Mark Donovan asked:




Basement Remodeling is a great way to increase the living area in your home. And unlike adding an addition onto your home, ground/site work and installing a new foundation are not required. Consequently a basement renovation project can be a much more affordable project to do and provide a much higher return on investment.

However before you decide to tackle a basement remodeling project it is important that you first develop a basement renovation plan.

Goals of Basement Project

Part of a good finished basement plan is listing the purposes of the finished basement. For example, will the basement be used for a recreation area, or for bedrooms? Is a bathroom or a kitchen area desired? Is a home theater or wine cellar part of the ultimate plan? Understanding how the basement will be utilized will help in determining what specific engineering and mechanical needs are required in the actual design and plans for the basement remodeling project.

Making Preliminary Repairs before Basement Construction

The second major item that should be addressed before tackling a basement renovation project is taking care of any problems that exist in the basement. For example if there are cracks in the foundation walls or floor, they need to be repaired before starting the basement construction project. Also, if there are leaking or sweating pipes they should be repaired before remodeling starts. In addition, if the basement construction plans include plumbing that will require demolition of some of the basement floor it is critical to do this before the rest of the basement construction starts.

Also you should consider the size and location of the furnace. You need to determine if the existing furnace will be adequate to properly heat the newly remodeled basement area? If it is not, a larger furnace may be required. You also need to consider the location of the furnace and the noise it generates. If the furnace is going to be located near a finished basement area then you may need to wall off and properly insulate the furnace room from the finished basement area. You may also need to modify the furnace design such that fresh air is pulled in from the outside of the home.

Insulation of the exterior walls should also be considered. During the framing/construction phase, rigid Styrofoam insulation can be installed to help make the remodeled basement area warmer. Consider insulation requirements before starting the basement remodeling project.

Basement Lighting

One of the most important aspects of a basement renovation project is the lighting. A finished basement that is naturally dark is very uninviting for family members and guests. To address this problem, your basement remodeling plans should consider adding natural light wherever possible. If the foundation has concrete knee walls, consider framing in windows above the knee walls. If the basement has a walk out area, consider installing glass sliders or French doors.

In addition to adding natural light to the basement, consider installing can lights in the ceiling, and sconces on the walls. They can really brighten up the basement area and make the space into a warm and inviting area.

Basement Floor Layout Tips

When developing the floor layout of your basement project, consider putting bedrooms and recreation areas near the natural light areas, e.g. near the walkout sliders.

If a home theater or wine cellar is part of your basement design goals, locate them in areas of the basement where natural lighting is not required.

If a bathroom or kitchen area is part of your basement design objectives, locate them directly below existing plumbing on the first floor of the home. This will help to minimize the amount of piping that is required in the precious head room area of a basement. It will also help to limit the amount of structural/framing work required.

Again, if there is a furnace area that needs to be contended with in terms of noise, locate the wine cellar, or storage spaces near the furnace. These areas/rooms can help to insulate the rest of the basement rooms from the noise of the furnace.

If there are Lally columns (support posts) that need to be contended with, try to develop a basement construction plan that locates walls such that the Lally columns can be buried in them. If burying them is impossible, then consider schemes for boxing them in or finishing them off so that they become less of an obstruction and eye-sore to the finished basement.

Basement Ceilings

When developing a Basement design, the ceiling choice is an important decision. Many homeowners choose to install dropped ceiling tiles, while others elect to install drywall ceilings. Both have their pros and cons. Dropped ceiling tiles allow easy access to pipes and electrical wiring, however they do impact the ceiling height more dramatically than a drywall ceiling.

Drywall ceilings, on the other hand can give a more finished looked and provide more head room, however access to pipes and wiring is limited. If a drywall ceiling is your preference or requirement due to limited ceiling height, plan for access doors underneath first floor bathtub J-traps, valves, and key electrical junction boxes.

Who will perform the Basement Remodeling Construction

Deciding on whether to hire a remodeling contractor, or do it yourself is always a big question. Yes, you can save yourself a bundle if you do it yourself. However, frequently many homeowners start a basement project and never complete it.

