Making Your Remodel Easier

If you have commissioned a home repair or home improvement project that is going to take several days, weeks, or even months to complete getting along with the tradesmen who come to your home every day is important, not only for everyone's personal comfort but for the sake of the success of the project as well. Having your tradesman walk out in the middle of a complete kitchen renovation? No fun.

Give the Tradesmen Room - If you went to work everyday and had your boss standing over your desk, all day, everyday, chances are it would get on your nerves more than just a little bit. The same is true for the tradesmen working in your home.

Too many homeowners fall into the habit of trailing tradesmen as they work, questioning everything they do, or offering "helpful" suggestions at every turn. The interest (and concern) is understandable up to a point. If something seems to be going very wrong by all means speak up. Otherwise, let them get on with their job.

Set House Rules - Most of us are rather picky about what goes on in our homes and have certain rules that we like obeyed. Unlike your kids though, the tradesmen coming to work in your home have no idea what those rules might be. If you want your main bathroom to be reserved for family use only, let them know that ahead of time. The same goes for any rooms you do not want disturbed.

Play Nice - While no one is saying that you have to treat your tradesmen like royalty, an occasional gesture of extra hospitality is nice. Make a cup of tea for your tradesmen in the afternoon, or lay out a plate of biscuits one morning at break time. Who wouldn't be appreciative of those kinds of small tokens of thanks? And if you take the time to join them you can all get to know each other better.

Small Bathroom Remodeling Ideas for Your Home

Small bathroom remodels are available all over the internet. Most designers jump at the chance to renovate a small bathroom because it offers a great opportunity to test their skills at utilizing space. Making a small room look bigger is a challenging prospect. But with the proper ideas and creativity, a small bathroom can turn into a giant space filled with opportunity.



The most important aspect of remodeling a small bathroom is storage and organization. Careful planning in this area can literally double the space of your bathroom, and add to its unique design in the process.



Nothing makes a bathroom look smaller than clutter. Such things as towels on the counter, a magazine rack next to the toilet, statues, and bulky pictures should be reserved for larger rooms in the home. This also includes the bathtub itself. Shampoo bottles and soaps should be kept off the showers edges and instead stored in an accessible place that's out of view.



One of the best solutions for storage is cabinets, especially recessed cabinets that are imbedded directly into the wall. This gives the bathroom extra space because it utilizes the area behind the bathroom itself. Cabinets and vanities that stick out are huge space wasters, so replacing those alone will do wonders for the perceived spacial elements of your bathroom.



Adding a small closet can also help. For example, if you can store your towels in the closet rather than hanging them on a towel rack it will make the bathroom seem more open and accessible.



This also applies to the actual amenities of your bathroom like the toilet and sink, whose sizes can vary widely depending on the home owners personal tastes. Selecting a smaller sink and toilet will do wonders for the width of a bathroom. When working in small spaces like this, little differences here and there can really add up. Remember this when selecting your amenities.



Mirrors can literally double the perceived space of a room, so a big mirror is absolutely essential for a small bathroom. This is the only case where bigger is better, so look for a mirror whose size borders on being excessive to the space allotted to it.

Say "No" to The 3 Bid Theory

If you needed heart surgery would you ever consider asking 3 surgeons to submit bids and then select the lowest one? The rhetorical answer is of course not. However many home owners think nothing of shelling out thousands of dollars and opening up their home to a remodeler they selected solely on his price.

Granted a remodeling project is not a life threatening operation, but it could have a definite effect on the families well being and financial health for years to come. Many factors other than price need to be considered before you can find the best contractor for a specific project.

A common tactic is to solicit three remodelers for bids. The homeowner will throw out the high and low bids and select the middle bid, confident he has minimized the risk by dropping the 2 extremes. Price drives the selection.

No job interview begins by negotiating salary and a home remodeling project should not be any different. Before you get to compensation you should make sure you have a qualified applicant. One of the first things you do is to check references. It is important that you talk to people who have hired this remodeler to do jobs similar to yours. A beautifully remodeled kitchen or bath sheds little light on his ability to build a second floor addition to your home. You'll want to ask the references if they had any problems with quality, payment schedule, employees or completion time.

The most telltale question you can ask is "Would you hire this remodeler again?" Some people will be hesitant to make negative comments, but the enthusiasm in which they answer this question is bound to tell you all you need to know about this remodeler.

After you have talked with the references, take a look at their work. Check out the quality of the craftsmanship and materials, overall aesthetics, creativity and how the project blends in with the rest of the house.

Also verify the remodelers licensing if required in your city/state and insurance. If you hire a remodeler who does not carry workers compensation insurance and one of his employees gets injured on the job, you could be liable for medical bills and lost wages.

Has Your Home Lost Its Way

When you have been living in a house for a long time you may find that you become a little bit tired of your surroundings. This could be just because you have been there a long time or it may be that you have been through a lot in your life and the walls just remind you of bad times you want to forget or good times that are in your past that you need to move on from. Whatever the reason, and if you have the money, why not just remodel your home?

