Category: Remodeling

Seems the list can be endless when it comes to reasons why these people don’t want to consider a home remodel job. Perhaps their apprehension and their excuses come from a remodel job they attempted on their own and found a great deal of frustration at their efforts or maybe they hired a flighty contractor in the past to do the job and they were left with a poor job and many bad memories.

It’s entirely unrealistic to think that a home remodel job can be done invisibly. There will always be some evidence of a work in progress.

But that’s just what a home remodel job is – a work in progress.

And, like all works in progress, there is an end, a time when every home remodel job is completed and life can return to normal. Only in a much nicer home.

To minimize the shock to the daily routine when planning a home remodel project, consider the impact the work will have on your household. There are ways to make the process as painless as possible.

If your home remodel project involves a kitchen makeover, plan to eat out often. Don’t plan to spend a lot of extra money on restaurants, though, unless you just want to. You’ve got family, you’ve got friends. Invite yourself over for dinner a time or two until your project is complete. Then invite them to dinner at your house and show off all the gourmet delights that you can now create in your “new” kitchen.

Your home remodel involve a new bedroom? Bunk at grandma’s house and don’t freak out when she over-indulges the kids. This won’t last long and they’re having fun.

If the exterior is the focus of your home remodel project, make an effort to minimize the traffic flow in and out of the home. Restrict passage to just one door leading outside. The fewer interruptions the contractor has, the quicker the job can get done.

If fumes from indoor painting, new carpet, or whatever, concerns you, make plans to be away from home a day or two during your home remodel job so the house can air out and the fumes dissipate.

And be prepared for some extra cleaning up after a home remodel project. Your contractor will clean up before completing the job but you’ll probably want to do more.

Why not hire a cleaning service to give your home remodel area a thorough, professional cleaning before moving back into the new space? You deserve that and so does your pretty new home.

Yes, there are some inconveniences associated with a home remodel job but, with the right attitude, the problems can be minimized and you’ll probably be delighted with the outcome.

Beware when you visit your local home improvement store. Spending time there can become addictive.

Whether it’s one of the big-box home improvement stores that is filled from top to bottom with tools, materials, and gadgets galore or a smaller, boutique-style store specializing in just one style or product, a trip through the aisles can become a mesmerizing event that fills the mind with ideas for revamping a home of every sort.

In the larger home improvement store you’ll find a wide assortment of styles and materials from which to choose, regardless of whether it’s your bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, or garden you’re planning to redo.

Another service that almost every large home improvement store provides is instructions. They often present quick and simple classes that demonstrate how to apply or install everything from paint to flooring. They’ll send you home with written instructions, a list of supplies needed, and samples to play with.

The smaller boutique-style home improvement store will dazzle the imagination, too. These smaller stores may specialize in hardware, lighting, or window treatments but they often feature a wide assortment of items that aren’t available elsewhere.

Another good thing about these smaller home improvement stores is that they are sometimes willing to take on special orders or custom work so you get exactly what your heart desires.

Depending on where you are and what you are looking for, there’s a home improvement store sure to please. There’s no need to shop only the largest or the smallest stores, either. There’s so much in between that it’s worth a trip to see what discoveries can be made wherever you are.

Although not considered a home improvement store in the strictest sense, don’t overlook the treasures to be found at antique shops, auctions, and resale or salvage centers. Incorporating a one-of-a-kind fireplace mantel, antique window, or salvaged bricks into your remodeling project is a great way to express your own unique personality.

In fact, when you’ve got your mind set on a remodel project, almost every store becomes a home improvement store as long as you keep your mind open to fresh and innovative ideas.

Would you like to make some changes to your current, beloved, home but the cost of achieving your dreams seems a little daunting?

Consider home improvement loans to get the job done. They are available from many lending institutions and they’re a lot easier to repay than a mortgage on an entirely new home.

One of the first places to look for home improvement loans is the bank where you have your checking and savings accounts. They are already familiar with you and value your business. They are quite likely to be honored to help you finance your remodeling job.

Perhaps you do your banking with a credit union instead of a bank. Credit unions, too, offer home improvement loans to their customers. Ask a loan officer there how they can help you get a new look for your home.