If you truly want a finished basement, you need to be honest with yourself on the time commitment and the skills required. If you can not dedicate your next 12-16 weekends to the project, or lack skills in framing and construction, then you should probably hire either a general contractor or act as your own general contractor.

A Basement Remodeling project is a great way to provide additional living space in your home at a fraction of the cost of building an addition onto your home. With proper planning, a finished basement can become the spot in your home where the family and friends want to spend all of their recreational time. Good luck with your basement remodeling project!

Ray L. Walberg asked:




As the mobile home construction standards improved through the years, more mobile home owners have decided to upgrade and renovate. The increasing quality and value of these newer mobile homes makes remodelling a good option, in some cases.

As with any home, mobile or otherwise, years of everyday activity can take a toll on floors, walls and appliances. In addition, a growing family might make it necessary to add room or reorganize the interior space of a mobile home.

As the homeowner reviews just what needs to be renovated and considers what can realistically be changed, there are some differences to consider between a “permanent” home and a “mobile” home. While it may not seem to be a plus, having no structural support beams or walls in the center of the home can actually make renovation go more smoothly. In a traditional home, interior walls can also be support walls. This has to be considered when removing or cutting through a wall to change a home’s floor plan.

It may be the case that a wall separating the living room from an end bedroom could be removed, without worrying about losing ceiling support. This could make the living room larger. On the other hand, if there is no end bedroom and the living room is large enough, a “false” wall could be installed to create a small bedroom at one end of the mobile home.

There is something else to consider when making major changes to a mobile home: Unless the home was placed on a basement or concrete foundation, homeowners should be careful not to create openings in the floor or along the walls that could allow cold air in during the winter. These unintended openings can also be an invitation to a prowling cat or small dog that might be seeking a hideaway.

Mobile home residents should also consider that removing a wall, even if it does not support ceiling weight, can expose a weaker section of the floor. This can also be a problem when nails or screws are removed from the floor. Care should be taken to inspect these exposed areas to be certain they support foot traffic. In addition, any exposed holes should be properly filled and finished before installing new flooring. If the removed wall was attached to an outside wall it will also be necessary to refinish the exposed places on that outside wall.

If the renovation plans include adding a porch or small room outside the mobile home, it is best to check with local officials so that the homeowner understands the building regulations and code requirements. Many communities have rules that won’t allow a structure to be too close to a property line, for instance. Extending the outside dimensions of any home can be limited by these local rules.

If the plans include putting a porch on the mobile, it may be best to treat the porch as a separate structure that is attached to the outside wall. Some contractors urge homeowners not to try to permanently incorporate the porch into the outside structure of the mobile home. You may also want to use an electric chain saw to clear away any small trees growing close to your mobile home.

Milos Pesic asked:




Mobile homes are actually cost effective, and yet still comfortable and livable. Though, it may be different from the traditional or conventional homes, it still has the same basics that those homes have. It’s inexpensive but homeowners still enjoy comfort and beauty. It also goes without saying that if house remodeling is a trend in the conventional homes, the same goes with mobile home remodeling as well.

There may be similarities and differences in remodeling a conventional and mobile home. It is simply because, the materials and structures are different. There are materials that may be of good quality and very good for the conventional homes but it’s a no-no in mobile homes. There are also differences in the repairs, maintenance, cleaning, and renovating of mobile homes. This is why mobile home remodeling is quite a challenging task for the homeowners. However, if they are creative, resourceful, and practical, then it’s not really that difficult or tiring after all.

In mobile home remodeling, one has to consider some important steps and factors that are critical in these types of homes compared to the typical ones. Consider the structure and level of the home, its balance and stand on the ground. Another one is the cleaning and maintenance of the exteriors, make sure you ask first from a mobile home professional or specialist store if the cleaning materials and products you’re using are apt for your mobile home. For the renovation of the interior parts, try to look for the best and most suitable walling, ceiling, and flooring materials, it doesn’t mean that, if the tiles are good for conventional homes, then it’s also good for the mobile homes, remember that the structure and composition of these two homes are different. Plumbing, painting, and wiring also must be accounted for, refer to a professional or expert when dealing with this, because if you’re not really familiar with these things, you may get disappointed at the result afterwards. Some small fixture which you may not bother to consider when remodeling a conventional house, oftentimes matter in these mobile homes, like the door knobs, faucets, showers, etc.

