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CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS August 2007
Renovating Your Home – Food For Thought!
For some, owning a home is an invite to the world of never-ending renovations. Should you finish the basement or add an en-suite bathroom? Are you looking to make a small change or a huge overhaul? Is it better to do-it-yourself or utilize a professional? Here are some tips to help make your makeover project a little more manageable:
Plan, plan and then plan some more.
Before you start any renovation project, begin with a plan. Is this one project in a series, and if so how are they related and what is the master vision? How much chaos can you live with? Do you have reasonable timelines?
There are many places that you can look for inspiration for your renovation project: tear out magazine pages, take pictures of friend’s homes and gather all of the tools you need to pull your vision together. Once you have made your decisions - stick to them! You may want to keep a binder or scrapbook of your plan so you can rely on your notes and refer back to it continuously to ensure that you are on track. As you go forward, this will also serve as an inspiration to get the job done because you’ll always have the end goal in mind.
DIY – Are these three letters REALLY that scary?
Do-it-yourself (DIY) projects aren’t just for Bob Vila-wannabes anymore. With the prevalence of DIY shows and magazines, even the most inexperienced home renovator can be a “Mike Holmes-in-Training”.
When considering your DIY project, look to your friends and relatives to see what knowledge you can access. If everybody you know is less handy than you are, it isn’t a problem. Libraries, the Internet and bookstores are full of resources that can lend advice, tips and tricks. As well, many home improvement stores, such as The Home Depot, run workshops that allow experts to walk you through the techniques for your project.
Once you have received some advice, take inventory of what tools you have available to you and what you need to get the job done right. Some jobs require special tools. If you need to rent these tools, be sure to add in those costs to the project plan and compare that to what it would cost to hire a professional. You may want to also assign a value to your time and take that into consideration.
If you decide that a job is too big for you, or that you don’t have the time or tools to do it right, then your best bet is to hire a professional. Do some research to find a good contractor or tradesperson. Ask around to see if you can get a recommendation from family or friends and ask any pro interested for references. Be sure to request Proof of Liability Insurance and verify if your job requires a building permit. A little due diligence before the project starts can mean fewer headaches as the days go on.
Do what YOU want to do with your home.
At the heart of any project should be your vision. Take a moment to consider your lifestyle and what you want from your home.
If you are changing the décor, it is important to choose a colour that you can live with, not just the hottest new hue. You can find information about colour choices, faux treatments and how to harmonize your homes’ energy on the Internet as well as in many home stores. Buy a test pot before committing to a gallon and try it on your wall in all light conditions to ensure that it is the perfect tone!
Function is another important consideration. While a Japanese coy pond may look great in a magazine, if it takes up the space where your kids used to kick around the ball, then you may be inviting trouble (or at least an unscheduled/unsupervised fishing expedition). A good rule of thumb for any project is that it should make you enjoy your home more, not less.
Be sure to keep people in the know.
When the work is done, then it is time to show it off. Be sure to invite the neighbours around to see your landscaped garden or have the in-laws over to admire the new kitchen island. You earned the right to boast your handiwork (even if you didn’t do the work yourself - you still had the vision).
And lastly, there are a few phone calls you should make:
Call your home insurance broker to let them know of the added value of your house and make sure it is covered in your policy.
Call your friendly neighbourhood security system provider. Sometimes changing the structure of your home slightly can affect your system, especially if walls are going up or down or if doors or windows are being added or replaced. You want to ensure that your security system continues to provide you, your family and your home the security that you deserve.