Most Popular Blog Posts
Knowing what you Can and Cannot DIY
Anytime remodeling is mentioned, one of the biggest points that everyone tends to think about is whether or not it can become a DIY project.
Increased Purchase of Low Valued Home for Remodeling
Late 2012 and early 2013 have seen an increased purchase on the real estate market. This trend includes the purchase of low valued homes for remodeling and resell.
Tips to Save on Home Remodeling Costs
Learn how to save thousands when remodeling your home:
Organize All of Your Projects
If you have more than one project going on at once, you should keep plans, receipts, and other documents organized into separate folders for each project. This is more accurate for a complete house remodel. For example, you can have a folder for each part of your home, one for "Kitchen" or "Bathroom." You want to keep track of all the expenses, from exterior finish materials to flooring costs.
Pay Attention to Building Codes and Permits
If you ever plan on selling your home later, then you have to make sure permits were pulled for each structural renovation that you make to your domicile. Contractors will usually be in charge of this unless you choose to do the project yourself. You also need to check local building codes to see if you are required to have a certain amount of electrical outlets in a room. Some electricians will put receptacles into walls in an unattractive way, so you need to make sure that you tell your electrician exactly where you want each outlet.
Save Some Paint
You should always save some paint so that you have some for touch-ups or if you decide that you want to paint fixtures or nearby walls the same color. You can ask your painter to save some paint for you, or you can do it yourself.
Call Your Local Utility Services Beforehand
If you are doing anything with plumbing, such as installing a new bathroom, then you need to call your local utility locator service to come to the property and mark the underground utilities. This is a safety measure that will prevent the contractor from hitting something important while digging into the ground, such as damaging any existing services. If you don't call beforehand, you risk very large repair bills if something is broken and you will be required to pay for the repair.
Maximize Payback Potential By Upgrading Your Kitchen and Baths
There are two ways that homeowners can increase the value of their homes. You can add new appliances to your kitchen or you can upgrade the size of your bathroom. It's also been pointed out that adding a family room or den is another way to increase the value of a home. Things such as pools cost too much to install and are looked at as a major upkeep cost, so it really isn't worth it to add a pool unless you live somewhere arid, such as Florida or Arizona.
Get It In Writing
You should have every little detail written out beforehand in a contract if you are choosing to hire a contractor. It's important that you and your team are on the same page. The contract should also include terms of payment and time of completion. A tentative schedule can also be included, but you should prepare for some changes in your schedule as bad weather, mishaps, shortages and other problems can happen to delay your master plan.
Talk to Your Contractor About Messes
If you notice that there are messes being left about the home, then you should talk to your contractor immediately. It's one thing to have to pile sheet rock in a certain place, but dust, rags, equipment and other messes should not be left in the home or on the front lawn. In most cases, you won't be able to have a mess on your front lawn if you have a home owner's association. You should be able to talk to your contractor about any problems that you are having and clear up any discrepancies immediately.
Change Air Filters After a Dry Wall Installation
You should make sure to change your air filters before and after a dry wall installation. Drywall dust is a major problem in house renovations and it can cause some serious problems with your air filters if you don't pay attention. You can actually damage your HVAC system if you do not change the air filters.
Manage Appropriately
You need to be prepared to make a lot of decisions as well as observe what your contractor and team are doing on a regular basis. If you are working on the project as the head contractor, then you have to make sure that you are being very communicative with others and also being friendly, but letting them know that you are also the boss. If something isn't the way that you wanted it or it is sloppy, then you need to say why it needs to be changed and when it needs to be fixed, giving the accurate description of what it should be. You should also be prepared to make decisions on costs. Something that is cheap isn't necessary better.
Don't Pay Until Completed
Unless it's all completed, then the payment schedule can wait. You don't want to give the final payment until the home renovations are completed and approved. That means that during the final day, you should walk around with your contractor and look at everything. If you see something you don't like, speak up immediately. Don't wait. If there are a few small things, then they can be done quickly by the contractor and don't feel pressured to pay until those small things are completed.
Home Remodeling Ideas and Home Improvement Ideas
Getting started is the hardest part of the home remodeling project. After you draw out the plans, envision your new sofa or glass-top stove, it starts to become reality. When you reconstruct even part of your home, you are changing a major part of your life at the same time. However, your changes can increase the value in your home and even pay you back on your investment. That's why it's important to make the right changes at the start of a home remodel to ensure that you will make the most of your home remodeling period.
If you are looking to reconstruct part of your home, then it's also a good idea to look at galleries of previous home remodels. You can get a lot of ideas from previous projects. For example, how to style your new kitchen or what to plan for if you're pushing back a wall, and that's where Remodeling Central can certainly help you fill in the gaps. We have a range of tips, guides and informational step-by-step processes to help you figure out everything for a home remodel, from hiring the contractor to getting the financing.
We have also provided some of the best links to square footage calculators, mortgage rate calculators, renovation cost calculators and more to help you figure out all of the costs for your new addition. If you want to know more about the latest home improvement products as well as see galleries of photos, we've supplied all the information right from the source. We've covered the following topics for you:
- Bathroom remodeling
- Kitchen remodeling
- Deck additions
- Basement redecorating
- Landscaping and garden
- Bedroom décor
You can check out our list of tips in hiring a contractor to find all of the things that you should look for in a great builder and home remodel manager. Since the contractor is only one step in planning for a remodel, we've also made guides for beginning to finish, so you know how to plan, manage, and complete your dream house renovation. You can also see our home value charts and loan information to get more ideas on how to afford all of your renovation ideas, and we even found the best payback estimator calculator so you can ensure that you know exactly the amount you could get back for upgrading your home.
For all of your home improvement endeavors, Remodeling Central has compiled the most information anywhere to ensure that you know exactly what you're doing every step of the way. Good luck on your home renovation projects and be sure to send us pictures of the completed work.