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RESTORATION

Restoring a structure, to put it simply, is to repair and keep the original form of the structure, design and even materials.  Restorations are best when you want to keep the original structure intact and are often necessary when dealing with heritage listed properites.  Restoration home improvement projects occur typically because of damages from aging materials or new buyers wanting to retun a house to it's original condition.  Antique structures benefit from restoration projects best.

Some basic restoration projects include:

• Exterior Cladding Repair
• Flooring Resurfacing
• Painted Surfaces
• Woodworking
• Antique Hardware

Budgets

A restoration can be the most cost effective method to fix repairs, where the original material is easy to source and easy to replace.  However, in the case of antique materials, spending the time and money sourcing items to match the original décor and design elements can be both time consuming and expensive. 

Advantages

Certain home improvement projects like refinishing fine woods or resurfacing cabinetry benefit from restoration. A few advantages of restoration include:

• Money Saving Home Improvement
• Design and Décor Themes are Maintained
• Some Restorations are Completed Quickly

Disadvantages

Renovations also have their disadvantages as well.  Problems can occur before, during and after the renovation. Here are a few disadvantages to be aware of when you’re deciding whether to renovate or restore:

• Hidden Damage May be Uncovered
• Maintenance Issues can Cause Further Expense
• New Materials Might be Best for the Overall Design
• Old Material may be impossible to find or very expensive

RENOVATION 

To renovate any area in the home requires removal and disposal of the previous material, followed by the replacement of said material with a new material.  Depending on whether house is being increased demolition and excavation may be needed.  Renovations are usually undertaken to update areas within the open, to create an open plan living space and/or to increase the size of the existing house.  A few renovation home improvement projects include:

• Roofing Renewal
• Bedroom Extension
• Window Replacement
• Bathroom Makeover
• New Kitchen

Budgets

Renovations are typically on the higher end of the budget scale when compared to restoration costs. But sometimes when restoration may seem to be the cheapest alternative, overall costs through constant restoration of an inferior material or design can outweigh the costs of the initial renovation. Always factor in lifetime maintenance costs when deciding whether renovation or restoration is more budget friendly to your home improvement project.  Also, take into account the added value to your home, as a renovated home could increase more in value than a restored home due to a large in increase in living space.

Advantages

Renovation advantages are many and varied. Here are a few examples to help you decide whether renovation or restoration is right for your home improvement project:

• Restoration is not Possible
• New and Improved Materials and Design are available
• Current Building Codes can to be adhered to
• Extra Space is Required

Disadvantages

There are also disadvantages to renovation when compared to restoration projects.  Use these examples to help you understand both sides of renovation:

• Costs are Often Higher
• Renovation can take longer as Council Approvals are needed
• Ambiance and Antiquities could be Lost Forever
• Renovations may be prohitbited in Heritage areas 

What do you do when you want the perfect home renovation but you lack the funds?

It can be tough to make the decision between what you can afford and what you need—let alone what you want to get out of your renovation project. That’s why it’s so important to set a budget, create a cost breakdown list and stick to the initial plan when hiring a building contractor.

Use this guide to help you get the most out of your budget renovation project.    

Setting a Budget Number    

The bottom line of any budget renovation project is money. By setting the amount of money you are willing (and able) to spend upfront — and sticking to that figure throughout the project—is the best and only way to get the project done for the right amount of money.  

So how much should you spend?  Your return on investment is an important way to determine the amount of money you’re willing to invest. If a renovation project like installing an on-demand water heater costs more than you’d like to spend, consider that it will save money every year, recouping initial costs quickly.  Another way to tell how much money you should spend on your renovation project is by assessing the value of your home and taking into account whether you intend to sell or stay.

Spending somewhere between 20-30% of the value of your home is likley to be a suitable amount of money to allocate for a budget renovation project, and still get a great return on your investment, particuarly if you are intending to stay in that property long term.  However, it also depends on buyer perception, whether the money you spend is spent in such a way, that if put on the market, new buyers would see the extra value and be prepared to pay for it.

