Remodeling your home can be a major undertaking or just as simple as a new color theme. There are so many choices out there as to what can be done it will make your head spin.
So you need a place to start to get the best job done for your money. I personally like to do the work myself so I get the benefit of creating the whole thing. That gives me a huge sense of pride too. It also saves me a ton of money on labor costs.
Now you might be thinking “I am not a contractor so I can’t do the work myself”. That simple is not true. If you have a desire to do anything a little study of it and you can do anything. That goes especially for construction/remodeling. None of the steps of
construction is particularly difficult if you know the basics of the step. The people that do this all the time have the basics and then they have the repetitive experience so it looks like you can’t do it like they can. Part of that concept is true. They are used to doing it. But know this. Before they ever started to do that work they were just like you. They didn’t know how to do it.
Now for those of you that know a bit about construction / remodeling work you have some skills to work with. There is still plenty to learn too. I’ve been at this for 35+ years and I learn new stuff all the time. I always try to take on work that I haven’t done before just so I can learn it and it puts another feather in my cap.
So here we go, this is a pretty good way to go about a remodeling project. First off you should do your home work. A very good way to find ideas to help you decide what your project is going to become is looking through magazines for interior design. There are several to choose from. I go to the big home improvement stores and I take my wife there as well and we look through their books and magazines. When we find ones that fit our desires then we purchase those. There are times I get ideas from these publications and I just go do it without getting the book.
For the most part those publications don’t tell you how to do the work they merely show you the pictures and have some write ups on the projects. My point here is to just get the pictures for the sparking of your own ideas. Or to simply copy something in there that you fall in love with.
When you get some ideas figured out it is a good idea to write them down. You can even cut out the picture and paste it to the list. Then it is time to go pricing all of the stuff you want so you can figure out your budget. Keep in mind that those pictures are sporting some pretty pricey fixtures and components so you shop around for the best deals of quality fixtures and components.
By this point in your yourney you should have a very good idea as to the materials cost for the job. Now it is time to figure out the labor costs. This is where many home owners can get into trouble. If you choose to do the work yourself then you will be able to save a very large amount of money and be able to buy the more expensive components if you choose. If you decide to hire a contractor to do the work then you need to shop around for a good one.
Here are some basics for finding a good contractor. Please don’t just grab the guy that worked for your friend just because your friend says he’s a good guy. You could actually lose a friend over it if things go sour. By all means do check out the friends
suggestion by asking him to see some of his work and getting some references from other clients of his and contacting them to see how the job went for them. You want to be able to communicate well with the contractor you choose. Personality is vital
because you are going to be building a relationship here and you don’t want to hire someone that grates at you because your two personalities clash.
So look around for at least 3 contractors and get bids from each of them to install exactly what you have chosen. Side note here, they will have their own ideas on how it should go and what to do so be advised. If you want your job done the way you have chosen then make that specifically clear up front. If you are still a bit unsure as to what you want you can ask them and they will usually have some good ideas.
Do not fall for the lowest bid right off the bat. Go look at some of this persons work and talk to the people he has worked for. You are about to spend a good deal of money and you don’t want to waste it and poor workmanship trying to save a few bucks.
Usually your best work comes from the middle bid. They are very good at their work and they know the value of it. The low bidder is generally trying to get any work they can with hopes they can charge more as the jobs goes along and the people want to
change things. The contractor with the highest bid is usually having to support a huge overhead and the service isn’t always that great because they are off to the next job asap and don’t seem to have time to help you until you are on the phone yelling at them. I’m not saying they are all like that but it is something that does happen with your huge contractors and small alike.
That’s why I say check them out and ask their customers what their relationship experience was like.
With these simple steps to take you can be in control of your project and have a wonderful experience. Of course you will have to deal with the household disruption of a remodel but that will pass easy enough. A bad experience with a contractor will stay with you though.
I hope this has been of help to you. I do write a blog about home improvement and I explain the steps to take to completely gut and replace a bathroom or kitchen. Click here to check it out
Please take a moment and leave a comment. I really want to hear from you.
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Priming bathroom walls before painting prepares the surfaces for the final paint. Find out more about priming bathroom walls for painting withhelp from a professional house painter in this free home improvement video on painting techniques. Expert: Michael Stewart Bio: Michael Stewart is a professional house painting contractor specializing in custom interiors, including detailed restoration, fine art mural making and high-end faux finishing. Filmmaker: Jim Wehrheim
Help answer the question about home improvement bathroom
Is linoleum tile a good choice for a hallway & bathroom in a house?We are currently trying to make some home improvements to our house. Presently, we have several cracked ceramic tiles in our hallway leading to our bathroom, which has old caulk stuck on the tile floor. I think putting in new ceramic tiles will be more of a hassle and more expensive.
About Author
Glenn Gehrke -
About the Author:
My name is Glenn Gehrke. In my last 35 years I have done a lot of construction / remodeling work. I find it is time for me to pass on some of my knowledge to as many people as I can. I’ve done so much it has become a bit of a task to keep track of it.
