It won’t be surprising if you have suddenly caught the home improvement bug since there are a lot of TV shows and magazine articles that inspire people on how to improve their homes. Home improvement is the process of making additions or alterations to one’s home to make it more comfortable, energy-efficient, and safe for the household members to live in. It is also oftentimes referred to as home renovation or remodeling. The materials used for such projects are usually purchased at home improvement stores.
Reasons for undergoing a home renovation project
Maintenance and repair
All houses deteriorate over time. Even the most conscientious homemaker who is always on top of every little scrape and scratch in the house will at one point need to have some home renovation works done to restore the character of the place. This is especially true for old houses that need maintenance and repair work done to recover its lost beauty and charm.
Extend the available living space
As your family grows, so does the need to have a bigger space. You might not have anticipated this when you were building or buying your dream home, but when kids get older, the needs of the family change. Your kids may want their own rooms for privacy or you may need to add another bathroom to accommodate the growing size of your family. Instead of moving to another house that is bigger and has more rooms, you can opt to renovate and extend your house to accommodate your family’s changing needs and lifestyle. You can add a deck area where your children can entertain their guests or you can add bedrooms so each of your children will have their own personal space.
Make your home more eco-friendly
Now is the time to really think about how you can help the environment by lessening your home’s carbon footprint. Through continuous research, a lot of companies that manufacture building supplies have developed new materials that may be more costly but can help you conserve energy and electricity in the long run, making it a worthwhile investment.
Comfort and safety
Upgrading your house with some luxuries such as adding a hot tub spa or more windows to allow more air and light to come in. For elderly homeowners, they can have safety features added to their homes such as railings and wheelchair ramps or converting the downstairs den into a bedroom so they don’t have to go up and down the stairs.
Increase the value of their property
Whether you are planning on eventually selling or renting out your house or not, it doesn’t hurt to have some home improvement works done to keep your house in tip-top shape and to increase the value of your home. Restyling an older home to fit the modern lifestyle of today can definitely make a difference. Converting an unused room into a gym or a home entertainment system can boost your home’s market price.
What to look for in a home improvement contractor
Home improvement is a very broad term and depending on what type of project you have in mind, you need to make sure that the tradie or business that you will hire is qualified for the task at hand. Determine what it is that you want done. If it’s just a simple home improvement job that involves painting and other minor works, you can hire an experienced handyman to help you. However, for home renovation jobs that involve a wider scope such as adding more bedrooms and extending your house, you need to hire a seasoned building contractor who has hand handled similar projects in the past. Make sure that the business that you will hire is licensed and fully insured to handle home improvement jobs.
Renovating a house can be quite a challenge; that is why it is important to choose a contractor who is honest, reliable, hardworking, and a pleasant to work with. To ensure that both you and the contractor are on the same page, there should always be an open line of communication from the beginning until the end of the project. Your contractor should listen to your needs and requirements and should be available to give expert advice when asked. Be sure to ask for references and to check other customers’ online feedback regarding the quality of work and customer service that they provide.
Cost of hiring home improvement experts
For simple projects, you can already hire home improvement experts starting at $20/hr. However, for more complex jobs such as remodeling the house completely, you can expect the figure to go higher. Some contractors charge per hour or per job. To get the most value for your money, you should compare quotes from several businesses before making your final choice.
What customers have to say about the home improvement contractors that they hired through ServiceSeeking.com.au:
"Jed has just completed the first stage of multiple projects for me and I'm very happy with the work. Unlike others, he wasn't afraid to quote for all of the works, he communicates promptly, thinks things through and offers up good suggestions which I was grateful for. The work was undertaken promptly and he's been able to fit in with my timeframe for the other work. Definitely recommend." - Emma from Thornbury, VIC
"Paul did an excellent job to a high standard. He assisted the process by bringing in other trades to help complete the renovation quickly. I have no hesitation in recommending Paul to anyone looking for a builder/Carpenter." - Judy from Farmborough Heights, NSW
"Excellent customer service and very friendly. Cleaned up the mess on my rental property and treated it like it was his own. Reasonably priced and although I was not on site, he gave me updates. Will be using him again." - Duy from Gilberton, VIC
"I was really happy with the work that Paul from Alps completed for us. He replied promptly and quoted within 24 hours. He came to complete the job when scheduled and was reliable with great advice and ideas that we hadn't considered before. I would definitely recommend his services to others." - Ami