10 Home Remodeling Resources to Consider
When looking at your home, you often feel that parts of your home need to be remodeled. According to The Spruce, when deciding where to spend your remodeling efforts, ask yourself what your home needs most. If a home sale is on your horizon, you may need to plan according to the project with the most ROI (return on investment.) Here are some remodeling projects you may decide to do and where you can find resources to accomplish those projects:
1. Flooring Experts
If you’ve decided to remodel your floors, one of the most important considerations would be to use materials that will represent maximum durability. According to Early Experts, upgrading your flooring can make a significant difference in the overall effect of your home improvement. To make sure you are choosing the best kind of flooring material for your home, you can consult home remodeling resources from a general home contractor or flooring installation contractor. The cost of the materials and the eventual ROI will depend on the type of flooring that you choose.
Flooring will be subject to high traffic from you and your family, especially in rooms that will be visited by all family members (including the kitchen). Concrete is one of the materials most frequently chosen for durability, and its condition is easy to maintain. Concrete can also be colored or styled in many ways, therefore having the potential to be chosen by many different people.
If you’re looking at flooring options at a local flooring store, you may be captivated by hardwood floors. Hardwood floors offer a classic look that blends with many types of décors. Tile flooring is another popular choice, as it has many options for style and pattern. Tile flooring is also a water-resistant, versatile, and very durable choice of flooring material.
2. Storage Solutions
While you’re remodeling homes, you may need to move some furniture and other belongings into storage. For that purpose, you may decide to contact a custom storage container company. These storage container companies can be useful during the remodeling process. Your furniture will be safely kept in the storage container until your renovations have been completed.
Home remodeling resources are often aware of these storage companies and may be able to suggest a company that will deal fairly with you. Options for storage can include storage cubicles and portable storage containers. Nothing that is needed daily should be stored, but your home renovations can be more easily accomplished while having someplace to temporarily store furniture and belongings in the room (or rooms) that are being remodeled.
One storage option for furniture includes on-site storage, which is ideal for items too large to move. This would mean some items in your home could be stored in other areas and covered with sheets or tarps. Off-site storage can be done in places that offer cubicles or storage rooms. Some storage companies offer climate-controlled storage options for artwork, furs, or other items where climate must be regulated.
3. HVAC Specialists
Homeowners have the responsibility to keep their homes safe and comfortable. To do so, they may contract with a local HVAC company to perform annual HVAC inspections. Those services will check every part of your home’s HVAC system to see if all its appliances and fixtures are working correctly. These inspections check your home’s air conditioner, air compressor, and heater.
During the inspection, the contractor may find the appliances problematic and may recommend replacing them. For example, if the home’s furnace is found to be faulty, a homeowner should contact a furnace installer and have the furnace replaced. When doing so, a homeowner may want to consider an Energy Star appliance. Appliances with Energy Star certification have been made to be – and are – energy-efficient.
According to Delco HVAC, you should change your air filters before and after an HVAC renovation. Before the renovation, remove any rugs or curtains that trap dirt or dust. Cover any remaining furniture or appliances with plastic coverings. Don’t run your air conditioner or heater when renovating your system.
4. Painters
One of the most popular ways to update the appearance of your home – or the appearance of one of its rooms – is with a new coat of paint. To keep the painting services looking professional, you should use a professional interior painting service. Although a DIY painting job for your home will cost less than hiring a professional painter, you should consider investing in a professional painting company. A professional painting service can provide a first-class job and leave it looking good.
The time and care needed to paint is essential for the room to look good. An amateur painting job could accidentally leave streaks or show areas that aren’t painted evenly. In addition, an amateur painter would not have the skills to protect the trim or doorways from being painted. A skilled painter would know how to protect the trim, and anything left in the room.
Home remodeling resources, like a general contractor or interior decorator, would be likely to know a reliable painting service that can do the job for you. A professional painter would not only have the right materials to protect your home but would also have the correct brushes and materials. They would be able to determine the type of paint that should be used in your home.
5. Electricians
When renovating your home, your current electrical wiring must be considered. The date your home was first constructed will dictate what types of wiring may have been used. Before an electrical contractor installs any new wiring or new electrical appliances, they can look at your home and detect the type of previously used wiring. Some older homes’ wiring may no longer be safe and must be removed.
During the time before the wires for your new electrical service are installed, the contractor will let you know any safety requirements that must be followed. There may be some types of wiring that are safe but are not compatible with your current wiring. Home remodeling resources, such as electrical contractors, are responsible for informing the homeowner of any such safety hazards. In some cases, they may make recommendations for upgrades in your wiring.
