Advice from Renovators
Renovators like to help customers and prospective clients. Here are some of the suggestions they offered.
Advice from Renovators
Know why you want to remodel
Identify the problems you want to solve like inefficient appliance placement or insufficient room in the bath.
Evaluate what you have
Check out the general condition of your home. There are possibly some things that need to be addressed immediately, especially in an older structure. List the repairs to be completed over the next two, five and ten years. The first priority is to keep the home in good shape and then move to a home improvement in Ottawa.
Play to strengths
See what your home has to offer today. Look under the carpeting for hardwood floors. Refinish trim instead of replacements. Paint cabinets and update hardware.
Keep it simple
The more complicated the construction, the more expensive it will be. Consult with a professional renovator or contractor to determine the full impact of the changes you want to make. He or she may be able to provide alternatives that are easier and less expensive but give you the same result.
Look beyond initial cost
A complete house renovation in Ottawa is an investment in your home. Without the changes, will you spend more money in the long run on energy bills or replacement instead of maintenance?
Keep the quality
Try to avoid scrimping on quality if at all possible. It is significantly better to do less but do it correctly and well.
Be legal
Check all the local laws and regulations to be sure you are within the parameters the municipality established. Your contractor should be well versed in these laws and how to achieve your changes.
View the neighbourhood
Any exterior changes should blend well with the existing homes in your general vicinity. The added curb appeal of your changes should add to the value of your home. However, if you try something that really is unusual, you may have difficulty reselling. Also, there is a limit to changes. If all your neighbors have decks, then you should have one also to keep up the same general values. However, if you add an in ground swimming pool, but no one else has one, you are spending money that you probably won’t recoup when you sell.
Avoid trends
Trends come and go. With major changes stick to the tried and true. If you want to keep up with the times, do it with color and accessories.