Many other lending institutions offer home improvement loans, too, so don’t overlook these possible sources of financing your dreams, either.

Comparative shopping is always a wise investment of time. Shopping for home improvement loans is certainly no exception. Consider getting loan packages for review from several sources before signing on the dotted line.

When comparing home improvement loans, be sure to compare the cost of any initial investment required, monthly payments, interest rates, and the length of time it will take to pay back the loan in full.

One thing all home improvement loans will have in common is the need for a licensed, insured professional remodeling service to do the job. You cannot get a home improvement loan for most do-it-yourself projects.

In fact, it’s quite possible a professional remodeling service will have contacts with lending institutions familiar enough with their work that they gladly make home improvement loans for the remodeler’s clients. Don’t overlook this valuable source of information.

So, whatever you do, don’t let the expense of a remodeling job keep you living in a drab, outdated home. Upgrade, expand, and spruce up with home improvement loans.

After your remodeling contractors are finished with your job, all you have to do is admire your new home. Find the right spot for the new furniture. Play with all the fun stuff you bought to decorate your new room, wing, or entire home.

Before hiring just any remodeling contractors, though, it is wise to make sure you are working with a reputable firm with a proven track record of satisfied clients, and a license to do business in your city or state.

It’s important that you check with your local housing or building authority to verify the credentials of the remodeling contractors you’re considering. They do some very specialized work and must meet strict government-mandated standards in order to become licensed to do business in any given location.

One reason remodeling contractors need to be licensed is because they are most likely to be working with public utilities, such as electricity, water, or natural gas. If someone works on these systems without thorough knowledge of the bigger picture, the work done in your home can pose a serious risk of danger to you and your family, to your neighbors, and to any utility workers down the line.

Because there is the risk of danger associated with home improvements, all reputable remodeling contractors carry insurance coverage just in case. Before hiring a specific contractor, make sure you have a copy of the company’s insurance policy as a safeguard against future disputes.

Chances are, however, that working with only licensed, reputable remodeling contractors means you’ll never need to worry about insurance. They know what they are doing, they are proud of their work, and they value their clients’ satisfaction and safety. They’ll do your job as if they were working on their own homes.

Don’t tackle those remodeling jobs yourself. They’re usually much more complicated than they seem at the beginning.

Instead, call a few remodeling contractors for estimates, find one who speaks your language, and let them work their magic. That’s what they do best.

From time to time, almost everyone dreams of changes they’d like to see to their home. New colors. More windows. Outdoor living space. Nursery.

While dreaming of these improvements, we often leave these ideas to our dreams because we are afraid we won’t really like the outcome and we know such projects are expensive.

With home remodeling software, we can simply enter the dimensions of a particular room or the entire house, if desired. We indicate where the existing doors and windows are and any other architectural features, such as fireplaces, cabinets, and skylights.

Then the fun begins.

With home remodeling software, you can change everything about your home without spending a penny or breaking a sweat.

Home remodeling software allows you to pick and choose colors, flooring, fixtures, fabrics, and even the very layout of your home. You can see what a room would look like if it had more windows, or fewer of them. Or higher ceilings. Or another bathroom.

Your home remodeling software also lets you see what your home would look like if you replaced or removed walls, extended the ceiling, or added a deck and a swimming pool.

Wonder what your home would look like if it were done in a contemporary style? Home remodeling software can achieve that for you, with just a few clicks of a mouse. You can also see what it would look like if it were more traditional, early American, or Colonial.

Your home remodeling software even lets you play with the exotic. You can give your computerized home the look of the American Southwest, the Orient, or the French countryside.

And your home remodeling software allows you the freedom to change the look, even the details, as often as you like. It’s almost like taking your new, improved, home for a test drive.

Once you’ve found the look you want, your home remodeling software becomes an instrumental tool for communicating your dreams with a home remodeling specialist. Sometimes it’s just much more effective to show somebody something than to try to describe it.

No matter how large or small your anticipated remodeling project is, home improvement software will surely eliminate a lot of the guesswork out of the project. It may eliminate some of the stress, too.

And the final result is more likely to be a very satisfying success, too.