If you’re like the rest of us, it's likely that your wants and needs may exceed the amount of money in your budget. A good way to pinpoint costs to help you pick out the needs from the wants is by creating a cost breakdown list. This is a list that helps you to nail down labour and material costs so that you can better plan for your renovation project.   

Some of the considerations you should keep in mind when you’re drawing up a budget:
How much cash you have on hand?
How long will you occupy the home?
How much you can borrow?
How much is the interest rate?
How much can you afford for a monthly payment?  

The Best of the Best    

Work with a quality builder.  It is standard to check about three different contractors portfolios so that you can choose the best fit for you for your renovation.  Ensure that you choose only contractors licenced for the work you need completed and check to make sure all their insurances are current.  You should also speak with past clients and inspect past work, ideally on a similar scale to the work you need completed.

ROI
 
Return on investment or ROI is the best way to get the most bang for your buck on any renovation project. Even if you plan on staying in your home your whole life and never selling, it’s still in your best interest to recoup some of those renovation funds by employing projects that give you the best ROI factor possible.  Here are a few examples of budget renovation projects that give can you the most ROI:

• Bathroom renovations
• Kitchen renovations
• Master bedroom renovations
• Basement and attic renovations
• Curb appeal renovations (cladding, decking, roofing, etc)

Allow a Buffer

The reality of building is that there can often be unexpected costs, particularly if demolition or excavation are involved, or you are adding to an older building that wasn't built well.  To allow for this it's normally recommended to have a contingency sum available (usually around 5-10%) just in case. 

Adding on an extension to your home can be a great way to expand your square footage for a growing family and it can give you the opportunity to build your own personal new master bedroom or parents retreat. 

Whatever your reasons are, building a new extension on your home is a great way to not only gain extra space, but also to add more value to your home.  If you are going to build a new master bedroom, the tips below will help you make the most out of your extra space.    

Getting the Most from your Design    

Before you begin drawing any design drawings, it’s best to create a list of the most important functions, aspects and design ideas that your new extension is going to fulfill.

Important items to consider in bedroom design include: bed orientation, storage and closet space, ensuite requirements, feature furniture and future needs. 

Bed Orientation

Placing your bed in a specific direction helps plan for utilities like electrical outlets, cable television and phone cords. With a good plan where your bed is going to be located, you can instantly place dressers, night tables and other feature furniture easily.  But that’s not the only role bed orientation plays in the early part of bedroom extension design, it also works to help place windows and door openings in your overall design.    

Storage

Bedroom storage is a very important aspect of any good bedroom design. Clothes, shoes and jewellery are just the basics and work perfectly well in any closet. But the other not so everyday items need a storage place as well. It’s a good idea to think about unique storage solutions for you’re out of the way items like photos albums, winter jackets or grandma’s quilt. Here are a few unconventional storage solutions for the bedroom:
Under bed drawers
Built in dressers
Bay window seating
Slide out vertical clothes hangers
 
Closet Space    

The closet is used at least twice a day by most people. And when you’re sharing space with your significant other, then closet space is at a premium. Opt out for a his and her closet space to get the most out of your shared closet space. Duel walk in closets that are connected by a small alcove can help provide a unique feature that pulls double duty as a shoe storage area.    

Ensuites

Adding an ensuite bathroom is a logical step when creating a master bedroom extension. While a bathroom addition might not be suitable for every budget, it should always be considered when installing a new bedroom extension. With the addition of a new bedroom and bathroom extension you should consider these important points first:
Budget costs
Septic tank limits
Fashion versus function
Space constraints  

Feature Furniture
 
Furniture in the bedroom might not be something you would think to design a bedroom around, but in fact, seating, dressers, night stands and other bedroom furniture works hard in the bedroom. Kid’s bedroom furniture includes toys chests, study desks, video game centres and play tables. Designing your new room extension around these items can help you get the most out of your new bedroom.
 
