Pros And Cons of Managing Your Own Home Remodeling or Renovations

 ~~ This is a featured post.~~

The home DIY sector has simply exploded in popularity and as more people have more time at home or the remote and hybrid way of working takes hold, it has become incredibly common for professionals to be renovating and change their homes. It is an accepted means of adding value to your home and increasing your equity, as well as the norm before selling and, strangely enough, immediately after the new buyer has moved in.

Many homeowners simply go out and hire an expert who projects, manages, and presents them with a finished product. Then there are those who make use of the widespread availability of information guides to do this kind of work themselves. Here are the pros and cons of such DIY renovations.

Pros

More control over the process

You are in charge when you do your own renovations, and if, for example, you want to sell your house in Raleigh-Durham, you won’t need to waste time finding the best contractor. Your changes or renovations can be made to suit the market. Should you do the work yourself, you are able to control the creativity and give the space your personal stamp of character.

Cost savings

You will definitely save on labor if you do most of it yourself. Simple things like preparing walls for painting and all of the non-skilled work should be done by you. It’s a great way to save money but also begin to learn and develop your DIY skills.

Cons

You could end up with a mess

Not all the How To videos that you find online are genuine, and many that may be quite difficult to follow. It’s a huge risk to attempt any large-scale changes such as floors, utilities, or waterproofing on your own without professional on-site advice and supervision. One of the biggest ironies of the DIY boom is that not only may some do their own work, but there is also an ongoing increase of homeowners needing to hire professionals to take care of unplanned, unfinished, and unsafe home additions and changes.

Constraints of time

A major downside of attempting to do your own renovation is that you are likely to have other responsibilities, and unless you take time off work and these responsibilities, you will be unable to dedicate the required time to get it done timeously. Your time is money, and as such, you will have to weigh up who is best placed to do the work as soon as you have the quotations.

Whether you are renovating or reworking your house to sell it or simply making some changes to make it more livable, the idea is to add value and increase the benefits that you or whoever lives on the property is able to enjoy. The final decision as to whether you do the house renovations on your own is essentially going to come down to exactly what it is that you intend to do. If there is anything whatsoever about the changes that are structural or require measurements, rethink your plan and perhaps even find a professional to help.

How to Make Your House Remodel Go Smoother

 ***This is a featured post***

House remodels are truly a chaotic time for you and your family; some rooms might be off-limits, and you might be wondering if you are doing the right thing. You might also need to work on dates around other people’s schedules, which is annoying if you constantly stop-starting. So, you should be finding ways to help the whole process go a lot more smoothly for you and everyone involved. 

#1 Moving Your Things

This can be one of the bigger stresses of renovating your house. You might have nowhere to put the piles and piles of stuff you have accumulated over the years, or even the means to get it off-site safely. 

You might find that it is beneficial to look for man + van services in your area. You might find that a man with a van service is great for moving little pieces backwards and forwards securely, so none of your stuff gets broken and you don't have to borrow your friend's trailer or your mom’s bigger car. 

You might find that this sort of thing takes a lot of stress away from your general day-to-day, especially if you are in a position where you are waiting for weeks to be able to get your next load of materials or your friend who is supposed to be helping with the heavy lifting keeps on canceling last minute. 

#2 The Order of the Renovation

The order in which you renovate your property is very important to how your renovation goes and how much money you are spending overall. Here is a list of the order you should renovate in:

• Upstairs bathrooms

• Downstairs bathrooms 

• The kitchen

• Living areas 

This is simply due to the positioning of pipes. You don't want to spend a lot on your living room only to have to tear up the ceiling above it because you have a bathroom directly above with a leak. 

#3 Getting the Right Materials

This is an important part of making sure that your renovation goes smoothly. Using the right high-quality materials for the job means that you are working with the best that is available, and consequently that the result will not only be high quality but also long-lasting. This is desirable as you want it to be a long time before you go through all this disruption again.

#4 Investing in Professional Help

You are going to need professional help for some things, such as the plumbing, the electronics, and maybe some other installations that you know you wouldn’t be able to do on your own. You should make sure that these things are done by a professional to lower the risk of a hazard such as a fire, leak, or getting shocks from your efforts with the electrics. This is also important when you come to sell the property, as you can hand over the right certification to show it has all been done correctly and safely, as well as to a high standard. 

Hilltop House Construction Progress April 2021

We purchased our hilltop wooded lot over a year ago and the project was delayed so much that we didn't think it was ever going to happen for us. 

We drove by the lot during our weekly errands in early March and still, nothing. 

On March 20, 2021, out of curiosity we again drove by the lot. To our great surprise, it looked like something was happening! We had ourselves a pit!!!

Five days later on March 25, the foundation was laid. The builder surely didn't waste anytime after they secured the building permit for us. Picture below, this is the side that's going to support our garage. We love that our basement will have high ceiling (9.5 - 10 feet) just like the floors above (ground and second floors 10 feet, third floor 9 feet). 

