Things to Look For While Hiring a Home Remodeling Contractor

If you have a residence that needs to be remodeled, you have to find the right professional to get the job done. A home remodeling contractor is the one you should be looking for to ensure that your home remodeling is a success.

Home remodeling contractors assist you in choosing the right style for your home decor or provide advice on remodeling certain rooms. Before remodeling, a contractor pays a visit to your home to do an analysis of the section of the house which needs remodeling. This visit allows the contractor to check the condition of the house and plan the remodeling accordingly.

You can ask the contractor for pictures of his past remodeling projects to get an idea of his work. The contractor on the other hand, may ask you questions about the remodeling to know whether you want to make any changes to the original remodeling plan.

When everything has been finalized and the deal done, the contractor gets down to work on the remodeling. The remodeling contractor may cordon off the area of remodeling for safety reasons or may ask the family to move to a different location during remodeling.

You can get many home remodeling contractors who do quality work at a reasonable price. And then, there are many charlatans who hoodwink customers by taking advantage of their ignorance and extract tons of money in the name of remodeling. You need to pay attention to these tips to avoid falling into their trap.

1. If you get a referral about a contractor from friends, family or relatives, do a proper evaluation of the contractor referred. It may be that the contractor has a good record on remodeling, but you need to make sure whether he can remodel your home according to your requirements.
   Many people blindly trust referrals and sign a contract without checking on the credentials of the contractor. According to a study, those people encountered problems and were dissatisfied with the work of the contractor.
2. Arrive at a deal with the contractor after you get a contract which clearly states the final cost of the remodeling project and not an estimated cost which can fluctuate during the course of remodeling. The contract should be specific and detailed and include a warranty for products which are installed.
   It should also contain a statement specifying that the materials used in remodeling are new and they meet the required standards. If the contractor is unwilling to sign the contract, look for another one.
3. You must be sure that the contractor carries a workman’s compensation insurance and liability insurance to compensate for the injury or death of a worker and cover the loss or damage to your property or personal possessions.

Common Types of Tiles Used in Bathroom Renovation Projects

Bathroom Renovations are a daunting task, not to mention the cost included and the wide range of selection to be made in terms of material choices.

If you’re looking for information about different types of tiles to be installed in your new bathroom and are confused about it all, we’ve got you covered. This blog post lists out the tiles used in bathrooms, their advantages and rarities.

1. Wooden Tiles: These are the most cost effective tiles available in the market. You might think that wood rots off when exposed to water and moisture, so how on world can wood be used as a bathroom flooring material with constant water splashing around? Well, the answer lies in the fact that wooden floors used in many modern bathrooms are coated with waterproofing resin, which blocks most of the moisture and prevents wood from being exposed to them.

   ADVANTAGES: Wooden tiles are extremely cheap as compared to other tile varieties. Wood also lends a natural look to your bathroom as well as improving its aesthetics. Wood needs to be maintained carefully so that no water pools are collected on its surface.

2. Marble Tiles: Marble tiles are in high demand in today’s market. It is partly due to the decreasing cost of marble and its hardness and durability. Marble tiles are basically made of hardened lime, which are water resistant. They also come in a variety of shapes, designs and colors to appeal to the different tastes of buyers and consumers.

   ADVANTAGES: Marble tiles cost less than ceramic tiles and are as durable as them. They are also easy to clean and are brittle-free. Due to high strength resisting ability of marble, they can support heavy loads on them such as washers and dryers.

   It is worth mentioning that marble tiles form permanent stains in the long run, due to the chemical reactions between the lime and prolonged exposure to water.

3. Ceramic Tiles: Ceramic tiles are often expensive than other types of tiles. But they also come a large variety of designs and colors. Some bathroom renovation firms also offer custom designs for your bathroom.

   ADVANTAGES: Ceramic tiles have rough/smooth surfaces to prevent slipping on wet floors. They are extremely hard and durable, and don’t form stains like in case of marble.

Read More: Practical Tips to Save Money When Remodeling Old Bathrooms

How to Plan Your Apartment Renovation Project?

If you want to raise the glamour quotient of your old 90’s apartment, then renovating it can be a perfect choice. A good renovation can have a huge financial impact on the value of your apartment. Also, renovating can be a great option for those who need some extra space in their apartment but cannot afford a new apartment.

In an apartment, renovation can mostly be done on the interiors and you can do little on the structure part since apartments are carefully planned and well-laid out. Also, since apartments are built in close proximity to each other, they are subject to design and planning regulations.