Future Needs    

Your new bedroom might be for your growing family, or your family might already be gone. A new bedroom extension is going to last for years to come. Get the most out of it, even decades from now by planning ahead for future design needs.  Ideas for possible future bedroom conversions include a home office, hobby/craft space or additional guest rooms. 

Your kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house.  From storing food to cooking to eating to cleaning up after dinner—and all three times a day—the kitchen is a well-used place indeed. That’s why it’s so important to get a good idea of what you need and want in your new kitchen before you hire any contractor to do any work. This way, you and your contractor will be on the same page when you start your new kitchen.

Sketch up a Plan    

Even if you can’t draw well, you can still create a basic outline of your kitchen that will help you get a few ideas down on paper.  Start with a basic outline of your kitchen from above. Items to include:

• Cabinets
• Appliances
• Islands
• Doors
• Windows
• Lighting

Once you’re satisfied with the drawing, make a few dozen copies of the picture & use the copies to create new kitchen ideas.   The more ideas you have the better chances you have of getting the most out of your design.  Pick out your three best ideas and present them to your architect and builder to finalise your design brief.

The Kitchen Triangle    

The kitchen triangle is an important part of any kitchen design. The triangle in any kitchen is formed by three points: 

• Refrigerator
• Sink
• Stovetop

The kitchen triangle is the most used area of the kitchen space.  By keeping the triangle points within reach of one another, you can create an efficient cooking space that makes everything from preparing food to cleaning up as easy as possible.    

Appliances
 
One of the best parts about getting your new kitchen is when the new appliances arrive. However, before you take a trip to the local appliance store; consider this.  When many homeowners pick out appliances, they often impulse buy their favourite colour or style.  Things to look for when buying appliances: 

• Work Capacity
• Energy Efficiency
• Unique Features
• Size
• Storage Space

Countertops    

When we think of countertops, we think about colours and materials, but more often than not we neglect size and space.  Your kitchen counter space is critical in getting your daily kitchen tasks done efficiently.  Without the correct amount of counter space, cutting veggies, putting away groceries and setting out dinner plates can be difficult at best.  No matter what materials you use for your kitchen countertops, be sure the design layout and size is exactly what you need in your new kitchen addition.    

Storage
 
Another very important aspect of any kitchen addition is good storage.  Storage solutions that take advantage of dead spaces are just the beginning to good cabinet design. A good appliance layout can create storage spaces that work with the kitchen triangle, creating the ultimate efficient cook space. Unique storage solutions are the key to perfect storage in imperfect spaces. Some unique storage solutions include:

• Lazy Susan’s
• Pull out Trays
• Built in Drawers
• Built in Door Shelving
• Slide out Vertical Shelving
• Built in Recycling/Refuse Bin

Lighting    

Lighting plays the ultimate role in any kitchen design.  A good kitchen lighting plan involves a blending of task lighting sources and ambient light sources.  Task lighting like recessed lighting can focus the right amount of light on any kitchen surface.  Ambient lighting like fluorescents or skylights lends the perfect lighting source for the ultimate blend of kitchen light.

Reasons for renovating your home fall into two basic categories: the first is renovating to upgrade the look, design, functionality or long term value of your home (renovating to stay). The other reason for renovating would be to upgrade the value of your home so that it might be sold for a higher price than its current value (renovating to sell). Whatever your reasons, renovating a home has plenty of surprises for the uninitiated—factors you should take into consideration when deciding whether to renovate, knockdown/rebuild or sell & buy elsewhere. Use this renovation guide to help you make an informed decision when it comes to renovating your home.

Should I stay or should I go?

The biggest concern with any renovation project and first question you should ask yourself and your family: How is it going to disrupt our everyday life? Smaller renovation projects like master bedroom/bathroom additions tend to be scaled down enough to allow the homeowner enough space to still preform day to day tasks by moving their furniture, clothes etc to an existing location in the house that is unaffected by the renovation.

