Category: Home Improvement

HOW WE’RE LIVING WITHOUT A KITCHEN DURING THE REMODEL – A TOUR OF OUR TEMPORARY COOKING SPACE

We’ve been without a kitchen for over a month during our renovation. The room is totally gutted so needless to say, we’re without a sink, cooktop, oven, organized pantry, and open counter space. And we’ll be without for many many more moons so we’ve set up a functioning temporary kitchen to prevent starvation.

I keep getting asked, “where are you cooking?” And lately, I’m being questioned, “how are you eating during the coronavirus quarantine and without a kitchen?!” Well, don’t worry. 1. Food is my favorite thing, so I always make it a priority. And 2. I’m a planner, so I set us up for culinary success.

The future kitchen is going to be on the other side of the lovely plastic wall and our temporary kitchen is in the nearby dining room. We set up a space to operate as close to a normal kitchen as possible. It’s not perfect, but it works. To back up, before demolishing the kitchen, actually months before that, I started prepping for the day we’d be cooking in the dining room. I wrote all about it in this blog post where I break down my strategies for making this process easier. Pop over there to catch up on what I did.

The main part of our “kitchen” is the appliance zone. We have the toaster oven, microwave, kettle, and blender, then added to the mix just for this temporary kitchenette, an electric cooktop. We thought about setting up our old stove in the backyard during construction because it would provide the maximum cooking and baking productivity. Ultimately though, we went the electric cooktop route because we could cook inside without traipsing through the whole house to get the the outdoor oven. I found this induction one used on Craigslist and it does the job, but this particular model isn’t so great. But the concept is perfect and could be so handy in other applications, too, so here’s a well-reviewed one if you’re keen on it. We pared down our cooking items and only are using the tea kettle, my trusty cast iron skillet, and a sauce pan. I’m so glad we packed up the all of the other pots and pans – we aren’t using them and don’t miss them.

Not long ago I refreshed the cabinets in the built-in buffet and the storage is coming in very handy. We store all of our bowls, plates, mugs, cups, and glassware in here, now. We don’t use paper plates or disposable dinnerware normally, so we certainly didn’t want to use them now. Having all of our normal dishes easily accessible makes for easy use of the reusables and maintains a bit of normalcy

EASY STEPS TO REMODEL YOUR KITCHEN

Your kitchen is the heart of your home. It’s the place where you feed your family and care for their well-being. Unfortunately, our kitchens aren’t always designed with us in mind. Instead, many of us are left with a kitchen that is both impractical and awkward. You should love the kitchen you spend so much time in. If you don’t, it’s time for a remodel!

Make a Plan

Sit down and really think about how you use your kitchen. What would you change to make it more functional? Do you need more storage space? How about a breakfast bar so the kids can do their homework while you make dinner?  Also, take into consideration how it will look with your changes.  The goal should be to eliminate as many steps as possible while you are cooking. During this step, you should look at the current design of your kitchen and determine how much change is needed.

Discover your Options

After you determine your design, spend some time looking into the different cabinet styles, countertops, and appliances that will make your dream a reality. During this step, you will need to develop your budget and get an idea as to how much the entire project will cost. Create a priority list. What do you absolutely have to have and what are you willing to compromise in order to meet your budget. 

Find a Contractor

When you are ready to finally start your project, you should hire a contractor. With the help of a contractor, you will have a better chance at staying on your budget and on a timetable. There are also building codes and regulations that must be followed, which is difficult to understand on your own. Be sure that the contractor you hire is one that you can trust and feel comfortable with.  These are the people that will be in your house every single day so do your homework and research them!  Don’t be afraid to ask for references. These references should be past clients that they have worked for.  You are putting your home in their hands.  You can’t afford to make a bad decision on who you trust!

Finalize a Design

Once your contractor has been selected, you will be able to sit down and finalize everything you have been developing. Make sure you are honest about your needs as well as what you want your new kitchen to look like. This will help your contractor ensure that he designing the space correctly and that he is allowing an adequate amount of money for material allowances.  The closer he can get you to a realistic budget amount during this step the better! By the time you are finished with this step you should be able to see your kitchen’s final design.  At this point, you need to be sure the design is exactly what you were expecting.