So before starting the renovation work, you have to keep in mind that those regulations are not breached. Finding a reputable apartment renovation contractor in NYC who can renovate your apartment according to your vision and without breaking the bank is another concern.

Since apartments are small spaces than bungalows and penthouses, adequate attention should be devoted to maximize the space of each room to make it look spacious. To give the illusion of roominess, paint the walls and the ceiling with white paint. And if you want to use color, go for neutral colors for the walls.

Choose window treatments which are neat and simple and which look good even when folded up. If your apartment receives excessive natural light, get fabric roller blinds. However, don’t cover every window with blinds since it can botch up the roomy factor of the interiors.

Every renovation needs careful consideration of the budget. If you want to rent out your apartment and want to attract better rent, then a little renovation will do the job. However if you are planning to renovate your apartment for yourself, pay heed to the ‘five-year rule’.

Say you want to stay in that apartment for another five years and want to revamp the apartment according to your tastes and not for any prospective buyers. In that case you can plan the design and decoration of the apartment without being mindful of what your buyers’ demands. On the contrary, if you are planning to move out in a couple of months, do the renovation work with the objective of fetching a higher price for your apartment.

Why Remodeling Your Home Is A Smart Choice?

Home remodeling is an expensive but exciting venture. It is also a reflection of your individuality, taste and style. With spaces shrinking in urban areas and families increasing, the need for remodeling a house seems to be the last resort.

Remodeling helps to create more space, reduce energy consumption and preserve the cultural heritage of the house, albeit with a modern look. Some people renovate their homes to get rid of the boring look and feel of the house and bring an air of freshness and modernity into it.

Remodeling a home enhances the living comfort and the inner climate of the house. It optimizes the energy consumption of your home and saves money. Besides these, your home receives a much needed facelift which increases the aesthetic appeal of the house.

Before dwelling on the remodeling of your house, you should first chalk out a roadmap and be clear on your needs, wishes so that the end result syncs with the vision you had at the start. Using clay blocks, roof tiles and bricks are the best options for a healthy renovation since clay building materials have a long lifespan. Hiring a qualified professional from the Queens area is a must to advise and help you with the right decisions.

Benefits of Home Remodeling

1. Create new living space: Since the available space in your home doesn’t suffice the needs of our family, it is important to carve out some additional space to fulfill the needful. The conversion of the attic to a living room can possibly a viable solution. A pitched roof can create the additional space. Besides this, you can provide a thermal insulation to the roof to keep your new living room warm and increase the energy efficiency of the house.
2. Increase your property value: Purchasing a new house may cost a fortune. So remodeling your existing home is a profitable option since it will save the expenses you are going to spend on a new home and will increase the real estate value of your whole property. It can give you a sense of accomplishment since renovation can change the entire façade of your home, increase its size and improve the functionality of the abode. An upgrade increases the aesthetic appeal of the house and you end up fetching a higher price for your property.
3. Reduce maintenance and utility costs in the long run: Remodeling a home helps reduce the maintenance and utility bills. We often ignore the maintenance of our home or postpone it for a long time which ultimately inflates the repair costs. By remodeling a home, every section of a house is attended to and issues are ironed out. Replacing old windows and doors with new ones increase the security of the house. Also, replacing outdated insulation and wire-fittings increase the efficiency of the home.

Read More: Hallmarks of Capable Home Contractors in Brooklyn NY

Do’s and Don’ts While Planning Bathroom Renovation

So you enter your bathroom and are greeted by the familiar old layout; leaking faucets, cracked tiles and semi-blocked drainage pipes, accompanied by curtains that look like a bed-sheet from the 50s and a bathtub that is as ancient as your city. The signs are completely out there in the open for you to see; your bathroom is in desperate need for a renovation to inject a new lease of life into it.

Bathroom renovation contractors are specialty firms that, as the name suggests, renovate your bathroom and make it completely new and refreshing. But wait! Before you pick up your phone and call them to pay you a visit, you need to first decide what things are you going to renovate. Tiles? Windows? Bathtub? Showers?

Master bath in new construction home with glass shower

Well, let’s see some of the latest bathroom equipment and design ideas that you can choose from:

1. Double showers and vanity: Do you have kids? More precisely, do you have two or more kids, who incidentally, get up and go to school at the same time? Double showers can be highly beneficial, for both of your kids can simultaneously use it all.
2. Bathtub: So you’re planning to install a bathtub since long and now you have the chance. But think again: do you need it? Can you afford it? Will it be used daily? Is there enough space in the bathroom? If most of your answers are in the form of ‘yes’, then you can go with it, otherwise you might need to rethink your strategies.
3. Color Schemes: See what color you want for your bathroom. While white color is the standard, don’t let this limit your color choice.
4. Extra accessories: Shower-heads, cabinets, fountains, extra lighting and many more come under extra accessories. Choose what all you want and see if they fall under your budget.

