Getting the Right Design for Your Home

The right design is among the prime ingredients to achieving home improvement project success. A crucial product of the planning stage, failing to realize its importance would surely bring great frustrations and a waste of resources by the time the project takes shape.

Inject Your Personality into the Design

No matter the yearly trends when it comes to remodeling project designs, one thing has strongly influenced the trends throughout the recent decades and this is tending towards personalization of space. More and more homeowners are finding comfort in going home to a place that they can truly call theirs. The ambiance, the mood and the design in general can tell so much about the personality of the homeowner.

Complement

The right design makes your remodeling project complement the overall look and boost the appeal of your home. Though every room should have an interesting personality on its own that emanates with a sense of creativity and its true purpose, the homeowner still should be able to maintain that thread of harmony to make the home improvement finish feel like a part of the home.

Match Lifestyle

The right design will result to a home remodeling project finish that is ideal for the homeowner as well as the rest of the household. Childproofing measures should be implemented if there are small children in the house. Make the rooms and your entire home handicap-friendly for easy navigation if one of the family members has a disability. Finish the basement into a recreational area or home theatre for your young teens to enjoy with you and their group of friends.

How Much Can Vinyl Siding Cost?

Vinyl siding is an exterior walling manufactured from polyvinyl chloride or PVC resin. It is the cheapest to install when compared to other siding options like fiber cement, wood or aluminum sidings. Labor and maintenance cost is very minimal and affordable. The material is highly durable and some vinyl sidings are energy-efficient having energy star label. These are some reasons why many homeowners are opting for this highly in demand type of siding.

If you have made up your mind that this is what you want, the next step is to know how much it will cost. This will depend on various factors and whether you want it professionally installed.

How much will your vinyl siding project cost? There are different classes of vinyl sidings. Its cost depends on whether it is low-grade, mid grade or premium grade. Low grade cost ranges from US$0.45 and up, mid grade vinyl costs about US$1.60 per square foot and premium grade costs about US$ 1.90 without the extra pieces. For a typical job, installation will cost about US$ 1.60 per square foo.

Total siding cost also depends on the thickness, from .035 to .055 inches for the average grade siding while the premium thickness is from .040 to .048 inches. Additional cost will come from any trim packages, channels, corner board details, shutters, crown moldings, soft fits and existing siding removal. The removal budget can probably amount between $1000 to $3000 depending on the size.

Don't forget also that any choice of certain special order color will be having a higher price of US$ 2-4 more than the standard colors. Insulated type of vinyl siding and those with UV protection will also mean extra costs of additional 20%. Another matter is when you want a thicker siding, it will cost you more. When it comes to installation cost, the contractor will charge between US$ 2 to US$ 7 per linear foot.

Some Unique Floor Choices for a Remodel

When you're doing a home remodeling project, you'll need to select flooring for various rooms. Below are the pros and cons of different kinds of flooring.

Hardwood:
Pros: Hardwood is particularly beautiful and adds value to your house. It can potentially last the life of your house.

Cons: It can scratch, stain, and fade. It requires periodic refinishing and will react to humidity, so it shouldn't go in a below-grade room.

Laminate:
Pros: Made of artificial materials, laminate floors can resemble hardwood. It is extremely scratch, stain, and fade resistant. It resists moisture and can be used below grade.

Cons: Laminate doesn't have quite the same beauty as hardwood. It can be hard to repair if damaged. It cannot be refinished and its life expectancy is less than 20 years.


Stone/Tile:
Pros: Durable and beautiful, stone adds value to your house. Moisture resistant, it is good for kitchens or bathrooms.

Cons: Must be professionally installed and periodically sealed. It can feel cold underfoot. It is also one of the pricier options.

Cork and Bamboo:
Pros: Cork and Bamboo are green options. Cork is harvested from tree bark in a way that doesn't kill the tree and can have a soft spongy feeling some homeowners like. Bamboo flooring is a fast growing grass that is easily replaced. It is durable and can look similar to hardwood floors.

Cons: Cork absorbs water, so it's not good for kitchens or bathrooms. Bamboo varies in quality, so make sure you get a good product.

How to Choose a Home Remodeling Company

How can homeowners who are considering a home remodel in San Diego be sure, ahead of time, that they’re entrusting their most expensive possession to the right company? Gary Marrokal, owner of Marrokal Design and Remodeling, says homeowners should expect a company to exceed their expectations not just meet them.

There are five vital factors that a home remodeling company should have: a staff that skillfully listens and pays attention to clients’ needs, trust, experience, full-service design and remodel, and a make-it-right guarantee. Marrokal talked with me about how he’s built long-lasting clients by focusing his efforts on these important customer concerns.

A company that listens and pays attention to clients’ needs

“We understand that clients want a company that will listen and take their ideas and expand on them so that the remodeling concepts offer various design options as well as help to enhance their bottom line such that when the project is done it exceeds their expectations,” says Marrokal.

Being the recipient of a highly coveted ethics award, Marrokal knows that not all remodel companies are built the same. Some are seeking profit over true customer satisfaction. And that’s when consumers suffer. Some companies won’t offer energy-efficient or recyclable products; thus the remodel isn’t as cost-effective when it’s complete.

“You want to hire a company that’s going to over-insulate your home, a company that will utilize techniques that can save you money on your water and electricity bills, and also make your home more comfortable,” he says.

But Marrokal cautions homeowners to really make sure they understand what they’re getting. “There are a lot of energy-efficient products that are not cost-effective because it takes too long to recover the cost of the initial product.” Marrokal Design and Remodeling has knowledgeable, experienced staff that can help you determine which products to use in your remodel to give you the most value.