Mobile home remodeling vary in its steps, ways, and reconstruction, compared to conventional home remodeling, but what’s important is that homeowners must learn the ins-and-outs of their homes first, before they embark on this remodeling journey. Studying the house, planning the renovation, and creating the remodeling design are the first basic steps one must take, whether he’s redesigning his mobile home, remodeling his conventional house, or reconstructing his place.

Robert P Phillips asked:




I have found that the majority of home owners assume that for every dollar they invest in their home, they will get more than a dollar in return. Don’t shoot the messenger…….but it is not true.

According to the National Association of Realtors web site, the following is the average return on investment for the most common remodeling projects:

Deck addition — 76.8%

Major kitchen remodel — 80.4%

Bathroom remodel — 84.9%

New roof — 73.9%

Family room addition — 71.5%

Master suite addition — 72.6%

REMODELING FOR RESALE:

To obtain a high rate of return on your remodeling project should not be the goal. Making your home more marketable in order to obtain a sale should be the goal of your remodeling project.

Buyers typically are not going to pay much over market value in a given neighborhood. In contrast, buyers would rather spend the extra money for a nice home than pay below market value for a home they will have to fix up(unless they are specifically looking for a “fixer upper”). This means you will want your home to have similar features with similar quality as the homes your are competing against.

If you do remodel, make sure you do enough, but don’t go overboard. For example, if the homes you are competing with have oak cabinets and tile floors in the kitchen, then it wouldn’t be smart to install painted pine cabinets and linoleum in your kitchen. You will not be competitive. Buyers shop in a certain price range and they expect to get certain amenities that are appropriate for that price range. Nor would it be smart to install Brazilian hard wood cabinets and natural stone floors. The chances that you will recoup even the national average of 80.4% of your remodeling investment are not good. This is due to the fact that you will have to list your home above neighborhood market value. And as stated, buyers typically do not like to pay much over market value.

WHAT ARE THE BEST REMODELING PROJECTS?

As the statistics above indicate, kitchen and baths have the greatest return on investment. That is because just about anybody can paint a room or throw up some drapes or order some carpet once they purchase a new home. But remodeling a kitchen or bathroom is a different animal. Both the kitchen and bathroom require skill and know how to properly remodel them and most consumers know it.

The easiest projects that can make a big difference are painting, landscaping and cleaning. A clean yard, mulch and some flowers will enhance the curb appeal. Paint helps to make interiors and exteriors look new. Clean the carpets as well. Having things crisp and clean will immediately catch the eye of a potential buyer.

Before remodeling for the purpose of increasing the marketability of your home, consult with two or three realtors that do business in your neighborhood. A good realtor is invaluable when deciding how much you should do to get your house ready for sale. They can save you thousands of dollars and help you increase your profit margin.

Good luck!

Andrew Stratton asked:




It is true that remodeled kitchens provide a good return when selling your home, but such a project is very involved, costly, and often a headache. Instead of a complete overhaul, give your kitchen a fresh appearance by installing new appliances and replacing outdated cabinet hardware with trendy pieces.

Another simple improvement to your kitchen includes changing faucets and light fixtures. Freshen up bathrooms in the same manner as the kitchen. Change hardware pieces such as faucets, towel bars, soap dishes, as well as light fixtures. Also think about updating your mirror and other accessories in the room such as shower curtain, wall hangings, and towels.

Fixing up the yard will add significant curb appeal and is one of the most worthwhile improvements you can do for your home. Curb appeal refers to the view of your home from the street. Because the outside of your house is the first thing the buyer sees, the yard and entry leave a strong impression and help the buyer decide whether they even want to see the rest of the house.

So go out to your curb and look at your house; does it look nice? Can you even see it? If you have large trees or shrubs that cover the majority of the house, cut them back or get rid of them to increase your curb appeal. Make sure the yard is neat and trimmed and for a small investment you can put together a beautiful flower bed or adorn the entry with beautiful potted arrangements.