You can follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/glenn_gehrke
My blog on remodeling http://www.newlinepubs.com/blog
and I’m on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/glenn.gehrke
Tags: Bath, Bathroom, bathtub, budget, contractor, Kitchen, remodeling, shower, sink
Form 8829 Expenses for Business Use of Your Home is one of the forms you use at tax time. Your bathroom improvements are an Indirect Expense. Line 19 Repairs and maintenance (Indirect column) is where the total amount would be placed. Indirect expenses are those that affect your household and your business area. In other words, they are not only for your business but are also for your household. Direct Expenses affect only your designated business/office area. You can find this form at http://www.irs.gov and search Form 8829.
It all depends on the materials you plan to use!
Be it low end or high end materials, the size of your bathroom, the type of fixtures you will use etc…
It's all relative.
(1) Kitchen more visible, more use
(2) Bathroom (needed especially if there are more than two in your household
(3) maybe rethink fireplace, little known fact sometimes your house insurance will go up cause of a fireplace, or you might not find an insurance that will insure a house with a fireplace
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How extensive a "fixup" were you going to do? Check your lease first to see what you're allowed to do without prior written consent from the landlord. Most residential leases, at least in my market, limit tenant alterations to reasonable changes that can be easily restored to their original condition when the tenant leaves (e.g. painting, hanging shelving and pictures).
Major renovations, such as replacing cabinets, tile, appliances, must only be done with the landlord's consent. He'll be living with your choices long after you move out, so HE has the right to say no, or, if he says yes, to approve styles and materials. Also, all improvements belong to the landlord, so unless he's cut you a deal where you fix the place up in exchange for much lower rent, you're losing money on the deal.
That being said, there are plenty of things you can do to fix the place up. Paint is the easiest way to liven up the kitchen and bath. Even if you're not up to decorative painting, a good fresh coat of paint will brighten any room. For kitchen and bath, make sure to use a semi-gloss paint (there are some that are specifically for kitchens and baths)–this will hold up to the moisture, dirt and grease and be easier to clean.
Use baskets or boxes covered with cloth or contact paper to corral small or oddly-shaped items in kitchen and bathroom cabinets or shelves. Cheap and decorative way to increase storage space and keep the place looking neat.
If you need more cabinet space in the kitchen or bath, try to find old dressers, china hutches, bookcases or cabinets on Craigslist or your local freecycle–these can be cleaned, painted, and moved around to suit your space. I used an old 1940's metal dresser for years as a kitchen island/storage for pots and pans. Dressers with missing drawers make good deep shelving for large pots and baking sheets: just cut plywood to fit where the drawer bottoms would sit.
With your landlord’s permission, you can paint or reface existing cabinets. If not, you can usually cover objectionable cabinets with contact paper or starched fabric without permanent harm to the surface. (Contact paper has gotten a lot cooler–it now comes in all sorts of styles, including faux leather, faux granite, real cork, brushed aluminum and copper, etc.).
Also, you simply must check out Craftster! It’s not a home improvement site, as such, but it has every sort of craft and DIY project you can imagine, from what to do with old light bulbs to decorative painting, furniture design and complete room makeovers, in every style from classic to gothic and back again. And if you ask nicely, the members will often give you a free tutorial.
It's unlikely that a "DIY" improvement inside a home would be discovered by the Tax Assessor.
If a Permit is pulled by a contractor, the Tax Assessor will become aware of it, which may increase the valuation and increase tax.
If an addition to a home increases the square footage, changing the configuration of the home, and a permit pulled, the same holds.
However, outside a city, if a person increases the square footage, changing the configuration,
"DIY", and a permit is not necessary, it will still be discovered at some point.
Aerial photos are regularly taken by counties and a home that has changed "configuration", made larger, will be compared to previous Aerial photos. A physical inspection will be performed, resulting in an evaluation for tax purposes.
Contact H&R Block at:http://www.hrblock.com/index.html?otpPartnerID=2402&SID=33195&CID=289728&OfferId=ps_brand&omnisource=GGL|CAMP009HRB+Brand|ADGP009HRB+Other|KWRD009h+r-block
or the IRS at:http://www.irs.gov/
They will have that information. I'm sure you can deduct part of the costs directly used to remodel the part used for your tenent. You'll have to check on what part.
Unless you know EXACTLY what you are doing—going to Lowes or Home Depot for the DO-IT-YOURSELF home improvement supplies COULD end up costing you MUCH more then hiring a professional contractor to complete the work….. So, unless you know how to rewire electricity, put up drywall, tape, measure flooring and install it, place tiles, replace fixtures, etc etc etc… HIRE SOMEONE…. because if you make a mistake (and you probably WILL), it will cost you more to keep trying to get it right…just make sure you hire a REPUTABLE CONTRACTOR with references…and you will have a LOT fewer headaches, you'll have the work completed MUCH quicker then if you attempted to do it yourself AND, you will have a professionally done job.
Michigans a big state.. What part of Michigan? I was based if Brighton for 20 years and know some places. Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar..GL