Decorate

The simplest way of doing this is probably to decorate. You could start by repainting all the walls different colours and getting all your woodwork to match. Maybe you could replace some or all of your furniture with more modern alternatives or maybe swapping some rooms around might work. By this I mean turning a living room into a bedroom or vice versa or maybe putting your kitchen in your dining room to give yourself a lot more space.

Revamp

You could take the decorating to whole other level by knocking walls through to make two or maybe three small rooms into one massive room. This works well with kitchens as they are traditionally quite small in the and often attached to dining rooms that seldom get used.

Extend

A more dramatic way of making over your house is to build house extensions. This could come in the shape of a sun room or you might want to stretch the whole side of your house, top and bottom floors, all the way out to the end of your property line. This is a more expensive option but it will give you house a whole new feel that will make it seem like a new house. Sun Rooms are particularly good for this as they let in a great deal of light that can make any home feel bigger and brighter.

The Right Flooring for Your Bathroom

While many homeowners believe that flooring is more for aesthetics than anything else, your flooring services multiple purposes in the bathroom. When you're getting ready to do bathroom remodeling you need to put careful consideration in the type of flooring that you'll install. Very specific factors come in to play with the bathroom, from water retention and absorbency, stain resistance, safety when wet, overall durability, cost, how it fits with the design. Here's a look into the different flooring options to consider while you prep for bathroom remodeling in your home.

Carpeting: While it might not seem like the best idea in an environment that is perpetually exposed to moisture, carpet is actually a great option for the bathroom - you just have to make the right purchase decision and do your homework on the carpet you want. You need to install carpet that is stain-resistant as well as milder-resistance.

Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile for bathroom flooring is designed a little differently than the ceramic tile you would use on a countertop or backsplash. While those surfaces are smooth, ceramic flooring tiles are made with a textured surface to prevent slipping. It's a favored option for floors because of the custom designs, shapes and more that are available - lending an opportunity to create a truly unique floor in your bathroom.

Laminate: Laminate is made of layers of material that have been bonded together for strength and durability, including resin and wood fibers. The final pieces are formed together into compressed planks with an image that's imprinted on the surface. This allows a custom design in various material styles and colors, most commonly wood. It's durable and easy to clean, making it an affordable and great option for many bathroom remodeling projects.

Hardwood: It's an added expense, but it's difficult to replicate the beauty and character that comes from a hardwood floor. It lends a great deal of warmth and comfort to the bathroom environment, which is beneficial if you're the type to rely on your bathroom for relaxation after a long day. Even older wood floors can be easily refreshed and to ensure safety you can apply a no-slip finish in the bathroom.

Hiring a Green Home Contractor

Rising energy costs and a slow residential resale market throughout most of the United States make green remodeling a better option for most people than buying a new home. But simply hiring a remodeling contractor to install green building materials and energy-saving appliances does not guarantee that your new kitchen or master suite will be energy-efficient and eco-friendly.

Are your expectations realistic?

Homeowners often face sticker shock at the cost of remodeling. For example, in Hawaii, where the cost of materials is higher because of shipping and taxes, a simple kitchen remodel that includes replacing cabinets and counter tops, and installing high-end appliances can easily cost more than $40,000 just for materials.

Sustainable materials can also cost more than their standard counterparts. For example, things like concrete countertops, LED lighting, reclaimed wood flooring, heat-reflective exterior coatings and closed-cell spray foam insulation (SPF) have higher upfront costs associated with them, but represent good value when long-term savings and life-cycle analysis is taken into consideration.

Are green building options affordable?

Take a practical approach. First ask what makes sense for your particular family and the way you live. For example, lower cost options to decrease air conditioning expense could include installing energy-efficient windows, maximizing cross ventilation or replacing a dark-colored roof that absorbs heat with a cooler white roof that reflects heat.

Add the Extra Room and Avoid Moving! Hurray!

With your photos and sketch, the local zoning officials should be able to tell you the maximum sized room you can build within the current zoning laws. The process involves all of the same things that you find in new home construction: foundation, footings, framing, zoning, permitting, HVAC, flooring, plumbing, electrical, new windows, roofing, etc. You can create your own set of plans utilizing a home design software package, or enlist the services of an architect. Without plans and a checklist in place, the probability of getting the addition you envision is highly unlikely.

Room addition projects can cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars so, unless you are paying cash for your project, you will need to obtain financing. This will require a complete set of plans including structural details to obtain building permits. In many respects, adding on to an existing structure requires far greater skill. You wouldn't want your addition to look like it was tacked on to the side of your house. The goal of a quality contractor is to match the interior and exterior of your addition to products that will match or complement the existing finishes. Also, bear in mind the additional time and effort required for the workers who must work around you unless the house is vacant.