Beautifying Kitchens

provided expert design assistance and a huge selection of quality kitchen cabinets at factory-direct pricing to help you update your kitchen affordably. Whether you love traditional cabinets or want the latest kitchen cabinet styles, we can help you find exactly what you want and save you a significant amount of money on new construction or kitchen remodeling.

Experienced Designers to Assist You

Start by measuring your kitchen and making a rough sketch to give us an idea of the layout. Next, make an appointment to meet one of our talented kitchen designers, many who have been designing

Finalizing Your Dream Kitchen

Before placing the order for your custom kitchen cabinets, your designer will come to your home and check measurements to ensure that your new kitchen will fit perfectly in your space. Your designer will be happy to work with you, answer your questions, and offer further advice and suggestions to help you plan the kitchen of your dreams. We can also assist with the entire installation from start to finish!

Steps That Will Make Your Kitchen Remodel Easy

If you are planning on renovating your kitchen, you’ve probably already realised what a huge undertaking it is. A significant amount of decision making needs to go in to the process, and as your kitchen is often the epicentre of your home with friends and family gathering at times throughout the day, it’s important to get it right.

While you want your kitchen to look good aesthetically, you need to make sure that it is versatile and does everything that you want it to do. There is no point renovating your kitchen if you are going to be left frustrated with lack of storage or bench space. If you’re doing the renovation yourself, you need to keep on top of things and ensure that everything goes together correctly, deciding on finishings, appliances and storage space.

It is definitely not a project that should be rushed into. You should take a couple of months to really understand what it is that you want and need out of a new kitchen, and pull together ideas for layout, style and appliance placement. With some planning and thought about what it is exactly that you need, you will be able to create the kitchen of your dreams

The first step in planning your new kitchen is getting yourself a notebook. This notebook is going to be where you put all your ideas and notes down about your dream kitchen so that you can easily refer to it when you need and will ultimately become your wish list.

It’s a good idea to keep this notebook in your kitchen so you can jot down anything that may come to mind while you are in there. Make notes about any problems that come up such as being unable to reach things, cupboards not opening the right way or anything that makes your cooking time difficult.

Guide To Kitchen Renovation Marketing

If you are marketing for your kitchen renovation business it is probably not so convenient for you to get more clients every month without paying thousands of dollars for advertising. If you are interested in learning how you can get more traffic on too your website which will then convert into more clients every month for your business please continue reading.

Search engine optimization is essential because:

Google AdWords only get’s about 30% of the clicks in the organic search engine

53% of organic search clicks go directly to the #1 ranked website

organic search gets 85% of the clicks compared to paid ads that only get 15%.

The majority of search engines users are more likely to click on one of the top 5 suggestions in the results pages (SERPS), so to take advantage of this and gain visitors to your website or customers to the online store you need to in the top positions.

SEO is not only about search engines but good SEO practices improve the user experience and usability of a website.

Users trust search engines and having a presence in the top positions for the keywords the user is searching, increases the web site’s trust.

SEO is good for the social promotion of your website. People who find your web site by searching Google, Yahoo or Bing are more likely to promote it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or other social media channels.

SEO is important for the smooth running of a big website. Websites with more than one author can benefit from SEO in a direct and indirect way.

SEO can put you ahead of the competition. If two websites are selling the same thing, the search engine optimized a website is more likely to have more customers and make more sales.

Google my business

In order for your kitchen renovation company to be in the 3 pack that you see when searching for a business locally, you need to be consistent everywhere on the internet. This means that your NAP (name, address and phone number) need to be the same on all your listings. The number of reviews is not really important to be put on the 3 pack because you may see people with only 13 reviews on the 3 pack.

Why do I need to list my kitchen renovation business everywhere?

All the clicks go to the maps

Every phone call is completely free

Your clients will love it

Bathroom Renovations: Your Guide to the Ultimate Bathroom

A new bathroom project can be a daunting one. It’s a big job, to live in a home that has a room resembling a building site while you’re having the professionals come in and complete your bathroom renovations. The bathroom used to consist of an outhouse in the garden – a glorified shed – and a tin bath in front of the fire. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then and the bathroom is now a valued room in the home; and not just by the people living in it. The value of your home can go up massively if you have a new bathroom or two installed, removing old fixtures and fittings and going for a more modern look.

