Simple Renovations To Make An Unfinished Basement Look Awesome

The post Simple Renovations To Make An Unfinished Basement Look Awesome is republished from: Caliber West Renovations

Unfinished basements usually have excessive moisture, concrete floors and ceiling pipes which make them an uncomfortable environment. However, you can make that cold and uncomfortable basement more comfortable with simple renovations that cost less than a full basement remodel.

Here are six ways to renovate your unfinished basement:

Stop the moisture

This is the most common problem in most basements. You should remedy the problem before you start anything else because this moisture could initiate the growth of molds, mildews and odours which could be a health hazard. You can reduce the humidity in your basement by using a dehumidifier. All you need to do is buy the equipment and let it dry the room for some time to remove all the moisture.

However, if you have more serious moisture problems e.g. leaks or puddles, you need to install a waterproofing strategy in your basement which could cost between $200 and $500 if your basement does not require any further changes. If the basement needs to be repaired, you could end up spending $2,000 or more to remedy the moisture problem.

Add some area rugs

After you have made your basement waterproof, you need some rugs to keep the concrete floor warm and dry. If you have unused rugs in your living room, you can use them in your basement. Alternatively, you can spend some money to buy a few rugs if you don’t have extras in your living room.

Get some pillows

Depending on the type of rugs you’ve bought, you can get a bunch of throw pillows to make your basement look great. You can even get a second string sofa and cover it with cushions to make it cozier. In fact, since you’ve got a lot of space on your basement, you can get a bigger sofa to get cozy.

Add tasteful lighting

There is a broad range of lamps, string lights or even floor lamps which you can install in your basement to make it awesome. You don’t need to have just naked bulbs hanging from the ceiling to light up the place. If you do a little research, there are many options of tasteful lighting you can have in your basement e.g. an IKEA lamp which costs about $20.

Hide unsightly spots

You can use a room divider to separate different areas of your basement. This makes it easy to hide incomplete sections of your basement. Alternatively, you can use bookshelves, wine crates or even window frames as a cheap and widely available alternative to divide the room. You need to make the basement beautiful; hence, you have to hide all the ugly portions of your basement.

Paint the ceiling

You can use a dark colour to paint your ceiling to avoid seeing the joints, pipes and air ducts which may be on your ceiling. In fact, painting is less expensive than covering your basement ceiling with drywall, which could cost around $4,000 or more.

However, it is highly recommended you hire a professional to do the painting. This is because it is very labour intensive, as most of the painting is done by hands. Also, you need to consider electrical lines or heating pipes while painting and if you are not experienced or skilled, it is advisable to hire a professional.

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Canadian Renovation Boom: Why People Are Renovating Their Homes.

The following article Canadian Renovation Boom: Why People Are Renovating Their Homes. was originally seen on: Caliber West Bathroom Renovations LLC

Many homeowners affected by the housing bubble in Canada have decided to renovate their homes instead of buying a new one. This has led to enormous growth in the home reno industry. However, CIBC has conducted a new survey which suggests that most Canadians are improving their homes through landscaping and other outdoor renovations which do not add much value to their homes. The study shows that most Canadians do not move because they cannot afford to upgrade to a larger home.

The shift of renovations from indoors to outdoors is also an indication that many people in Canada have spent a lot of money renovating their living spaces and have not turned their attention outside. Most homeowners focus on renovating the interior of their houses because they need to increase the value of the house and improve their living conditions. When they renovate exterior structures e.g. the roof and the walls, they start renovating their landscape to make their homes attractive. According to the Altus Group, Canadians spent about $70.1 billion on renovations, and the cost could rise over the years.

According to a survey conducted by Angus Reid between May 19 and 25, 2016, about 2,129 people (54% of the respondents) online were asking about renovations plans. Most of these people were looking for basic maintenance projects. When the same survey was conducted back in 2015, the total respondents were about 55% which was a higher figure. Landscaping had about 42% respondents in 2016 unlike 25% in 2015. It is therefore evident that most people are jumping into landscaping after they are done renovating their house's interior. Landscaping, patio and deck renovations are very common, and it is an indication that most homeowners have turned their attention outside.

A CIBC survey backs the Angus Reid survey. CIBC reported that an average renovation project in 2016 costs about $13,017 while in 2015 it costed about $12,293. This is an indication that demand has increased, making the renovation cost to rise. The survey further reported that only 33% of the respondents were renovating their bathrooms in 2016 unlike in 2015 where 40% of the interviewees were renovating their bathrooms. This further shows that most people have already renovated their bathrooms, kitchens, ceiling, floor and walls in their homes. Since most of the people renovating their homes today are not doing it as an investment, their renovations are therefore focused on making their lives better rather than overall return. The current renovation market is mainly driven by housing prices.

Ideally, there are very few detached homes for sale in Toronto, and this has increased the demand and the price of buying a home in Canada. If you cannot afford these homes, the only option is to renovate the one you live in. For instance, in Alberta, the renovation cost of an average project has risen from $13,520 in 2015 to $22,951 in 2016 making it have the highest cost of renovating a home.

