Before You Renovate… construction questions to ask yourself, con't:

Your Money's Worth?

Over time, the money you save on heat, light and water by making your home more energy efficient may actually pay for the upgrades. Safety also pays. Insurance companies often decrease premiums when you improve wiring or fire prevention and improve or add a security system.

On the other hand, you can overdo a good thing. If you plan to move within a few years, is the renovation worth it? Will it pay to put on an expensive new addition when your house is in an area of more modest homes?

CONSTRUCTION WITH CHRIS SAYS : **** kitchen and bathrooms !! and through experience , I can tell you , the KITCHEN and MASTER BED ROOM CLOSET, believe it or not , can be two huge factors in selling your home , ...........

....... " who did you say wore, the pants in the family " :) Check out these stats below :

Payback Range of Typical Renovations

Bathroom renovation (75 – 100%)
Kitchen renovation (75 – 100%)
Interior painting (50 – 100%)
Exterior painting (50 – 100%)

Roof shingle replacement (50 – 80%)
Furnace/heating system (50 – 80%)
Basement renovation (50 – 75%)
Recreation room addition (50 – 75%)
Installing a fireplace (50 – 75%)
Flooring (50 – 75%)
Constructing a garage (50 – 75%)
Window/door replacement (50 – 75%)
Building a deck (50 – 75%)
Central air conditioning (25 – 75%)

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Renovating a Home ...... continued.

Renovating a Home ........ continued:

Why Renovate?

Everyone has a different reason for wanting to renovate. Sometimes it's the simple need for a change. Other times, the motivation is more practical. If you wake up one day with a puddle in the basement and a water-stained ceiling, you know you have to act fast.

From the planning stage to the final touches, this guide shares our experience and knowledge with you. And it tells you about some of the first-rate resources we've developed to deal with all kinds of renovation issues. In general, there are three types of renovation: lifestyle, retrofit, and maintenance and repair.

Lifestyle renovations improve your home and your way of life. They might involve building a sun room for pleasure, or converting unused attic space into living quarters to meet your changing needs.
Retrofit projects usually focus on your home's shell or mechanical systems. Examples are upgrading your insulation, replacing your furnace, or putting on new siding.
Maintenance and repair renovations protect the investment you have made in your house through activities such as caulking windows, reshingling your roof, or replacing your eavestroughs.

Key Questions Before You Start

A successful renovation can be a dream come true, but without careful planning and management, it can be a nightmare.

Be informed. Before you pick up a hammer, pick up a book or a video on home renovation. Talk to friends and neighbours who've renovated. Explore all the options, and remember the carpenter's creed: measure twice, cut once. Mistakes on paper are easy to fix and inexpensive. Mistakes on the job are not. The following questions will help make sure you're heading in the right direction.

TODAY, LETS START WITH ... #1

Is Your Renovation Practical?

While maintenance renovations aren't really a choice — they're part of owning a home and protecting your investment — lifestyle renovations and even some retrofit plans may not be practical or do-able.

Be clear about your expectations. Learn when to draw the line between what's desirable and what's essential.

Almost any renovation will add to, or at least protect, the equity in your home, but kitchen andbathroom renovations and painting normally provide the greatest payback when you sell. If your property taxes and insurance premiums go up, the increase is usually small.

........ give this some thought and remember we're here to answer your questions !

Home Renovations

Renovating a Home

Planning

is the key to a successful renovation.

To help you plan your renovation project, Lets have a look at some information and easy-to-understand tips that can help you assess your requirements and learn the key questions before you get started.

Before You Renovate…

Assessing the Renovation Project

Over the years, we’ve developed a good understanding of how buildings perform. Construction techniques for new homes have changed rapidly. Most of these improved techniques also apply to renovations.

If you plan carefully, you can renovate your home to make it look better, work better, last longer and be more comfortable. Before renovating, it’s important to assess the condition of your home to determine if there are any significant underlying problems that must be addressed before or during your planned renovation project.

Figure 1: Problems that should be addressed

Magazine Article

Do-it-yourself ..... or Don't !

(download)

Renovation Questions

Re: Construction and Renovation Questions

Good Morning,

................... just wanted to keep in touch and comment on the questions I have been asked.

First off, there are NO stupid questions. You are not professional contractors or renovators, how could you possibly be versed in this arena.

Secondly, I respect you for attempting to put the "puzzle" together. There are a lot of pieces.

As you can see in the article on this blog page, we have strong feelings regarding ............."Do-It- Yourselfers" and SAFETY.

Please be very cautious while working in your newenvironment......... " the job site ".

Keep the questions coming, and stay safe,
Best regards , Construction With ..... Chris.