A home renovation can completely change how you feel about your home. If you don’t have enough space, a renovation can give you additional square footage you need for a growing family, a home office, or hosting friends and family. If you buy an older home with few modern updates, a renovation can bring it into the 21st century. Read on for some tips from Thrive 50 Plus Magazine.
Renovate or Move … That is the Question
Before you dive into all of the renovation details, make sure that updating your home is a worthwhile investment. Renovations take a lot of time and often end up costing more than you expected. Start by taking a look at current home prices in your area. You may find that purchasing a home now is a better investment than sinking a lot of money into your current property.
On the other hand, if your mortgage payments are low and you have quite a bit of equity, upgrading now could mean an even better sale price when you decide to move in the future. Run your own numbers and consult with a local real estate agent to get some expert advice.
The Basic Renovation Options
LogicalScience.com notes that there are various reasons that homeowners choose to update their homes. For some, the purpose of renovations is to increase the value of a home. For others, the purpose is to make the home more liveable and comfortable for the family.
When renovating a home, you can maximise your efforts through some common remodelling steps, including:
- Replacing or upgrading the floors
- Updating the HVAC system
- Replacing the roof
- Opting for energy-efficient windows
Think about how you live and how your house complements your lifestyle. If you could change any part of it, what would you change? For instance, if you entertain guests and prepare a lot of meals, you may want to expand your kitchen and dining area to fit more people comfortably.
Installing new cabinets in the kitchen is usually part and parcel of such a renovation, so go online to look for experienced and qualified cabinet makers near you to get the job done right (this may help). These experts will give the whole space a facelift while creating more storage in stylish fashion. Remodelling is a personal investment that requires you to analyse your lifestyle and decide what you want and can afford.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be in the dark as your projects are planned and move forward. You can reference software that is commonly used by contractors. For example, if you’re having your outdoor area revamped, you expect a professional landscaper to use software for landscape designers. Landscape design software allows a contractor to precisely estimate labor and material costs, manage timelines, and effectively delegate tasks, and you can either use this software yourself or communicate with your contractor as the project is planned and carried out.
The Productive Workspace Upgrade
If you or your partner work from home, you need a comfortable workspace that encourages productivity. According to Mount Lighting, natural light aids in productivity. Request a clean, airy office within your renovation plans. Choose an office location near natural light to maximise your productive hours. If you do not have a lot of natural light, choose overhead lighting options.
Think about where you want your home office to be within your house. Try to choose a location where you will not have many interruptions. If you see clients at home, consider a separate entrance for your clients. The office should be as private as possible to limit the number of disruptions from your family.
To keep the office organised, make sure you have plenty of shelving. You should be able to easily reach every document that you need at any given moment. You are more likely to be productive when you have less clutter in your office. But you can also switch over to digital filing to really reduce paper clutter. Just scan any paper bills or documents and then save them as PDFs to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
Protection for Home Renovations
Renovations are a significant investment. You may consider a home warranty after the remodel to protect your home systems and appliances. If your systems or appliances break down to normal wear and tear, a home warranty helps pay for repairs. Before you decide to obtain a home warranty, check the home inspection report. Look for any red flags or warranties on any of your appliances.
For example, the average cost of a home security system is approximately $375. If your system breaks down, you lose protection in your home and have to pay to replace or fix the system. When you have a warranty, the home warranty company will pay a certain amount for repairs. When choosing a warranty, select the warranty that fits your situation. For example, different warranties may cover other systems or appliances. Likewise, different warranties have caps on how much the company will pay.
Weigh Your Options Before Proceeding
Renovations can include new gathering space for the family and a new office for you to be productive. In addition to choosing the rooms to upgrade, you may also want to choose a home warranty to protect your new appliances and systems. But before you commit to your upgrades, look at the current real estate market and the return on investment (ROI) of your desired projects.
Thrive 50 Plus Magazine covers all genres including travel, fun, learning and education, food, health, money, retirement, pets, news, automotive, tech and more! Contact us today for more info!