For example, aluminum wiring in the home is not necessarily considered unsafe. Some homeowners’ insurance policies require that aluminum wiring be replaced as necessary. Your insurance company may consider a change in wiring necessary if an electrical contractor recommends the change.
6. Water Softeners
When you are composing the list of upgrades to your home during the upcoming renovation, you should consider a water softener system. This is especially true if your neighborhood has hard water, as this type of water contains excess magnesium and calcium. If those elements exist in your water, your plumbing will be at risk for damage due to limescale. The easiest way to relieve this situation is by installing a water softener.
If one of your home remodeling resources were a plumbing contractor, they would be able to detect whether your water is hard and whether you need a water softener. Since hard water makes it difficult to gather foam during household cleaning, a water softener will not only improve the quality of your water but also save you money on cleaning fluids. Eliminating hard water will also make it easier for your hot water heater to operate.
To select the best of the many available residential water treatment systems, your plumbing contractor may have some advice about the condition of your water system. According to Forbes, you may benefit from a whole-house water system. These systems destroy contaminates in your water as soon as they enter your home. A plumber can advise you on what kind of water filter is necessary for your home.
7. Septic Services
During your home remodeling, your septic system may need attention. You may wonder what signs you may see that mean your septic system must be replaced. According to House Master, if your drains go down more slowly than usual – especially in both the kitchen and bathroom – it can be a sign that your septic system must be serviced or replaced. If your grass suddenly becomes much greener, it can signify that the grass is being energized by feeding on a sewage leak.
These signs should be reported to contractors participating in your home remodeling resources, especially if a plumber is involved. Depending on where the septic problem is located, the plumbing contractor may be able to intervene. On the other hand, if the problem is within your neighborhood’s sewer services, it may be something that you must bring to the attention of local water or health authorities for help.
8. Landscapers
When you are planning your home remodeling process, you should also ask a landscaping company to participate. If you ask your other home remodeling resources, they will likely be acquainted with a reliable landscaping company. One important consideration should be the types of construction vehicles that will drive onto your property. Those vehicles can make your soil too dense for water to reach the roots of your lawn or trees.
Too much sun can also damage your plants, so many lawn care companies or landscapers will recommend covering your lawn with plywood boards before the project begins. If your lawn is damaged during the renovation, a landscaping service can help restore as much of the greenery as possible. For example, they can use aeration devices to inject needed air into your soil after the project has been finished.
9. Tree Company
The same problems you encounter with your lawns and plants during renovation will apply to any trees on your property. The soil will be left too dense to support tree growth after most renovation projects. In addition, construction vehicles may drive too close to the trees and lop off branches or cut through root systems. Ask your contractor to work with equipment with the smallest tread possible to minimize damage.
Just as a landscaper can help you revise your lawn after your project, a tree company – especially one with an arborist on staff – can help restore still-viable trees. For example, ask your home remodeling resources if they can use scissor lifts to protect your trees since they don’t require as much outrigging as a heavier device, such as a telescopic lift. With some foresight, you will be able to cause the most minor damage to your property’s trees and lawn.
10. Home Inspectors
A home inspection is done by trained and certified professionals, and it is intended to determine the safety and condition of a home. It is typically done before a home sale has been finalized. The inspection lets the prospective homeowner know that their new home is safe. If there are any serious flaws in the home, it will let the prospective buyer know about them.
Inspectors will be looking for any fire or safety hazards in the home. If a fire or flood occurred in the past, the inspector will be able to tell whether those disasters have caused damage to the house. These damages found by the inspector could include significant defects, such as foundational damages, or reveal minor cosmetic defects, which may be acceptable to a prospective buyer. If the inspection is done before the home sale is closed, the prospective buyer pays for the inspection – and has the right to back out of the sale if any damage discovered by the inspector is too significant.
According to Inspectify, a home inspection should also be done before and after a home renovation. When contracting with home remodeling resources, you should ensure that a home inspection is part of the process. During a home inspection, all systems in the home are examined according to the area’s home safety codes. The inspector’s report will reveal all defects found during the inspection.
When you decide to remodel your home, you may have specific priorities in mind. You might meet with your family and ask each of them their priorities for the remodel. Whatever you do, there are home remodeling resources available that will help you make the right decision for which areas you decide to remodel. Best wishes to you and your family as your home becomes a new and better version of itself.