However, in British Columbia, an average renovation project had dropped to $15,522 in 2016 right from $16,639. This shows that location may determine how much you pay for a renovation. This could be due to the availability of materials, homes and living standards. In Alberta, there are very few detached homes for sale, and hence, most people will have to renovate the ones they own. This translates to a rise in renovation costs in such areas.

Real estate boards in both Toronto and Vancouver have cited that there are very few homes on the market. In fact, in May 2016, the prices of detached homes in Metro Vancouver rose with about 36.9% costing $1,523,800 when compared to 2015. On the other hand, in Greater Toronto area, home prices rose by about 18.9% to cost $986,691 during the same period. When demand increases and there is a limited supply, the prices of commodities increases.

With the current house market, most people are not selling their homes because of the risk and uncertainty involved in buying a new one. Hence, most homeowners are worried about selling their homes, pay land transfer tax, pay commission and incur the cost of moving to another home which may not be better than the one they own. A renovation is the better option to most people, and hence market prices of houses continue to rise.

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Make Your Home More Appealing to Young Buyers

By preparing now, you may sell your home faster and at your asking price

By Daniel Bortz from Consumer Reports

Millennials are powering the housing market. For the third year in a row, Generation Y (age 18 to 35) comprised the largest group of homebuyers, making up 35 percent of all buyers, according to a March report by the National Association of Realtors.

Partly for this reason, homebuilders are increasingly including the attributes that the millennial generation covets when designing new homes, according to a joint survey by the National Association of Home Builders and Better Homes and Gardens.

But what if you’re trying to sell your home—one that may have been around for decades? You may find that figuring out what millennials want can be pretty difficult. “They’re picky,” says Peggy Yee, a supervising broker at Frankly Realtors in Vienna, Va. “Millennials have specific needs, and if your home doesn’t meet them, they’re going to move on to the next house.” 

If you’re considering putting your home on the market, you may want to think about doing some renovation work so that your home has greater appeal to younger homebuyers. That way, you may be able to sell your home more quickly and at the price that you want.

Create a Separate Laundry Room

According to the survey from the National Association of Homebuilders, a separate laundry room topped millennials’ wish lists. In fact, 55 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t buy a new home if the laundry wasn’t separate. Since this can be a deal breaker for younger homebuyers, consider converting a small existing room into a laundry room or even building one. Consumer Reports, found that manufacturers are making washer/dryer sets with a matching fit and finish that can integrate into living space—so you could consider having the laundry machines on the second floor. We like the Maytag Bravos ­MVWB855DWHE top-loader and Maytag Bravos ­MEDB855DW electric dryer, $1,050 each.

Buy New Kitchen Appliances

You don’t have to do a major kitchen remodel to sell your home for more—but if your refrigerator, oven, stove, and dishwasher are old, replace them. What should you buy? Consumer Reports rates the best appliances for your kitchen, but one novel idea is to look for new versions of black stainless steel that come from KitchenAid, LG, and Samsung.

Make Your Home Energy Efficient

If your home is energy efficient, you’ll likely sell your home for more. Millennials say they’re willing to pay up to 3 percent more if they think a home’s energy efficiency upgrades will help cut utility costs, according to the NAHB’s survey. But you don’t have to shell out thousands for solar paneling. You can do this inexpensively by adding or improving attic insulation, insulating ductwork, and plugging air leaks around doors and windows with weatherstripping and caulk.

Make Your Home Smart

More than two-thirds of millennials think “smart home” technology is a good investment, the NAHB survey found. But keep in mind that high-tech features can quickly become poor investments because technologies evolve quickly.

While the Nest Thermostat ($250), a heating and cooling control system is popular, Consumer Reports found that the Honeywell RTH9590WF, $300, proved easier to use. Both models can be controlled from a smartphone or computer. You could also consider buying an Amazon Echo ($180), a hands-free speaker system (with a Siri-like virtual assistant) that you can use to play music, make restaurant reservations, and get weather reports—all without having to get up from the couch. These two items, alone, will make your home seem “smart.”

Keyless entry is another attractive home feature for tech savvy millennials, says Yee; August Smart Lock ($200), for example, lets homeowners control door locks via a smartphone app.

Turn a Room Into a Home Office

More employers are allowing workers to telecommute—a shift that’s largely driven by millennials. According to a recent survey from Flexjobs, a job search site, about 85 percent of younger buyers say they want to work remotely full time. Create a home office that appeals to that desire and offers homeowners a nice tax break. It’s also relatively inexpensive to convert a room into an office; a basic desk, office chair, and door should do the trick.

Build a Low-Maintenance Deck

Many millennials don’t want to spend their weekends doing home repairs or maintaining a garden. But they do want to be outside. To sell your home more quickly, Consumer Reports recommends adding a deck or patio, with room for seating and a built-in or freestanding grill. Similarly, since landscaping requires upkeep forgo planting seasonal flowers in favor of perennials, which last for more than two years; peony plants, for example, can survive for decades with minimal care.