Read More: Must Know Bathroom Renovations Tips and Tricks

Kitchen Remodeling Ideas for a Better and Personalized Experience

Our kitchens are the reflections of our homes and how we live. Because our needs are different, the kitchen designs also differ. This helps us in deciding where to save money and where to spend money during a kitchen remodeling. Kitchen contractors in Brooklyn and NYC area offer a variety of remodeling options, allowing you to pick your dream kitchen design.

A carefree bachelor would like to have a minimalist kitchen with less appliances but having a better design and color theme. A well-do man would like to have a wine cabinet in his kitchen with a miniature bar to wrap things up. A big family would like to have lots of cabinets for storing all kinds of stuff. Thus the needs for different for different people.

Here are some ideas on where you could save money:

1. Appliances: Always choose the appliances that are absolutely necessary. For example, refrigerator and oven are a must have but dishwasher can be optional. Then there are toasters, grills, chimneys and many more appliances, both expensive and inexpensive. Skipping out on unnecessary appliances can save you money.
2. Bench-top: The obvious choice is between aesthetics and cost. Stone benchtops are expensive but look much better than the lower priced laminated ones. Choose the bench-top materials as per as your planned budget.
3. Cabinets: If you need more cabinets, you can ask the kitchen contractor to design plans for them. They can also remove excess cabinets, freeing up more space for other appliances. Check your daily kitchen needs and see how many cabinets would suffice you. Cabinets also come in a wide variety of designs and materials to choose from. Rare materials cost more but have better looks and designs than the plain, wooden ones.
4. Plumbing: Planning to install a new sink? Make sure to have sufficient space for its installation. Putting in plumbing pipes often results in unnecessary wastage of space or lack of space. Always keep a central valve to control all the water inlets to the kitchen.
5. Add-ons: Managed to save some money? You can put them into installing a couple of add-ons to enhance their looks such as paintings, glassware or flower vases.

Read More: All You Need To Do For Kitchen Remodeling In Brooklyn NYC

All You Need To Do For Kitchen Remodeling In Brooklyn NYC

 

When it comes to remodeling any part of the home everyone has his or her own ideas of going about the same. Some start by looking for budgeted ideas to renovate while others do not mind splurging on the smallest parts of the house by overhauling them. But the truth is if renovations are not done in a planned manner then they can cost you a lot of time, energy and money.

While there is set pattern wherein the bedroom, bathroom and living areas of the house can be renovated, kitchen remodeling can be done in varied ways. Hence, it is essential to hire a professional from Brooklyn, NYC to take care of your kitchen remodeling needs.

It is highly recommended to hire remodeling professionals from Brooklyn NYC when getting a kitchen renovated as they help with the smallest details of procuring all the raw materials and the labor for getting the kitchen of your dreams. They can help with getting the project done and over within the stipulated time. Moreover, in case there are problems in kitchen while using them post renovations then the contractors can always provide on time maintenance service of the kitchen.

The first thing to do is plan the required changes of the kitchen in your head. These ideas should then be discussed with the hired contractor or architect. They can help with the execution of the required changes within the estimated budget for kitchen remodeling. The ideas should be in synchronization with the whole look of the house so that the remodeled kitchen does not look odd after renovation process. You could also go through the various online websites and procure ideas of how exactly your kitchen should look post completion.

While hiring the contractor you must keep in mind to have all the schemes and plan in place before the work starts. This will help you in keeping a track of the work progress and whether the remodeling is happening as per the scheduled plan or not. You should also have a predefined ballpark construction estimate in place before the work starts. Keeping these things in contract can help with the management of discrepancies that might arise at the time of payment.

Home Remodeling in NYC: Things we often overlook

We know that a home remodeling takes a lot of patience. Especially in NYC, where people feel like twenty-four hours a day isn’t enough for them. A major home project then requires patience not just in terms of waiting for it to get done or patience to deal with any setbacks, but also patience in terms of planning each thing carefully, choosing the right contractor in NYC, and making decisions about the budget. And when you’re in the early phase planning a home remodeling you need to be sure that you’ve made a note of all the changes and additions that you want to make in your house.

