Remodelling your house on your own allows you to save money, get the work done on your schedule, and create exactly the home that you want for your family. While DIY remodelling is popular in any number of rooms in the home, kitchen renovations and bathroom renovations are the two most common, and generally offer the most return on your investment. What should you know before jumping into these projects, though?
Kitchen Renovations – Tips to Help Save You Money
If you’ll be renovating your kitchen, chances are good that you’ll be replacing your cabinets. Going it alone here can be quite daunting. If you do not work with a professional for this, make sure you remove all drawer and cabinet door fronts to make the load lighter. It also helps make installation easier, and you won’t damage them in the process.
Make sure you actually unscrew the old cabinets from the wall. Smashing them down can be stress relieving, but it also damages the cabinets, meaning they cannot be reused. There’s also the chance that you’re going to smash a hole in the wall or cause other unintentional damage.
If you’re replacing your oven, stovetop, dishwasher and refrigerator, shop during the fall. This is when you’ll find the most discounts as retailers try to get the previous year’s inventory out before the new inventory arrives. You may also be able to save money by purchasing all your appliances from a single store that offers bundle pricing.
Don’t forget your lighting – forgo the horrid fluorescents and opt for undercabinet lighting, recessed can lighting, track lighting and other options that combine beauty with utility. If possible, connect the style of your light fixtures with the style of your kitchen itself.
Bathroom Renovations – Tricks to Save Hassle
When it comes to stunning small bathroom renovations, you need to pay attention to a lot of things in order to avoid hassles and holdups. One of the most important steps is to determine where you’ll place things like robe hooks, towel rods, medicine cabinets, and toilet paper holders before you make any renovations.
If you’ll be investing in an upgraded custom tile shower, then make sure not to forget about making room for the things you’ll need while bathing. Too many homeowners complete their DIY bathroom renovations only to find that they neglected to build a shelf for their body wash, shampoo and conditioner. Nothing ruins the look of a tile shower faster than installing a plastic shelf to hold your toiletries.
If you’ll be upgrading your vanity and sink, then spend some time shopping around to find the ideal option. This is particularly important when it comes to sinks. A pedestal sink might be elegant and beautiful, but does it offer enough space for your use needs? Would a vessel sink be better? What about a vanity with a built-in sink (traditional)?
Finally, make sure you pay attention to your counter materials. Natural stone like granite is all the rage, but it requires significant care and maintenance. Resin-based counters offer beautiful good looks, but don’t need any sort of care other than regular cleaning. Laminate counters can quite affordable, but they don’t offer the same sort of visual appeal as natural stone or even resin-based counters.
While these are not the only tips you’ll need, they do provide a good foundation for both kitchen renovations and bathroom renovations. We invite you to learn more about how we at Ecocabinets can help your project come together, from custom cabinetry to a professional helping hand.