This is from the other side where we will have a bay window above. 

Looks like we will have a few steps leading up to our front portico, according to our grading. I am guessing at least 6 steps based on the slope. 

April 2, 2021: foundation is still curing. Waterproofing membrane was installed. 

5 Ways to Boost the Value of Your Home

 ~ This is a featured post. ~

If you are considering selling your home, you will want to increase its value to its fullest potential. There are many different ways of doing this, from larger projects to smaller changes. Here are just five ways that you can help to boost the value of your home.

     1. Repairs

      If your home has suffered any damage, for example, from mold or water, it is essential that you get it properly repaired. Your home should be safe, hospitable, and high quality, and a damage repair service can help you achieve this. Getting any damage properly repaired can also help reduce the risk of further damage and problems for yourself or future owners.

2. Curb Appeal
This is how your home looks from the outside. The exterior is often the first thing that people see of your home, so it is vital not to neglect this. First impressions are important! There are plenty of things you can do to improve your home’s curb appeal, such as making sure your front yard or porch is neat and tidy, adding plants and flowers, creating appropriate storage for waste and trash, and even just giving your front door a fresh coat of paint.

3. Redecorate
You may be so used to your home that you don’t notice dirty or damaged areas like walls or flooring. However, a potential buyer is more likely to recognize these things. Redecorating can help to improve the value of your home. Cleaning your floors and walls, revarnishing, painting, or rearranging furniture can help to make your home cleaner and more refreshed. There is a reason many people choose to paint their walls white when they are selling. The lighter colors can make rooms seem larger and airier.

4. Tidy Up Your Yard
If you have a backyard, make the most of it! Spending some time outside gardening and sprucing up your yard can make a huge difference. Do you need to replace or repaint your fence? Could your yard benefit from a water feature such as a pond or fountain? These small changes can help to increase your home’s value. You don’t have to be an expert in the garden either; just tidying up and making sure it looks neat can really help. If you have pets, make sure to clean up after them.

5. Go Green
Making your home as green and eco-friendly as possible is a big attraction for potential buyers. There are plenty of different ways you can do this. Installing double glazed windows helps keep heat in, reducing your energy bills and impact on the planet. Solar panels and other forms of renewable energy may also help to make your home more desirable. Making your home more energy efficient is a brilliant way to increase its value while reducing its impact on the environment. Energy efficiency can be very important criteria for some buyers, so it is worth looking into your options and ways to achieve this.

Creating a Beautiful Eco-friendly Garden This Summer

 ~ This is a featured post.~

As the days grow longer and warmer, leaving the chill of winter behind, looking forward to spending more time outdoors in the sunshine is something many look forward to. Early spring is a good time to start preparing your garden for the better weather, and there's always plenty to do. From clearing out debris from your flower beds, tackling the weeds, and repainting fences, the list of garden chores can stretch on forever. Perhaps this year, you want to try something different, particularly if life in lockdown has made you want to alter your domestic surroundings to make them feel brand new. If you are planning on a garden transformation this year, here are some tips on how you can not only make it beautiful but eco-friendly, too!

Wildlife Garden
If you want to help the eco-system in your garden, planting wildflowers and allowing your garden to thrive naturally is a great way to do this. While you will still need to do the occasional cull, leaving things untouched lets nature takes its course and can provide a safe environment for insects, birds, and other animals to thrive. For those who prefer more manicured looks, you could always dedicate a portion of your garden to this rather than the whole thing.

Allotments
During the various lockdowns across the globe in the last 12 months, many people decided to try growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs in their gardens. This is a great way to move towards a self-sufficient lifestyle, and you won't get produce as fresh as when you've picked it from your allotment. It will take some dedication to care for your vegetables, but this shouldn't be a problem if you're a keen gardener. It's even better if you love to cook and want to wow family and friends with a delicious meal made from ingredients from your kitchen garden!

Fencing and Other Structures
Another way to make your garden eco-friendlier is by carefully considering the materials you're using for your fences and other structures like greenhouses or summerhouses. Choose a supplier that can provide green materials to use for your projects and materials that will be durable in all sorts of weather. You can find out more about these types of fencing here.

Try to Reduce the Use of Chemicals
Weed killers and pesticides can be useful for gardeners trying to preserve their plants, but these chemicals can harm the overall eco-system in your garden. Where possible, try to use natural methods rather than chemical options to reduce damaging other plants and lifeforms in your garden. Things like using water to spray off greenflies, copper slug rings, and even planting certain things together to reduce chances of disease and pests are all things you ought to try first.

You can enjoy any style of garden and still make it eco-friendly with these suggestions. It's the perfect way for you to enjoy your outdoor space and have peace of mind that you are doing your bit for the environment.