No one can deny that there’s indeed no place like home. Home is where we find our comfort, happiness, and the most effortless moments of peace and relaxation. Also, the most beautiful thing about homes? Each one is unique and different, just like the people that live in them. A homeowner’s personality truly reflects through the smallest details in their home. Right from the color of the walls to the furniture, it’s all a showcase of their style and preferences.
Individuals prefer to change their style now and then, to try something new and look different for a change. And yes, it’s completely normal to want to do this to your home as well! Believe it or not, renovating and revamping your home can be a super fun project for you and your family members. There are so many different possibilities and styles that you can choose from, whether it’s modern, classic, contemporary or just bright and lively.
What You Need To Know About Home Renovation
Renovation can be DIY, or you could hire a contractor to do it for you. Either way, there are some essential factors you need to keep in mind when you decide to take on this project:
1. Setting A Budget
The moolah matters! Renovation can turn out to be an extremely expensive affair if you don’t have a budget to keep your expenditure in check. You need to understand how much you’re willing to shell out on the renovation and ensure that it doesn’t create a money crunch for you. Don’t be under the impression that a smaller budget cannot warrant a decent enough renovation; there are always ways in which you can work around a smaller budget and still make noticeable changes to your home.
2. Safety Protocol
If you have a lot of delicate items at home, or young children who could be harmed, ensure that you make the necessary arrangements to keep them safe. Also, keep all protective gear ready, just in case you decide to take up certain parts of the projects yourself. Yes, we’re talking about gloves, appropriate clothing, protective pads, and so on.
3. Hiring The Right Contractor
When you decide to hire a contractor, keep all your options open. Take multiple quotes from different contractors and make a comparison. Which one falls under your budget? Who is offering a better deal? Which one has your close friend recommended? All of these factors come into play when you decide to go with a contractor. Chances are, if you’re satisfied with their work this time around, you won’t have to worry about finding another contractor the next time!
4. Permits And Insurance
Both permits and insurance are an absolute must when you decide to renovate your home. Especially if you’re making additions to your existing structure, you need to first find out if you need to obtain any additional permits to do so. You can always consult a lawyer and do your research to find out more about your state’s permit laws. So in the case of insurance, homeowners insurance is a security blanket that can protect you from massive expenses, if there’s an unfortunate incident during the renovation.
5. Know Your Tools And Basics
Even if you’re not taking up a DIY project, you do need to have some basic knowledge about the tools and equipment being used during the process. This way, you might be able to lend a helping hand, and you also won’t mishandle any equipment that’s lying around. If you’re not sure of how certain things work, you can ask your contractor to clear your doubts for you.
Now that we’ve covered some basic ground for your upcoming renovation; let’s also talk about how you can add on to the style factor of your home.
Timber – Adding class to any home
Timber is great for insulation, soundproofing, for creating durable and sturdy timber frames that can be used to make a number of structures, including the main structure of a home. However, since we’re talking about renovating here, we’ll further extrapolate on how you can opt for timber while renovating, to add an extra touch of class to your home:
1. Doors and Windows
Adding timber to your doors and windows can be a great idea! You can either replace the entire build or create an additional frame around them, just for some added dimension. Timber framing will also help with making them stronger and more sturdy, and add a new lease of life to them. Over time, doors and windows tend to chip and crack, and a new frame is exactly what could make them look brand new!
2. New Flooring
Floors undergo maximum wear and tear in a home, along with walls. Timber flooring is a brilliant option, and also has a number of benefits. It provides additional insulation during the colder seasons, and it also doesn’t catch on to dirt and grime as easily.
3. Backyard Additions
If you have a backyard, then you have an open space of opportunity! You can turn your backyard into a fun camping, picnic or hangout spot for you and your family by extending your porch using timber. You could also add in a new gazebo and canopy where the kids can play, or the adults can relax on a Sunday afternoon. Timber is the ideal material to create such additions.
4. Redoing the Stairs
If you have stairs running through your home, redoing them isn’t a bad idea at all! Timber is a reliable and strong material that can make your staircase look better and also fortify its strength in the process. Wooden stairs surely have a classy allure to them, and if you’re opting for the timber flooring, then the timber staircase will perfectly complement the entire look.
5. Closets And Cabinets
You have cabinets in most parts of the house, including your kitchen, bathroom, storage rooms, and even your personal bedroom. So, why not use timber to transform your cabinets and cupboards and make them look more appealing? You can either go for timber lamination or completely redo the cabinets using timber, based on your renovation plan (and also your budget). Timber closets have a great lifespan and are quite firm and durable too.
6. Ceilings And Lighting
If you want to “light up” your home with serial and LED lights, which are great for gatherings and special occasions, then you’re also going to need additional ceiling space for it. The perfect option would be to opt for a false ceiling. Using timber for this ceiling is ideal because of how versatile and sturdy the material is. You can add lights, and even a sound system if you’re doing up your gym or studio at home. Since timber has such great soundproofing abilities, the acoustics of your music set up will be even more enhanced.
7. Room Extensions
Another great idea is creating room extensions, hence creating space utility and making the most of your room(s). Extensions could mean expanding your kitchen and making it more spacious, or maybe even shifting from the original blueprint of your home and adding an extra room like a study room, storage space or additional okay area for your child. You can check out Hamill Creek timber frame home plans to get a better idea of how these elements would fit into your available space, and make your home feel and look classy!
Let’s also list out some important reasons why timber is a great material to choose for renovation:
- It’s a versatile material and quite easy to work with
- If maintained the right way, timber framing can last for a very long time.
- The carbon footprint of timber is negligible, and so is the residue or debris left behind.
- For insulation during colder seasons, timber can be the perfect addition to your home.
- Contrary to popular belief, timber isn’t a very expensive material either.
These are of course some of the more viable options you can choose from when you renovate with timber. Depending on how far you can stretch your budget, you can do a lot more additional changes using timber frames. Considering how easy it is to use timber to make structures, this project won’t be a very time consuming one either. Timber has a very warm and inviting feeling to it when you add it to the look of any home. In fact, many people today prefer to use timber frame construction while building their home since it’s one of the sturdiest options available. There are tons of timber frame home plans that suit a variety of factors like space, size, budget, flexibility of design, and so on.
Final Thoughts
We hope our suggestions on using timber to renovate your home have helped! Remember to consult with your contractor to get a better idea of how feasible timber will be for you. Also, don’t forget to ask about timber maintenance tips! As long as you maintain timber the right way, it can have years of extended shelf life with little to no expenses for repairs and replacements.
Happy renovating!
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