Other projects that are larger in size and scale can cause enough concern to relocate during the renovation process. This is especially true when kitchen and bathroom renovations are made. Without a working shower, toilet, appliances, cooking equipment and even plates and cups, it’s impossible to survive at the remodel while work is being completed.

But it’s not just problems associated with space. A huge concern many homeowners have about staying at the premises during the remodel is quality of life. The daily activities of a construction crew often begin first thing in the morning and last until dusk, upsetting the balance of family life with sounds, smells, vibrations and other distractions that some people can find tough to tolerate for an extended period of time.

Renovating to Sell

If you’re in the renovation game to get a quick turnaround on your property for an increased sale price, then performing budget friendly renovations that are quick and easy is probably what you have in mind for your renovation.  But before you pick colours and design options that are your favourite; consider choosing neutral colours and materials that suit the general public’s tastes.

A suitable investment renovation scenario for the home’s exterior would be to repair the existing structures integrity and increase curb appeal with paint, cladding or roofing materials. Avoid over indulging in extravagant additions that will over capitalise. 

An efficient indoor remodelling strategy would be to remove and replace old fixtures and fittings with new modern ones. Trim work, new paint and built in shelving are all perfect renovation projects that increase the homes buyer appeal while being cost effective enough to get a quick and easy return on the initial investment. 

Renovating to keep

When you’ve had enough of your homes old look and feel, but don’t want to leave the property, renovating to update its look is a satisfying and cost effective way to get a new home—without actually getting one. When you are planning to stay in your home long term you can afford to indulge in design elements that suit your personal tastes.

A primary advantage in renovating to stay can be adapting a home you are already emotionally attached to, so that its design and functionality suit the changes in your family and lifestyle e.g. making more living space, enlarging the kitchen, adding bedrooms, adding a granny flat or adding a pool etc. 

You would only be renovating to stay if you love your home and the area you live in, by renovating you can keep all the things you love about your home and change all the things you don't.

 

 

Painting the interior of the house can be fun for some and a disaster for others.

When choosing paint colours, it's important to spend some time deciding the right colour scheme.  If you are unsure what to choose we recommend you get professional advice. 

When you choose a good colour scheme for your home it will improve the value of your property & increase the happiness of everyone living there. 

At the other extreme, choosing the wrong colours for your home can reduce the perceived value of your property and be disappointing and stressful for the entire family.

Choosing colours that suit your lifestyle

If you will be living in the property, it's critical that you choose colours that reflect your style, colour preferences and lifestyle.  If you will be selling or renting the property you need to choose colours that will have the broadest appeal.

Some factors to consider are below:

• What is the size of your room? Larger rooms can afford to have bolder colours than smaller rooms. Bigger rooms have more light and can be made feel more warm & inviting when painted with darker colours.  Smaller rooms are normally better with light colours, as they increase the perceived size of the room
• Are there windows in the room? Larger windows will add to the lightness and brightness of the colour, so rooms with no windows tend to look better with softer tones.
• What works with your furniture and furnishings?  If you have existing items that you want to keep and showcase in your newly painted home then it's important the colours you select are designed to compliment any artwork, furnitures, curtains and accessories etc that you will be displaying in each room. 

• Colour tips

  As a general rule floor colours are darker than walls and ceilings are lighter than walls, as this formula tends to make rooms look larger.  Naturally you can choose anything including bold colours and textured paints, however, you need to be very clear about the effect you want to create when you pick feature colours & get professional advice to ensure the colours you are choosing for the areas you want to paint, will all work together to give you the home environment you're after.

 

Any time that you hire a quality contractor to build a home, or perform any other kind of renovation, you will be required to sign an agreement. Signing any kind of agreement can be intimidating, and the longer and more involved the contract is, the more stressful it may be to sign it. However, you do not have to allow the contractor to be control of every aspect of the agreement. It is called an agreement for a reason. That is because both parties should agree to the terms as an instrument of protection for every one involved.