In terms of resale value, the bathroom is one of the most important rooms to consider. Everyone loves a new kitchen, but the bathroom is the place to relax and find your peace. It’s where you head for a long, hot bubble bath and it’s the place you can pamper yourself outside of a spa. We do what we can to make the most of the downtime that we get – life is busy, and downtime is a necessity, it’s just scarce. People around the world are investing in their bathroom renovations with relaxation in the forefront of their minds and house value in the back of it. It’s not just the family bathroom that gets changed, either. So many people are loving the luxury hotel feel by installing ensuite bathrooms into their homes as an added extravagance

Careful planning is key to the success of your bathroom renovation project. It doesn’t matter the size of your bathroom, you can always create a more stylish or functional one

This is just one of many examples that prove that the creativity of the building and design team knows no bounds. Bathrooms don’t have to be huge to get a great result.

The real question here is – have you had enough of your old bathroom and are you ready to get started to create YOUR perfect bathroom? If the answer is yes then there are some things that you need to consider. A bathroom renovation goes through several key steps that need to be done right the first time, or things can get very expensive quickly!

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BEGINNING A BATHROOM REMODEL

Back in the fall, I was invited to Delta Faucet Headquarters to take part in a blogger trip and to compete in a design competition. I had no intentions of ever winning said design competition. My husband and I had been toying with the idea of putting the house on the market this spring and a bathroom remodel was just not part of our immediate plan. But low and behold, my design was picked by the judges as the winner and I WON! What in the what?!? It was such an honor, but I could not have been more shocked. I immediately began to panic as to how I was going to pull this all off in a short time frame. It’s one thing to create a dream bathroom on a poster board and quite another to create one in real life!

I was given some cash towards the remodel and told to try and make it all happen within the next six weeks–which by the way happened to include Thanksgiving and Christmas. I learned a bunch of valuable lessons during our bath remodel that are worth passing along!

IT IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO GO OVER BUDGET.

I know this is a bit of an “uh…duh” tip, but it’s an important one to include! Although I won funds towards a bathroom remodel, the money I was granted was initially nowhere near enough to implement my luxury bath design. I knew Delta chose my design because they wanted to see the plan come to life. I wanted to stay true to the design plan, but I also didn’t want to go over budget. I had to make some difficult decisions on things to cut. Know going into your remodel that you will need to stay fluid in your design plan and make changes as glitches and expenses arise. Be sure to allow a buffer in your budget for the unexpected because the one thing you can count on in any remodel is the unexpected glitch!

Not all general contractors are the same. I received three quotes on my bathroom from three different general contractors, and I could predict before any of them stepped foot in my home whose quote would come in the highest. If your contractor has a staff, on-site designers, a beautiful office, etc., you can expect to pay significantly more. One contractor’s quote literally came in at THREE times the amount of another quote. In the most expensive scenario, I would be doing very little work, subcontractors would be hired for their expertise in installing each element, and most everything would be handled for me. This contractor would have sourced and delivered all materials and managed the entire project from start to finish, and I’m sure it would have been amazing and relatively stress free! However, I knew it was just not what I could afford. In the end, I didn’t just choose the most affordable contractor, I chose the one I thought I could work well with which brings me to my next point!

CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR YOU TRUST AND CAN WORK WITH.

Let’s get raw and real for a moment. Remodeling a room in your house can really suck. It’s messy, invasive, time consuming, stressful, noisy, expensive, and inconvenient. Depending on the size of the job, you will have people in your home for over a month. I was amazed at how our small master bath took over the entire house! This is a picture of my roof deck. I had bathroom junk on all three levels of my home and at times it felt like it was taking over our lives. Going the less expensive route and DIY’ing some of the work will most likely mean more mess. Sourcing all of the items yourself–which involves finding the products in store or online, ordering everything online or in store and making sure it all gets delivered to your home in time to install, storing everything somewhere in the house until the materials are needed, and running to the store to buy more if you underestimated–can turn into a full-time job

THE ULTIMATE BATHROOM RENOVATION CHECKLIST

Renovating seems like a good idea and remodelling is really something to get excited about, especially if you are considering renovating your bathroom.

