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Make a big impact with small home renovations

I love home decor refresh projects but sometimes we realize a few new cushions, artwork and lamps aren’t quite enough.

This is where looking at home renovation, even just a small project can make a big difference. Sometimes home renovation improves the functionality of your home and other times it’s related to a much needed repair. Lastly, it can be purely cosmetic. We like our homes to be pretty right?

How to decide on what home renovations to do?

No doubt you have many ideas about your home renovation, and it’s always worth being as specific as possible with them. Try making a pinterest board with all your inspiration ideas so you have a clear idea about what you want (you will start to see similarities in your images) and pick out those elements when you meet with your designer or contractor.

Where do you want light to come in from? Considering a skylight? Adding a wall or taking one down? Changing your flooring? How many electrical outlets will you need in the new space?

If you’re relatively vague about them, they could be open to interpretation. The contractor you use could end up doing something different than what you had in your head, through no fault of their own. By being specific about the entire process, you’ll have much less to worry about. You can make sure the end result is exactly what you wanted it to be.

How long will home renovations take?

This is a common concern, the amount of time the construction will take. How long will you be inconvenienced?

Quite a bit of work may have to be done. It can be a loud, dirty, and stressful time. With a few home renovation tips, however, it could be a lot easier than you’d think. At a minimum, three of these should make the process more straightforward.

When you’re about to start a home renovation, you’ll have to put together a timeframe. This outlines how long the entire process should take, and your contractor will have a large input in this. Be realistic when you’re putting this together so you don’t run into any issues because of it.

Allow for weather delays, supply issues, a sick worker etc. A reputable contractor will set realistic expectations around this and be honest with you about worst case scenarios with regard to time. These could add a few days or even weeks to the project, so be prepared for them.

Plan on alternate areas in your home for the activities you normally do in the room being renovated. Kitchens can be tricky because the cooking elements are out of commission for a period of time but you can use things like:

• Air fryers
• Portable cooktops like this double burner
• Outdoor grill
• Tabletop smart oven

These all can be used on a table in another room, or set up a small table with your temporary cooking elements until your kitchen is done. Have the fridge moved into the same room so it is closeby. Eating out 3 meals a day isn’t practical so setting up a little temporary kitchen will be useful and save money.

How to find a home renovation contractor

How do you start to narrow down who will do your home renovations now that you’ve identified what you want done? Don’t just go for the first options you come across! If you have Nextdoor.com you’ve no doubt seen some praising of local contractors and some unfortunate experiences others have had.

You’re much better off comparing options before making your decision. Getting recommendations from friends and family can be a great way to start or the aforementioned Nextdoor. Put contractors in the search bar and see if you see any repeats of the same name come up.

It’s also worth looking up reviews of the options you’re considering to help you figure out what it’s like to work with them. Skyline Roofing & Construction can be a great option if you’re in the Houston area. If a skylight is on your list of improvements using a company familiar with roof work will be crucial.

Home renovations can be a long and complicated process, especially with some larger remodels. These tips will help make the process as easy as it can be.

You may enjoy taking up a new relaxing hobby to distract you from it all. See this post on 10 hobbies to help you relax and unwind.