3 Tips for Remodeling Your Home

By Paula Conroy on May 23, 2017

Like it or not, if you plan to live in your home for several years, chances are you will become one of the growing population of people who remodel their homes each year. Several things may have inspired you to make changes. Maybe it was visiting your friend’s gorgeous new home. Perhaps you realized your child’s room is no longer useful to you since your child has long since moved out or you may need to make room for aging parents. Whatever the reason you’ve decided that it’s time to make some changes.

You may want to upgrade your kitchen or bath, enlarge your living room, improve your floorplan, go green & improve energy efficiency, or all the above. Finally, you may just have to improve your current home enough to sell it so you can move into the home of your dreams.

First, start by making decisions on what you want your home to look and feel like. Organize your thoughts according to wants and needs. Peruse model homes and furniture stores. Look through magazines and websites; collect pictures of homes or rooms you like and save in a paper or computer file. You may also want to enlist the help of an interior designer to put your visions to paper. The more clearly you visualize your project and can describe it, the better results you will have in the end.

Second, consider traffic patterns, furniture size and placement, colors, lighting and how you will use the space. For example, if you have an amazing view on your property, you may want to consider adding windows so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery every day. If you are having trouble organizing your thoughts, you may seek the help of a good architect or designer. An experienced remodeler can also be a superior source of inspiration and ideas and may come at a lower price tag than the former.

Finally, decide how much money you plan spend on the project. Do your homework and hire a fully licensed, bonded and insured contractor. Meet the contractor in person. You should like and trust the person/company who will make your dreams a reality. Remember, you are investing a significant amount of time and money into your home and you want things to turn out the way you imagine them, so it is worth doing a little groundwork to be sure your project is a great success.