You want to liven up your home. No matter how great your home interior is, there are always improvements to be made. Maybe you want to get rid of the kitchen table you no longer use. Perhaps you can’t stop thinking about your not so great looking dining area. Or maybe the brick fireplace feels too old and outdated.
Many home renovation projects involve substantial costs and time. However, just as many are inexpensive and not difficult to complete without hiring a contractor. Ultimately, your needs, your budget and the amount of time you can set aside will determine the extent of the home renovation project you choose to undertake.
Here, we show you how to get started and share with you a few ideas for renovating your kitchen and bathroom.
Getting Started with Your Home Renovation
1. Reasons for Renovating Your Home
Home renovation can be time-consuming and costly, but many people still choose to do it for several reasons.
- To make them more comfortable. You can turn an unoccupied room into an entertainment center in your home.
- To fix safety issues. You can fix wall cracks, roof leaks and electrical issues.
- To improve the value of the home. If you plan to sell your home in the future, you can renovate it progressively to improve its resale value.
- To make the home more functional. You can add an extra bathroom in your home to make morning routines easier for your household.
- To make the home more efficient. You can reduce your home’s energy consumption by adding insulation or new windows.
- To improve the home’s aesthetic. You can convert your home’s layout into an open plan layout.
2. Preparing Your Home for Renovation
You need to prepare your home for renovation to get the best results. Here are a few things you need to do.
- Make sure you comply with the relevant laws, regulations and codes. You may need permits for certain renovation projects.
- Prepare a reasonable budget. Talk to contractors and do your own research to determine the estimated cost of the renovation project.
- If the area of your home you plan to renovate contains household items you use daily, set aside these in an easily accessible place to minimize the interference the renovation project will have on your daily household activities.
- Take measures to keep your kids and pets safe as renovations are ongoing. You may have to send kids to a daycare center or to friends/family to keep them out of harm’s way.
- Prepare the space you plan to renovate by removing household contents that may get in the way of the renovation project.
3. Picking the Right Contractor for Your Home Renovation
You want a home renovation contractor who is qualified, experienced, reliable and affordable. Here are some steps to hiring the right contractor for your renovation project.
- Ask for referrals from family, friends, neighbors and colleagues who have had renovations done in their homes. Let them give you an honest review of their experience working with the contractor.
- Search for prospective contractors online. You can search using Google or on local listings of contractors.
- Assess the credentials of your prospective building contractors. Find out if they are licensed and insured, and whether they belong to professional contractors’ or builders’ associations.
- Narrow down your list to about three contractors and interview them in person. A face-to-face meeting gives you a sense of how well you get along with the contractor.
- Ask for references and talk to previous customers to find out whether they were satisfied with the results of the contractor’s work.
Once you choose a contractor, make sure you both sign a written agreement.
Home Renovation Ideas for Your Kitchen
Kitchens provide sustenance; they’re also a social space. Food, friends and family all come together in the kitchen. It therefore comes as no surprise that most renovation projects involve the kitchen. Just like the home that houses it, the kitchen can be a long-term investment that generates returns.
To maximize these returns, avoid overly expensive projects and stick to the basics. Sure, trends are fun. But smart home buyers focus on kitchen elements such as lighting, cabinets and counters.
Keep in mind that throwing a ton of money at your kitchen renovation projects doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best results. Even though you may have many fancy elements, the investment pays off only when you take the time to prepare and create an optimal plan.
Keep the following in mind to get the most out of your kitchen renovation.
1. Choose the right color of paint
Color gives your kitchen vibrancy. In addition to livening up the space, painting your kitchen the right color is a low-cost investment that adds great value. You can enhance your kitchen’s overall look with some paint and some tools. For instance, an all-white color scheme can give your kitchen that timeless, traditional look. Alternatively, you can use black paint to make it chic and modern. Or use Feng Shui to inspire neutral and relaxed aura in your kitchen.
2. Upgrade the cabinets
The last thing you want in your kitchen is old and out dated cabinets. Cabinets should be at the top of your kitchen renovating list. Not every kitchen renovation project will require you to tear down your kitchen cabinets and build new ones. A simple paint job can be enough to upgrade your cabinets. You can also handcraft inexpensive wood pulls for your cabinets. If your budget allows, you can reface your kitchen cabinets. Refacing involves replacing your cabinets’ most prominent aspects, such as the drawer fronts and the cabinet doors.
3. Find a gorgeous backsplash
One of the best ways to improve your kitchen is by upgrading the backsplash. It results in a high visual impact despite the low cost. In fact, you can replace your kitchen’s backsplash yourself. Metal tiles or shimmering glass can drastically improve your kitchen’s looks, and you can easily install them yourself. You can also use veneer stone, tile decals, laminate flooring planks or wallpaper.
4. Use quartz countertops
For great kitchen counter-tops, you can go with stainless steel, laminate, a solid surface, or concrete. However, for the best results, consider quartz, a blend of resins and minerals. Quartz is impermeable, like solid surfaces, and scratch-resistant. It also takes various personalities, such as the industrial, trendy look of concrete and the traditional appearance of stone. Quartz is expensive, though, so make sure it fits your budget.
5. Use pendant lights
Don’t forget about lighting when renovating your kitchen. In addition to providing illumination for your beautiful kitchen, well-designed lighting is itself an important aspect of your kitchen’s interior. Consider using pendant lighting that elegantly announces its presence. Big and bold pendant lights get the job done well provided you scale them to match your kitchen’s size.
Also when getting any sort of house renovation done, make sure that you have a good idea of what you need to be done before calling up builders so that you can make good decisions when consulting with your hired builder.
Check out some more blogs by ATRenovations
Painting Tips
House renovation Tips
Bathroom Renovation Ideas
Bathroom Renovation Tips 2020
Useful Resources – Passive House Association Construction Industry Register Contractor insurance