Saturday, December 7

The Weekend Warrior’s Handbook: Cheap Renovation Tricks

Homeowners now rely on themselves to repair their common household issues. CNBC reported a 58% increase on an online remodeling platform. It is not surprising because people have so much time in their hands. We finally found time to fix that pesky leak without having to break the bank for professional fees.

The numerous online guidelines make it easy for us to repair things. But it does not necessarily mean that we should do everything ourselves. You can elegantly redesign your home without a specialist. We can even finish some of them in one weekend. Here are some tips:

Kitchen

You might not be selling your home. But any mortgage company will tell you that renovating your kitchen will increase your house’s value. It may be true. But this does not mean that you will go on a shopping spree for kitchen accessories and appliances.

When you work in your kitchen, you must think of efficiency. Your goal is to make it easier for you to move from one side of the room to another. Interior designers often use the golden triangle when constructing this room. You can utilize this layout in your home too.

You do not have to demolish any wall this time. All you have to do is to get rid of any obstacles on your way. For example, you have placed a table and a chair in your kitchen. You often use these pieces of furniture when cutting food.

They allow you to become comfortable while doing this menial task. But these pieces of furniture can also be in your way as you move from one end to another. In this case, why not buy a stool? It will allow you to sit while you cut food. But you can tuck it away after you use it.

If you are looking for a more permanent solution, you might already need the help of an expert. They can safely remove walls for you. By doing this, they give you more space.

Bathroom

After a long day, most of us would like to retreat to our little oasis. If you do not consider it as such, you still have time to transform it into a sanctuary. Again, we do not encourage you to demolish walls. Unless you are in the construction business, you should not attempt to remove them.

Create the illusion of a spacious bathroom by repainting it with white. Take note that this is not limited to the walls. You can repaint your cabinets with white too. This color reflects light. Thus, it makes the room look bigger.

If you have a bathtub, you should have it refinished. You will save a lot of money by doing this instead of replacing the bathtub. To amplify this room’s space, let us stick with the white color. But you can add that pop of color by throwing in a brightly colored chair or stool.

Another option is to paint the walls cappuccino brown. It gives your bathroom an earthy feel. But keep the bathtub white. The contrast will give a beautiful cabin home vibe. Once done, you would want to indulge in hour-long soaks.

Basement

Before you start any project, you must clean it out. Clear out all the trash. Doing this will help you visualize what you want to do with the room. You also must hire professionals to carry out a moisture test. The results will help you determine if you need to waterproof the space.

Another needed step is to research permits and building codes. Skipping this step can lead to expensive fines and penalties. Let us say that your local government has set rules on basement ceiling heights. If the room meets the requirement, you can go ahead with your DIY project. But if it does not, you need to ask for professional help.

Lastly, you need to install insulation. Once done, you can start with your project. As a rule of thumb, you should stir away from dark colors. Using black or dark blue will make the room look eerie. It will turn your basement into a dungeon.

There are several renovation jobs that you can do yourself. But stay away from tasks that involve the demolition of walls. Avoid roof repair jobs. Do not attempt to do any of these because the cost of fixing your work will be expensive.

You can do paint jobs. They are an inexpensive trick to freshen up your home. Another tip is to get rid of bulky furniture. Doing this will make the room more spacious.