in any bathroom area, it cannot easily provide a relaxing atmosphere that the sconce lighting can give. Use A Versatile Element. If you are after versatility and wholeness the brass or chrome elements can display versatility within your bathroom area and all the accessories that go along with it. Like Always – Size Matters. Regardless of the size and design of your bathroom space, a chandelier or a pendant fixture can make your room opulent. The appropriate lighting will stand out and will always set the tone of any bathroom’s interior and style. SOME BATHROOM LIGHTING […]

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Essential Tips for Matching Your Wall Paint to Your Interior Decorating

August 29, 2017

Painting your home is one of the simplest and most affordable home renovations in McLean, VA. A fresh coat of paint in each room of your home can rejuvenate them, making them brighter and more comfortable. Here are some essential home improvement tips for matching your wall paint to your overall interior design. Identify Your Color Scheme Because your interior design ideas are already in place, you’ll be matching your interior paint to the primary color scheme in each room. You must identify each room’s color scheme before picking out paint colors. Go into each room in your house, and look for the three most dominant colors that reoccur throughout the furniture, textiles, artwork, flooring, carpeting, rugs, and other interior design elements. You don’t need to match entire surfaces, but rather small components of different surfaces. Decide if You Want Analogous or Contrasting Paint Colors Once you have identified a color scheme, you must decide if you want your paint to be analogous or contrasting to those colors. You can look at a color wheel and find each color from your various color schemes. Contrasting paint colors are located across from a color on the color wheel. Analogous colors are located next to a color. You should consider the size of the room and its overall interior design to determine how you think different color combinations will play out. Remember that wall surfaces are larger than the color schemes and patterns throughout the rest of your house’s design. You don’t want to choose wall paint colors that are too bold or overpowering. Consider Accent Walls and Trim If you’re concerned about committing to painting an entire wall with a certain color, you should consider painting an accent wall and trim. You can choose an analogous or contrasting color, and use it to paint your window frames, windowsills, baseboards, door frames, and other trim in the room. You can also use it to paint one accent wall, such as one that contains a window or door, to open up the room.

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