Also, consider improving the entry way by installing new trendy porch lights and a new mailbox. If necessary, give your home a fresh coat of paint. All of these improvements are relatively inexpensive but make a big difference when it comes to selling your home.

When it comes to carpet, first check to see if there are hardwood floors underneath by lifting up a corner in a closet. If there are hardwood floors, just have the carpets well cleaned and advertise that there are original hardwood floors.

More buyers are attracted to wood floors these days. If there is not wood below and the carpets are old, have the carpets replaced. New carpets give your home both the smell and look of newness.

Seriously consider painting the entire interior of your home, especially if it hasn’t been done in a while. When you are repainting, choose light neutral colors. Although dark or bright colors may be trendy and look nice, they limit the buyers’ ability to picture the home as their own. A light and neutral color will clean up the walls without turning off any customer.

Although you may love your neon beer sign in your living room, some buyers may not and can be turned off by such personal items. Try to make your house more generic and hide your quirky belongings; try to make it look like a model home. It helps the buyer picture their own belongings on the wall.

Keep your house clean. This costs nothing but makes all the difference. No one wants to pay a good price for a cluttered and dirty house. If you are a pack rat, now is the time to change the habit and throw it all away or invest in a storage unit to place all your junk. Avoid a cluttered look and make sure everything has a place and is put away.

These small improvements will make a big difference and will give you the best opportunity to sell your home quickly and for the best price.

Reinhardt Quelle asked:




When we moved into our new house there was a long list of work that needed be done in terms of updating and remodeling, but nothing stood out more than that ugly pink fireplace dominating the middle of our living room. It was one of our first projects and our neighbors were amazed at the difference it made in the way our house felt when you walked through the door. Since that time there have been many more fireplace remodels in our neighborhood. You can spend anywhere from $100 to $20,000 updating your fireplace, so it is best to consider both your budget and your goals. Here are some suggestions:

Painting the fireplace — Do you have a tight budget? A fireplace that is made from brick can be painted whether it is in its raw brick form, or even if someone has already painted it another color. If you like the overall look of the fireplace, then painting is a good option. There are many colors available the will tie in nicely to the other colors in your room. Be sure to use paint that can hold up to high temperatures. One vendor that sells products specifically for painting a fireplace is Brick-Anew. Painting was not an option for our fireplace, as the tile hearth was chipped and needed to be replaced or repaired and we were not happy with the overall look of the fireplace. Also, there are a lot of people (including us) who don’t really like the look of painted brick.

Another option that can sometimes work with the right house and the right fireplace is plastering. American Clay sells a natural clay plaster that can be applied to a variety of surfaces, including brick or even well-adhered paint when using their special primer. Unlike traditional plasters, the American Clay product an be reworked for quite a long time after installation, which makes it very forgiving for the amateur.

Refacing the fireplace — If you want to take the project to a whole new level, you can drastically change the look of a fireplace by using different materials on the exterior face of the fireplace. You can create a high-end elegant look with marble slabs, a modern look with concrete slabs, or a Craftsman look with small tiles in different shades and complementary woodwork. You can either add a mantel or remove one. You can change the shape or the size of the mantel to provide different proportions to your fireplace. Another option is to sheetrock or plaster parts of the fireplace. If the mass of the fireplace is too much for the room, you can reduce it by adding sheetrock or paneling to the exterior. There are even veneer stone and brick materials that are fairly easy to apply that can give your fireplace a very traditional look.

The important thing to remember when refacing a fireplace is to understand your local code. Combustible materials such as wood mantels and paneling must be kept a certain distance from the firebox (generally 6 inches or more). The building code also limits how far these materials project from the face of the fireplace, how large the hearth extension must be, and so on. Codes vary around the country – it is important to evaluate your project relative to the codes enforced in your area.

This project can cost you anywhere from a few hundred dollars (to do yourself) up to $10,000 depending upon the materials you use and the extent of the work required.

Complete remodel — Do you need your fireplace to become more completely integrated into your living space? Do you need ways to incorporate shelves, drawers, an LCD or flat panel TV, and audio visual equipment into your living space? You may want to build an entertainment center integrated with your fireplace. This is a high-end custom cabinet project and is your most expensive option, but the results can be stunning.

