Simply pick up a couple of cheap, framed floor-length mirrors for less than $10 at your local big-box store, then paint the frame to match your space. Attach to your closet door with construction adhesive for a permanent look or use removable picture-hanging strips if you’re renting. Glue thin trim pieces to the mirrors for a high-end look. You don’t have to go big when it comes to kitchen projects. Install new kitchen cabinets or give current cabinets a refresh. Upgrade old kitchen countertops and add a kitchen backsplash for a new look.
- If you’ve got lots of rooms with many types of flooring, you might want to bite the bullet and invest in new flooring for all, to create a seamless feel throughout the house.
- Just make sure the wall is sound before you start the installation.
- Each one can be completed in just a weekend and increases the function—and style!
- If the answer’s yes, it’s time whip out the paint and ladder.
You’ll more than make your money back with a loft conversion, too, but it’s not quite as lucrative as other means of extending because of the costs involved. You’ll need to add some windows and a staircase, too, which can rob you of space elsewhere. Perhaps fitting a new kitchen or bathroom, or creating extra living space? For most of us, renovation means modernising our home, adding more “functionality” to it or increasing its value. Usually, we’re more preoccupied with finishes and fittings than the things we can’t see. But the hidden elements of a renovation are well worth our attention.
Radon test kits are available at home centers and hardware stores for about $10. They usually involve setting a collector in your home for a week or so and then sending it to a lab for analysis. (One manufacturer is Pro-Lab and charges $40; includes a postage-paid envelope.) Conduct the test in the lowest livable area.
Maintenance and repair
Laminate flooring comes in a variety of shades, and costs between $3 – $8 per square foot. You can pay, on average, $2,352 for a professional installation, or measure precisely and DIY it on your own. Similar to cool-toned walls, a lighter-colored floor can make a room feel bigger by better reflecting natural light. The best time to get a skylight installed is when you’re getting a new roof. “Nobody will install a skylight on a roof that’s not brand new,” explains Pacific-Northwest agent Dawn Rushton in HomeLight’s guide to the added value of skylights.
In other words, if you’re going to the trouble to put in something new, make sure it offers a true update. Nvesting in a home renovation no matter the size is an important decision that will affect the value of your home as well as your quality of life. In House Home Improvement does not take that decision lightly. Our knowledge and experience will ensure your custom project is completed on time, on budget and as you want it. With IHHI’S attention to detail and commitment to building long term trusting relationships you can rest assured you’ve made the right decision.
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Recent years have seen an increase in the recycling or upcycling of household goods and fixtures. If you’re remodeling your home, you’ll likely have plenty to send to the landfill. You can rethink how you get rid of it, save some disposal costs and maybe make a few dollars selling reusable items. If you’re on a budget that won’t currently allow pursuing a home remodel, but you’re still in need of a change, changing a few light fixtures could save the day. Modern lighting is relatively inexpensive, and you can put it anywhere with the advent of things like LED rope lighting. Spend a few hundred dollars on lighting instead of many thousands on tearing the place apart and putting it back together.
Overhead pot racks can hold your bulky kitchen items right where you need them while making a rustic design statement in your home. Removing the doors only takes an afternoon and a few basic tools. It’ll cost you little to nothing beyond the cost of paint and caulk. If your bathroom is small, chances are it feels even more cramped with an opaque shower door and enclosure. Swap this out for a crystal-clear shower door to open up the room and make it feel bigger.
Adding a simple wood trim to the ceiling will draw the eye up — a classic visual trick to give the room an illusion of height. It also adds some design flair to the room; depending on your style, you can try understated plain molding or ornate three-piece molding. It’s tempting to cave to the gallery wall trend, but the more individual items you hang on walls in an already-small space, the smaller it will look.
This Old House
Sundae does not provide legal, tax, or investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. Please seek the advice of an attorney, tax professional and/or financial advisor for guidance to properly evaluate particular investments and/or strategies. David Bromstad, the winner of season one of “HGTV Design Star,” hosted his own show, “Color Splash,” for eight seasons.
Get expert advice on your home, design tips, how much to pay for pros and hiring experts, delivered to you daily. Replacing your carpet means tossing out all of the old floor covering. Save several scraps of carpet, whatever kind, for use on the top of sawhorses, as a creeper mat for working on the car, to pad your knees while fixing your plumbing or use as drop cloths. And, they’re free with the purchase of a new carpet.