The Contractor’s Version

In a perfect world, you would author your very own contract to meet your desires and remain within the boundaries of your comfort zone. However, it is standard operating procedure that your contractor will insist that you must sign his agreement. While using an agreement that was penned with the contractor’s good in mind may be necessary, that doesn’t mean that you can not alter that agreement. Do not just blindly sign the agreement that the builder hands you without thoroughly reviewing it. A good builder will not have a problem with you keeping the agreement for a short period of time for review.

Basically, you have a right to strike any clauses that you are uncomfortable with, for example, "The owner agrees to pay any increases in labor or material costs which may come into effect after signature of the agreement". You may also make additions, most likely in the manner of an addendum to the contract. Should you be unclear as to the meaning of any phrases or wording, use wisdom and consult with an attorney.

What should be covered by the Contractor’s Agreement?

While a contractor’s agreement may have clauses and phrases that you prefer to delete, there are items that you will want covered in the agreement. Let’s look at some of them:

1. The scope of work that will be handled by the contractor, with anything that is not covered by the general contractor agreement very specifically laid out. This will make up a good section of a contractor’s agreement.
2. The payment schedule should be detailed and explicitly express whether the monies will be paid to the contractor by the owner or the financing institute, and upon what conditions.
3. Any change orders that occur during the progress of the project, and exactly how they will be handled.
4. Security.
5. Ownership of material.
6. Denote what constitutes interference and how it will affect the contract.
7. Define what will lead to mediation, jurisdiction, and arbitration, and exactly how it will be resolved. This manner of grievance resolution is much less costly than ending up in court; however court should be a last resort.

While signing any kind of contract can be a daunting task, you should know what to expect and have some idea what is not acceptable to you. Don’t hesitate to pay a few dollars to have a lawyer review and advise you regarding the contents of your builder’s agreement. It could save you thousands, not to mention headaches, in the long run.

When renovating your established home there will be many decisions that you will have to make - thankfully your selected builder will be able to help you out with many of these decisions. Depending on how extensive your renovations are, one of the choices you may have to make is whether you should remain in your house while renovations take place or find suitable short term accommodation. This is a decision that is best made in consultation with your builder. Your builder will be able to explain to you exactly what you can expect should you remain living in the home while renovations take place.

Builders can undertake many renovations with minimal inconvenience to you but it is important to quiz your builder on any inconveniences you can expect. Failure to quiz your builder may result in you waking to find that your shower and toilet are unavailable. A skilled and professional builder however will negate your need for quizzing as they will be upfront and open in their communication and will list for you all there is to know. Can you be sure your builder will prevent any unexpected accommodation surprises coming up? The only way to be sure is to make sure that you select a reputable and quality builder.

If your renovation project is extensive, your builder will advise you via a “Job Program” whether they can undertake the construction work systematically allowing you to use certain areas of your home or whether it will be necessary for you to find some short or long term accommodation. Remember that your home will become a building site during your renovations and it is essential to rely on your builder as well as your own common sense for advice on the hazards and inconveniences that will be present. Should you have a young family it is even more important to ensure that your children remain safe from the building environment.

Renovation work will create a very different environment and for some people they would prefer to use accommodation while the building work is being conducted. This allows them to return to a perfect home without the hassle of having tradespeople walking around the house. This is a personal choice and you do not need advice from your builder if this is the case. A professional and reputable builder may however be able to work in and around you so that your personal space is not impacted upon allowing you the choice to remain in your home. Be mindful in making these decisions that there can be cost implications generated from having the building work move “around you”, your builder will advise.

By choosing a reputable builder, you can be sure that you will receive accurate and reliable information about whether moving out while renovations take place is essential. Home renovations can be stressful, so make sure you choose a builder who will work to reduce the inconvenience that renovations will have on you and your family.

Some more specific things to consider are – safety, dust, noise, disruption to living patterns, dust, available space, intrusion, interruption to services, exposure to weather / conditions, privacy, dust etc! Think carefully!

Should I Stay or Should I Go – Moving Out While Construction Happens (23 KB)