Home Improvement and Remodeling
Join Angela Scanlonand a team of architects and designers as they makeover homes with cutting-edge virtual reality technology to help homeowners get a real look and feel of their soon-to-be home. If you have had any work carried out such as extensions or conversions, make sure you obtained the appropriate planning permission and building regulations and have the relevant documents. If you haven’t, you may find that you must pay for them retrospectively before a sale can be agreed. Roeshel Summerville started her blog back in 2007, when she and her husband were in the midst of searching for a new home. Though they recognized the space needed some serious work, they both fell in love with the character and charm of a fixer-upper farmhouse.
Financing renovations or improvements also is getting more expensive, with interest rates expected to continue ticking upward as the Federal Reserve uses higher rates to battle inflation. There are several ways to raise money for home improvements, but all come with pros and cons. As long as you analyse your circumstances carefully and avoid getting into debt you can’t afford, there is undoubtedly a way to carry out the renovation works you’ve been dreaming about. If you have enough equity in your home, a remortgage could give you plenty of cash to invest in your project.
- To avoid draining your accounts, build up a savings pot and set a budget for your project.
- Designer Kevin McCloud visits couples and families who are determined to create their dream homes and build it themselves.
- In either of these cases, as well as many others, sometimes the best way to get the information you need is through video.
- A primary fan costs about $50, and you can get a nice one for no more than a couple of hundred dollars.
- Spruce up every room in your home with our collection of quick and easy do-it-yourself home improvement projects.
So enlisting the help of an expert to repair your originals will dramatically improve their performance, and cut your heating bills. In order to run power to you garden room you will need to pay a qualified electrician, with costs starting round £300-£500. But digging the power cable trench to their specification in advance will keep the price down. Here’s House & Home Improvement just a taster of our top 21 home upgrades for under £1,000 to inspire your home makeover projects. The Zillow paint study found white is the best color for kitchens, gray is well-suited to living rooms and dark blue bedrooms appealed to buyers. Zillow 2021 Paint Color Analysis found that homes with light blue bathrooms sell for a $2,793 premium.
Other ways to improve your home’s efficiency and value include replacing old, leaky windows, installing energy-efficient home appliances and adding insulation to your home. Keep in mind, though, that new windows and new appliances will be a much more expensive project. “Talk to local pros before starting a new project to ensure you aren’t accidentally decreasing your home value, especially if you’re thinking about selling,” Fisher advises.
For some it’s the uncertainty that comes with the territory, and not knowing what’s going to happen to their home. For others, it’s the curiosity of whether or not they could take this project on DIY. In either of these cases, as well as many others, sometimes the best way to get the information you need is through video. Unlike highly scripted HGTV videos, home improvement channels on YouTube often show a much more realistic view of what home renovation is really like.
Ideas for Art Above a Bed
Use Your Home’s Equity to Better Use Your Home’s Energy Did you know you can use your home’s equity to make energy-efficient improvements that save money in the long term? Hiring a professional to install new window treatments is a notoriously expensive endeavor, yet there are endless benefits to them. There are many reasons to look into upgrading your window treatments, from options that let natural light in to save on electricity to eco-friendly building materials. There are plenty of DIY options — just make sure to do your due diligence before, and measure and take your time before diving right in. When you make a home improvement, such as installing central air conditioning or replacing the roof, you can’t deduct the cost in the year you spend the money.
Participants of a Maytag survey prioritized upgrading their countertops to something more on-trend. If your laminate kitchen countertops are worn but still sound, give them a fresh, new look by resurfacing them. A variety of colors are available, and the process is no harder than painting.
Finding a good contractor to do repairs and improvements to your home is important. Before hiring a contractor, get tips from the Federal Trade Commission on avoiding home improvement scams. Also, find out how you can report a problem, if you encounter any issues with work you’ve had done on your home. Passive house designs enable us to build houses that save energy, improve air quality and reduce noise pollution.
And don’t forget, you can always get more tips from our experts by booking your own free consultation. We offer free consultations to all homeowners, so you can get the best tips perfectly tailored to your home. No matter which project you undertake, transforming your home is no small feat. Therefore, when all the hard work is over, you want to make sure it’s properly protected for the years to come. Unsurprisingly, your contractor is the most important professional for your project.