5 Tips to Help You Renovate Your Home

You’re planning your next home remodeling project because you want your home to feel more comfortable and more like you. Our homes are extensions of our personalities, and they should reflect that. If you’re still in the planning stages and have no idea how to renovate your kitchen or hire a contractor, this quick guide can help fix that.

1. Have a realistic budget.

Having a budget in mind is a great way to make sure your renovations don’t dent your household’s monthly or yearly living budget. It’ll also help you keep your costs in check as you figure out what renovations are a priority and the ones that can wait a couple of months. Having an actual understanding of how much your remodeling will cost in materials and labor can also help you manage your expectations accordingly. Understanding this, have a professional contractor look over your budget before you start getting rid of your kitchen backsplash.

2. Hire the best team.

As you renovate your home, another key area of concern should be the quality of your HVAC system. If not well maintained or regularly serviced, your HVAC system can affect the indoor air quality in your home and result in air pollution within your home.

Poor air circulation can trigger preexisting health issues such as allergies, migraines, and headaches, all of which can make it hard for you and the people in your home to breathe. To avoid all this, include air duct cleaning in your home renovation plans because, besides making your home feel more comfortable, clean air ducts also improve your health.

As you shop around for HVAC contractors, get at least three bids from different contractors, to get a clearer image of how different companies compare against each other. Besides being a great way to compare costs, this will also give you some insight into the quality of the work.

Another thing to look out for is the prospective contractor’s work ethic. For instance, are your scheduled meeting times and appointments honored? How satisfied are you with their response rate? Although they may seem like small issues, negligence in these small issues may not speak well for their quality of work.

To avoid any surprises, hire a professional HVAC company that has a National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) certification. They should also be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau and have favorable client reviews. If you have any friends or acquaintances who’ve recently completed a similar home renovation project, their recommendations could also be insightful.

If you’re a homeowner in Florida, you know how important it is to have a working air conditioning system. As an NADCA-certified company, Direct AC is your best bet for a clean air duct all year round. With over 20 years of experience in servicing AC’s in the Miami area, visit their website to make an appointment for a free HVAC repair estimate today.

3. Prioritize your family’s health and safety.

If your family will be staying home during the renovations, the indoor air quality is likely going to be degraded due to the ongoing repairs. This is especially harmful to any allergy sufferers in your home. The continuous release of airborne particles and other irritants through constant sanding, paint fumes, mold, and other microns can penetrate deep into your lungs, making it difficult for the immunocompromised, and asthmatics, in your home to breathe.

Furthermore, your home will also be exposed to toxic odors known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs come from new furniture, paint, and primers and can also affect the air quality in your home. To improve the indoor air quality in your home, we recommend the Vremi air purifier for the large rooms in your home.

Hailed as the best air purifier on Amazon, Vremi’s 3-stage filtration system is its best feature. The first filter gets rid of the larger airborne particles, making it easier for the second filter, the true HEPA filter, to have longer wear. The third filter, the activated carbon filter, is great for odor reduction.

4. Find the right appliances for your remodeled spaces.

If you’re in the final stages of a backyard kitchen remodel, for instance, you may need new appliances to supply the new kitchen. Depending on your budget, you can start small and then work your way to larger kitchen appliances. Start by stocking up on sharper chef-grade knives or an energy star certified dishwasher and refrigerator.

As your backyard kitchen comes into its own, also consider laying out some furniture for the outdoor space. Bar stools, a patio dining set, and a day bed are just some of the furniture you could start with and then later build around. If you’re looking to elevate your outdoor space, a smokeless fire pit should be something you consider. Popular brands like the Solo Stove Yukon, Blue Sky, and Breeo are some of the best smokeless fire pit brands in the market today.

However, with so much innovation and accessories to choose from, how do you find your perfect fit? If you’re interested in making your fire pit your backyard’s centerpiece, we recommend the Breeo brand. However, if you’re looking to experiment with open fire cooking for your next dinner party, we recommend the X Series. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an easy-to-use but cozy fire pit, the Solo Stove Yukon is your best bet.

Regardless of the brand you settle for, one thing’s for sure; a backyard fire pit is a great addition to any outdoor space. Besides slips and falls, most common injuries in kitchens are caused by burns, so be extra careful as you handle your new grill, fire pit, or sear plate.

5. Use light to create illusions.

If you’re renovating a small room and want to make it seem bigger than it is, use mirrors. This hack works because mirrors reflect all forms of light, natural and artificial. As a result of this, they make even the smallest rooms appear brighter and bigger, at all times of the day.

Once the renovations are complete, your new home should look and feel exactly as you’d imagined it. That being said, the only way your new home can feel right for you is if you have a goal in mind for it, so don’t be afraid to first visualize and then apply these tips.