Home Improvement Blog

By the end of next month the weather should (hopefully!) start getting better.  If you’ve been thinking about renovating an old house, remodeling a room in your home or making general repairs, it’s time to start doing some planning.  Your going to want to take advantage of the spring months for construction.  We offer a few tips to get you started in the right direction for planning your project.

• If you are focusing on remodeling one room in your home, you should have a clear vision of what the room will be used for. This could help you save money in the long run.  To avoid extra cost, brainstorm the use of the room very well.
• Try to sketchout a diagram of your vision on paper. This will be very helpful for making sure your contractor understands your idea and stays on track.  Here is a link for a Free Download of a program which will help you design and draw out your home remodel floorplan, deck, office or even landscaping.   http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/floorplans.asp?
• Any good design has a well thought out traffic pattern.  Are the most used areas easily accessible?  In most rooms, it is more comfortable if traffic flows on side of the room rather than directly through the middle.  Bathrooms and bedrooms are more comfortable if located separately from the rest of the home for privacy.
• Does the remodel match the overall design of your home?
• If you are adding an addition to the home, do you have enough yard space so that your property doesn’t look crowded (and you don’t inflame the nice neighbours.)
• Make sure what you are adding to your home, will also add value if you plan to sell any time soon.
• Since you're spending the money anyway, you might as well “Go Green” and buy energy efficient items.  These Energy Star products often have a cheaper price tag upfront and will also save you money on heating, cooling and water utilities. There are too many eco-friendly home improvement options to mention in this blog post, but stay tuned and we’ll list many in an upcoming post.  Also, there are tax credits available for going green while doing home repair. We will discuss those as well.
• If you are adding siding or a new roof and you live in a historic neighbourhood, there might be some building codes you have to follow.  You’ll most likely need a building permit that assures your renovations meet local building codes and safety regulations.  Our contractors are able to get this paperwork done for you in eastern Massachusetts.  This link will help you lookup your local government throughout the US for permitting information.   http://www.statelocalgov.net/index.cfm
• Finally, you’ll want to make sure the contractors you hire are licensed and insured.  Our team meets these requirements in MA.  Call us if you would like a quote for the project you have in mind.  508-588-0007