When adding a room it is important to carefully consider the size and configuration. If the new room is built too small, you will be forever kicking yourself for not spending enough time and money for making it bigger when you had the chance. If the room size is too big, you may end up with a house that looks awkward and fails to complement the existing dwelling. Getting a chance to be involved in the planning and design of your new room is exciting and challenging but perhaps the most rewarding part of adding a room to your home is the benefit of knowing you have added value, saved money in the process, and best of all you didn't have to move.

Home Remodeling Trends for 2011

Being all cooped up in the winter weather makes this the best time all year to begin a home remodeling project. Before you dive in, what are some of the top remodeling trends being seen for 2011? Here are some of the hottest home improvement and remodeling trends for 2011. Take a look and see if any of these projects would be a great idea for sprucing up your home in the new year.

If you're considering a change in the kitchen try varying cabinet and counter heights or adding cabinetry with furniture-like details. With vintage style being popular in 2011, distressed finishes on cabinets will be stylish and maintain durability because they already have a worn look. Paint colors in earth tones will also making a comeback in kitchen spaces creating a cozy and warm interior. If you aren't interested in beginning a huge project, then this may be the perfect chore. Outfit your current kitchen cabinets, shelves and drawers with inserts for cutlery, add dividers for spices and find great organizing products to maximize all kitchen space to the best of it ability.

Nothing is quite as cold as stepping out of a warm shower onto freezing cold bathroom tile. Make this the last winter you do such a thing by working heated bathroom flooring into your home floor plan. Not only is radiant flooring energy efficient, but also you will feel like you're living in complete luxury when your bathroom remains cozy even on the coldest of days. If you swap out your bathroom flooring for something that's radiant heated, then at the same time, select a new updated tile for your bathroom floor. Large sized tiles are replacing the smaller square tiles of the past while making it easier to keep clean since they will use much less grout. Bathrooms have become a popular home remodeling choice because they are also much cheaper to remodel than the kitchen.

Outdoor Living Areas for the Summer!

When you own a home there is nothing better to do on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, than spend time with your family and friends as you all hang out and enjoy some food and drinks on your deck and patio.  When your adding an outdoor kitchen to your deck and patio, there are several things about the design of the kitchen that have to be taken into consideration such as:

Custom design or basic Kitchen Grill

Probably the most important aspect of the whole outdoor kitchen is its actual design. Obviously, if you're looking to have the total outdoor kitchen cooking experience, then you're going to want to have a custom kitchen designed to your specific wants and needs, this can include the type of counter top materials used and the actual table top configuration.

Over Head Shelter or Cover

This aspect of the kitchen design will vary because of climate and location of where your home is located, but you can choose from a retractable awning to an oversized pergola.

Type of masonry for the grill

There are a few important choices that will affect the total design aspect of your outdoor grill. The type of material used to build the actual grill will help define the grills overall look and also how you cook with it. There are grills that are made of cinder block, regular masonry stone and even brick. The other decision is if you just want to use brick as an enclosure for a regular gas range with an outdoor grilling area as part of it, or if you plan to actually build a grill that you will use with such materials as wood or charcoal to do your actual cooking.

Split Level House Renovations

Split Level renovations have been growing in the last few years.  It is a fast and convenient way to add more space to the unfinished or partly-finished areas of the home.  Some ideas are opening up the main floor, updating the kitchen, adding bathrooms and formal living rooms. 

Many people want to create more openness in the main floor of a split level, which usually consists of living room, dining room, kitchen and possibly a bedroom. Openness can certainly be achieved by removing some of the walls between rooms. You will need to be sure you know which walls are load-bearing walls. For example, you might want more openness between the kitchen and the dining room. Either removing the wall or replacing the wall with a counter will open up the area and feel more spacious. Removing the wall between the living room and dining room can also open up the area and make it more conducive to entertaining.

It is not uncommon for split level homes with four levels to have an unfinished bottom level. Finishing this area is really no different from finishing any basement. It will be important, however, to check on ceiling height early in the planning stages of the project. A number of split level homes have lower ceilings on the bottom floor.

The desire to add a bathroom to any home is quite common. Split levels often offer two important opportunities for bathroom additions. First, most split level homes were not built with a bathroom on the main (formal living area) floor. Many homeowners would like to add at least a half-bath or powder room on the main floor for the comfort and convenience of guests or for elderly or disabled family members. Determining the location of the new bathroom is a challenge in most split levels. Logic and cost-consciousness would suggest locating the new bathroom near (next to, above or below) existing plumbing. This allows you to use existing supply and removal pipes. Depending on the floor plan, however, this might not be workable. Location of pipes to a new bathroom on the main floor will also require some attention to the ceiling height of the floor below (if there is one). If the lower level has typically lower ceilings, placement of plumbing might depend upon where you can run pipes without making the lower level unusable.