But please, wait, stop right there. Before you start anything, do you really understand what you’re getting yourself into? Have you thought about not just your design and budget, but also unexpected expenses, permits, access, waterproofing, trades you need to involve … have you really thought about your project?

If your answer is “no, not really”, don’t worry, you’re not alone, that’s why we wanted to share this list with you. Here is the ultimate guide to bathroom renovating. All the points you need to consider before renovation in one nice long list.

PERMITS AND TESTING

Building permit

Electrical permit

Plumbing permit

Depending on the age of your home, asbestos testing

DEMOLITION

How will you remove demolition rubbish? Will you need to hire a skip? Do you have space to put a skip?

Rubbish disposal fees

UNEXPECTED EXPENSES

Wood rot

Mould

Old plumbing

Bad wiring

Bug infestations

Anything that’s not to code that will need to be amended

Floor falls and incorrect subflooring

FRAMING AND PREP

Wood for framing

Insulation

Vapor barriers

Energy efficiency sealants

Window(s), if required

Door, if required

Drywall

Waterproofing walls and floors

planning a bathroom remodel? consider the layout first

I’ve done a lot of bathroom remodeling design over the past several years. And one of the first elements of each project I consider is the layout. If you have the budget to move things around, and your fixtures aren’t in the most advantageous positions, it’s always a good idea to — at the very least — explore the options the layout presents you.

THE BEST BATHROOM LAYOUT HAS A BEAUTIFUL VISTA

Many times, in bathrooms in higher-end homes that have been designed by architects and designers, moving things around isn’t all that necessary. These spaces have been architecturally laid out in a very specific way to bring drama and luxury to the space.

However, in a house that’s not quite so expensive, usually some improvements can be made. In these homes, there are large, cultured marble tub surrounds, not-so-attractive vistas, and everything is usually lined up around the room with a big open space in the middle.

THE VIEW INTO THE BATHROOM

It’s one of the most important things I look at when laying out a bathroom. It’s what you see first when you walk in. To get that spa-like, peaceful, “ahh…” moment when you walk into your bathroom, you need a beautiful sight to see.

That line of sight, or vista, is key when trying to set the tone and ambience of the room. After all, if my clients are going to go to all the expense and trouble to remodel a master bath then they sure better feel that “ahh…” sensation when they walk in during the project’s final, grand reveal.

Things to Consider Before Bathroom Remodeling

Not a morning goes by where you don’t spend time in your bathroom. Getting ready in the bathroom of your dreams can help you start off every morning with a smile. No matter the reason you wish to remodel your bathroom, is here to help. Consider these four considerations before beginning your dream bathroom renovation to ensure you’re covering all the bases

Budget

Like any project, the first thing to consider is the total budget you wish to spend. Budget creation can range anywhere from a detailed outline, specifying allotted amounts for each aspect of the remodel, or a simple maximum spending price. Creating a budget will not only keep you from spending more than you planned, but it can also keep you organized. The starting point for your budget should always include the most important, big-ticket items you plan to incorporate into your bathroom remodel.

Functionality

Although design and aesthetics will be a huge part of creating your dream bathroom, functionality still takes first place for importance. If you’re planning on a complete remodel and anticipate moving around your plumbing fixtures, it’s imperative that your water is still able to flow and drain properly. You’ll also want to consider the amount of storage space you wish to have. Linen closets and vanity doors have been popular for years – but, as of recently, drawers have become the more functional storage choice.

Design

Once you’ve finished the logistics and functionality design, the visual design begins. However, don’t completely close the door on functionality while you’re choosing design aspects – or you might choose something that looks pretty but doesn’t work as intended. When choosing shower tiles, consider their texture for slip resistance and shape for their ability to create a slope when placed on your shower floor. When choosing lighting and fixtures, consider the size of your bathroom and whether or not you will need a separate light above the mirror and the shower.