Regardless of the size of the project that you decide on, be sure to factor in any changes that you are planning to the living space. Are you planning on painting or getting new furniture? What is the style of your house and your existing furniture? Should the mantel be painted or are there other natural woods in the house that you would like to tie in with the fireplace? Tying the look of the fireplace into the style of your home makes it an elegant accent instead of oddity like our pink fireplace was before it was remodeled.

Ian Pennington asked:




When it comes to home remodeling plans most people will have big ideas of what they are going to do, add a room, convert another, and knock through a couple of rooms. It sounds very easy when it is ideas in someone’s head putting them into practice though can be a much more difficult practice.

With home remodeling plans, especially those that involve construction and destruction it is important that time is taken. There is no point in knocking down a wall if your plans are unworkable, it may do a lot more harm than good, especially if the wall turns out to be a load bearing one. It is vital that home remodeling plans are carefully thought through.

In the case of major changes then local governance is likely to need the submission of detailed plans. It is though a good idea to have some drawings done even if there are only minor alterations being made. It may not be needed by a local council but will give some direction to the work involved. By putting down ideas on to paper, or computer, it may instantly visible whether the home remodeling plans are actually workable. To aid in this there are some computer programs available that can provide a good idea of whether dramatic plans are workable.

With drawings in place it is then a good idea to look at the budget will stretch to the home remodeling plans envisaged. Some people will overstretch themselves financially when it comes to making alterations, believing that whatever they do will add value to their home. Be aware though that this isn’t always the case. It may be necessary to scale down on your plans, put them on hold for a while or look for other sources of workers or materials. This is again why it is a good idea not to jump in and start trying to put your home remodeling plans into practice.

It may not be necessary to do all of this prep work if your home remodeling plans are purely the changing of which way a door opens. The same theory of not rushing in though is still valid, as it is easy to get the simple of the hanging of a door wrong.

Home remodeling plans are great in theory and many people will dream about what they would like to do. Whether these dreams are ever put into practice doesn’t always happen though but the plans themselves are something anyone can do.

Jeanette Joy Fisher asked:




Colors contain underlying psychological meanings and evoke particular feelings when we see them. All of us have preconceived notions, learned from childhood memories and family customs concerning colors.

Since our entire world is actually colorless, we only see color through light. Colors are simply wavelengths of light that we see. Color perceptions, however, change from culture to culture.

Whenever you want to enliven a space, to provide a great background for yourself and your loved ones, or to enhance a desired emotional atmosphere, you should turn first to the use of color. Every color has some sort of influence on our emotions, either by contributing to an inherent physiological emotional response or by triggering a personal response, based on a person’s past experience and memories. Learning how colors work allows you to enhance the preferred emotional support needed in every area of your home.

But remember: the interior and exterior designs of your home are not fashion statements. Therefore, you’ll want to disregard current color trends, whatever they may be, and choose colors that are based upon your own emotional needs. Above all, never forget that color design is supposed to be fun, so get creative, be bold in your color choices, and live without fear. Understanding how color makes people, especially with regard to temperature, will give you confidence in your choices and help you avoid costly mistakes.

Colors and Apparent Temperature

Colors seem warm, cool, or neutral. Warm colors are psychologically associated with happiness and human comfort, and produce warm, inviting, and cozy feelings. They include: red, orange, yellow, magenta, and yellow-green hues. But because these warm hues tend to speed up our perception of time, they don’t feel relaxing. Warm colors, although considered harmonious, are often tedious and mind-numbing unless they’re used in combination with balancing cool shades.

On the other hand, cool colors make spaces appear slick and professional, but their coolness calms feelings. Cool colors, especially light shades of blue, tend to recede into the distance, which makes them more suitable for backgrounds. Cool colors include: green, violet, blue, light blue, and cyan. These colors slow down the perception of time, but without variety, cool color designs seem lackluster and monotonous.

Neutral colors, such as black, white, gray, and brown, usually have undertones that make them not truly neutral, especially when they’re affected by lighting. Too many neutral colors without contrasting depth grow wearisome.