Along with that, you should also jot down things that you don’t require anymore or things that are now outdated – maybe the kids are all grown up now and don’t need bunk beds and require separate rooms instead. So, in the tiresome process of trying to cover everything we forget some of the most basic things that must be included in a remodeling. To make things easier, here’s a list of things that we often overlook while planning a home (be it a condo or an apartment) remodeling:

Doors and Doorways

It’s one of the most common aspects of the house (and arguably the most important one) that we tend to overlook. We think about the remodeling of each room in great detail but we forget our home’s entryway. The entrance to your apartment should make a statement, and the pathway to the living room should not be dull and boring. Think of getting different types of doors and interesting additions that add character to the doorway.

Rooftops and Balconies

Vacant rooftops and empty balconies can be transformed into private getaways or places of solitude. Better yet, have your contractors convert your rooftops into rooftop farms! It’s an amazing way to eat and live healthy. Rooftop farms are the new trend that residents of NYC are taking up. You can also set up a secret dining area somewhere in the rooftop farm for lazy breakfasts or family dinners. Similarly, you can think of various things for your balcony, provided it has enough space to experiment with.

Must Know Bathroom Renovations Tips and Tricks

Bathroom might seem like an unimportant space for spending lavishly on renovations. However, it is definitely a space where you end up spending a considerable amount of time for a fresh start of the day and to relax at night. This is why it should always remain impeccably done.

Even the smallest space in the bathroom renovations can cost a lot for the complete work. Hereby listed below are a few tips and tricks that can help with the bathroom renovations.

Plan before Starting: Since bathrooms are an essential part of the homes that need to be used at least 2 times a day, it is imperative to have a plan ready for bathroom renovations before starting the work on breaking it down. Having a design, budget, and estimated timeline in place helps keeping the target in mind before the work starts.

Getting the Material Ready: It is best to sit with the contractor and make a list of all the things that will be required in the bathroom renovations. Then arrange for a visit to the required store and get all the things ready before starting the renovation project. Since, everything that the contractor needs while renovating is available at hands length, the work will happen smoother and faster.

Plumbing Iterations: Until and unless it is absolutely useful you should not change the plumbing while renovating the bathrooms. Using the existing lines saves a lot of time, energy and money. But in case it is necessary to change the plumbing line, then it is best to sit with the contractor and look for the shortest diversions in the plumbing lines so that it doesn’t become a tedious task.

Storage Areas: Keep in mind the fact that every bathroom needs a storage space for the utilities. While renovating the bathroom, plan for such a space in the shower area or somewhere near it. Don’t settle for cheap plastic units that hang from the shower-head or attach to rods that run from your tub to the ceiling; they look ugly and can ruin your attractive new design. A better option is ceramic tile shelving that’s installed in the corner of the shower.

Looking for more? Here are 3 essential bathroom remodeling tips that you should follow.

Useful Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Ideas for Large Families

It’s not unusual for large families to need large spaces. Each member needs their own space, along with large and comfortable spaces where everybody can spend time together. The kitchen and the living rooms are shared spaces – everybody assembles to eat, talk, and maybe share their experiences here. Most of the times, children’s squabbles start and end in these spaces.

It’s understood that planning a kitchen and bath remodeling for a home that houses a large family can be absolutely bewildering. Opinions and wishes of each member – old and young – need to be kept in mind. Conflicting opinions (which surface many times!) need to be resolved. And one must scavenge their way through all the conflicts and confusion to make a perfect plan that pleases each member of the family. So here are some ideas that will make planning a bath and kitchen remodeling a little easier:

For Kitchen Remodeling

Breathtaking hands free faucets kitchen

 

While planning a kitchen makeover for a big family there are a couple of common things that you should look into. Make sure that the remodel allows ample amount of natural light to enter into the kitchen. A perfectly lit kitchen is alright, but nothing can bring out the liveliness and positivism that natural light brings in.

Go for a universal design for your kitchen. So that the oldest and the youngest member of your family finds it easy to fetch things or even cook themselves a meal. Lastly, add in automation, get sensor-activated lights and hands-free faucets. If you and your family prefer a bit of music while cooking or eating then consider getting wireless speakers for the kitchen.

For Bath Remodeling

Luxury Master-bathroom

It’s commonly understood that large families tend to share the bathrooms. So while getting your bath remodeled keep the following things in mind:

• Go in for major storage upgrades. Increase room for personal needs and other products. Make room for some of your kids’ products too.
• Get letter-perfect towel hooks mounted on the wall. Not only will it add character to the bathroom, it will also put a smile on each family member’s face.

You can go the extra mile and get individual medicine cabinets and separate shower caddy for the kids, your parents, and yourself.