Choosing correct colors is vitally important for creating a specific look and feeling in a room, and the ways that colors affect our perception of temperature should be one of the first considerations in a remodeling project.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Robert J. Carlton asked:




For those living in a ranch-style home, there can be just as many exciting remodelling ideas as there are for older, historical homes. It may take some creative thinking but renovating a ranch home can be a great way to increase the home’s value and change the atmosphere as well.

The key to any good renovation, for any style home, is to do some serious “brainstorming.” This may mean talking with family members to get their opinions, as well as talking with friends who have completed a successful home renovation. Even a good remodelling contractor will share some ideas with you. Most of the time, good home remodelling tips and ideas are not a secret, but are readily shared by everyone involved.

While many home remodelling articles, television shows and commercial plans have been targeted to much older homes in recent years, the owner of a ranch home may still be overwhelmed when he or she begins searching for suitable ideas. When it comes to upgrading or renovating the ranch-style home, the opportunities and choices vary. Talk to half a dozen people about the project and you will probably get a different opinion from each one.

Some of these ideas have become quite popular in the last few years, primarily because the ideas work. For example, many ranch-style homes have an L-shape floor plan and in almost every case the ranch style home is long, narrow and basically rectangular. Not only are ranch homes different from much older homes in general shape, the newer ranch-style home has lower ceilings and different interior floor plans as well. Any major renovation or remodelling should take this into consideration.

Ranch style homes constructed in the last few decades have often come with wood paneling and sufficient closet space. This separates them from the older homes that had plaster walls and no closet space to speak of. (In homes that were built 100 years ago, for example, clothing was often stored in free-standing wardrobes.)

Some people who have renovated a ranch home urge using natural-finish wood if possible. This seems to be attractive to future buyers, in addition to giving the home a more comfortable feel. This may add a bit to the cost of the remodelling project, but in the long run, the additional cost can be recovered when the house is sold. If the family plans to remain in the home indefinitely, the ambience created by the wood will make the home more comfortable.

Within the remodelling industry, the experience of contractors and home buyers has been that those who renovate a ranch-style home usually do so with the intention of reselling at a profit. If a remodelling project is in the planning stages for your ranch-style home, keep this basic goal in mind. Make changes with an eye toward improving the home’s value, even if the family plans to stay in the home for a few years.

Of course, home renovations can be made strictly with the idea of making the home more comfortable for the family too. But when estimating costs for the renovation, keep in mind that changes can also be made to make the ranch home more attractive (and more valuable) to a potential buyer. Regardless of the ranch home changes the family decides to make, careful planning and attention to detail can make the ranch-style home both immediately comfortable and potentially more valuable.

Ken Marlborough asked:




In any bathroom remodeling, the task most often starts with the shower or bathtub. Redesigning the shower or tub can bring about a total change in the appearance of a bathroom. Bathroom shower remodeling requires a lot of planning, following a budget, and keeping in mind the available bathroom space.

A proper design with accurate measurements and details can help you to decide the most appropriate type of shower. If remodeling your bathroom shower, choose a place where plumbing already exists, as the cost can go up if you are relocating the shower. Utilizing existing plumbing can save a lot of money and minimize the total cost of remodeling.

Showerheads are interesting in their variety; multiple jets or massaging jet showerheads are one of the popular models available at most bathroom remodeling stores. Bathroom shower accessories such as shower curtains and screen seals are also provided by dealers.

You can also consider installing a thermostatic shower or one employing quartz technologies.

In bathroom shower remodeling, great care is required in the selection of tiles used for flooring and on walls in the shower area. There are various companies offering beautiful acrylic showers that can be perfectly fitted over existing bathroom facilities. The acrylic wall system will also help to cover old and worn-out wall tiles.

Pre-molded fiberglass units containing both a shower and bathtub serve as the most economical bathroom fixture. You can also go for luxurious bathroom showers that can improve the functionality and appearance of the entire bathroom.

A bathroom design expert can assist you in bathroom shower redesigning. Bathroom shower remodeling, a major step in bathroom remodeling, can increase the resale value of your home.