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Month: May 2023

The Role of Home Renovations in Increasing Property Value

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Many homeowners begin their home renovations without considering the effect it has on the property value. And while this can work if you plan on living in your home for the next 8+ years, in other cases you might be better off considering what potential homebuyers would like to purchase.

We have gathered some of our best tips and tricks to help you learn all about how your home renovation can increase your property value, and which things might best be ignored if your main focus is adding worth to your home. Enjoy!

Consider the regional trends in Canada

Before we get started, you should consider the area in which you are picking the style for.

Homeowners in the more urban areas of Canada could go for a more modern or contemporary style, possibly even a Scandinavian style. The buyers in these areas tend to be more internationally oriented and are actively looking for these styles.

Compare that to the more rural areas of the country, where a farmhouse style or more traditional interiors tend to do better. Ultimately, the decision is up to you, but it can help looking at what other homes in your area have done, and you might even want to look at house listings to try and find a red thread between the different styles and home values.

Choose the right renovation

We have written another article on our blog, where we list some of the best types of renovations for increasing your property value. In short however, it all comes down to renovating the parts of your home that the largest amount of buyers are interested in.

Therefore kitchen and bathroom renovations tend to yield higher returns, compared to say basements or garages. Again this might vary depending on where in the country you live, so do your research before hiring contractors.

You might be well served by contacting a real estate agent, a home services company such as HandyForce, or other professionals that have the necessary experience and knowledge to provide competent guidance in this area.

Choose the right materials

No matter what room you are renovating, choosing too cheap, exotic or expensive materials can lead to a poor return. Striking a balance here is key to getting the most value for your investment.

If potential homebuyers notice that you have laminate flooring in the living room, they might make a mental note that they need to spend money on upgrading the flooring to hardwood, thus wanting a discount in the price.

The same goes for too exotic or expensive materials. These might look great as of right now, but homebuyers that are forward thinking might be concerned about the maintenance and cost of replacement.

Going green can help

We are not referring to painting your walls green, but rather renovating your home to be more energy efficient. By insulating your home, upgrading your windows to thicker glass, replacing old and worn doors and so on, you can improve the value dramatically of your home.

This is not just because these things result in lower monthly utility bills, but also because more and more buyers are looking for environmentally friendly and sustainable housing. And since this is not necessarily more expensive than alternative methods, this should be a priority for anyone looking to get the most value out of their renovations.

How to Maximize Space in Your Home Through Renovations

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Having plenty of space to move around is something most of us enjoy. But with the rising house prices in Canada, it can be tricky to find a home in the right area that also affords plenty of free space for yourself, your children and everything else you need room for.

Whether you already have a home you are looking to optimize the space for, or whether you are considering buying a particular home that feels a bit small, this article will help you understand what your options are in terms of maximizing your space. Good luck!

Do not rush your decision

If you have just bought your home but have not yet moved in, you might not realize exactly what it is that makes the space feel cramped for instance. While not always possible, it can be a good idea to live in the home for a week or longer before making massive changes.

This is in order for you to get a good feeling of the flow of the space, and to get a better understanding of what would help and what is necessary. Nothing is worse than spending money and time on a renovation project that turns out to be unnecessary and thus a waste.

Opening up the space

One of the most common ways of maximizing space in a home, is by removing sections of walls that block the light and obstruct easy passages. Just remember not to touch load bearing walls without professional help, as this can lead to disaster in a short time.

Most of us are familiar with an open and combined dining room and kitchen area, but there are plenty of other areas where knocking down a part of the wall can free up room for all sorts of activities.

Consider dual purpose areas

These days there are plenty of brilliant solutions for the space conscious family. With many Canadians working from home, more and more people have turned their guest bedroom into a home office.

But what about when the inlaws are visiting? In this case something simple like a wall mounted bed that you can pull down, would allow you to keep working during the weekdays, and on the weekend convert the room to a livable guestroom.

Maximize the amount natural light

Luxury is defined by space and light. If you are having issues with the space in your home, maximizing the amount of natural light flowing into your rooms can help make the space feel larger and more open.

Consider adding windows or skylights, or removing heavy curtains to let in more light. Alternatively, a gable fronted dormer can not only add more light into the room, but even provide more square footage as well.

Build an extension to your home

Finally, the last option on our list is to add an entirely new section to your existing square footage. Whether this is connected directly to the rest of your home, or functions as a separate space for the teenager to enjoy is up to you.

You might even be able to convert the upstairs attic into a livable area. Just remember to check with local planning officers, and obtain all the necessary permits in order to fully register the area, and avoid potential fines and issues when selling the home down the road.

The Most Popular Home Renovation Styles of the Year

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There are many avenues to take for homeowners looking to upgrade their home with a new and pleasing interior style. But there are countless styles to choose from, and because of the cost and time required, it can be overwhelming to decide which one to go for.

Regardless of whether you wish to begin on a complete overhaul of your entire home, or you are just looking to renovate your kitchen, knowing which styles and trends are popular at the moment can help in guiding your decision.

So we will be examining some of the most popular home renovation styles of the year, with a particular focus on the Canadian homeowners, where we will explore the different features of each style, as well as provide some general tips for anyone looking to renovate their home. Enjoy!

1. The modern style

This one might be the most difficult to actually pull off well. There are so many different interpretations of a modern interior, and so many pieces of furniture, types of wallpaper and hardware to choose from.

For this style you should consider elements such as metal, glass and concrete. The colors tend to be fairly bold but not colorful, so black and white are great options here. Ultimately, it all comes down to obtaining a balance and harmony between the different elements you add.

2. The rustic style

This style has seen a surge as of late, as it ties in well with the recycled and sustainable method of thinking. Here it is possible to achieve a relatively inexpensive look that offers plenty of charm, while also being environmentally friendly.

Whether you take this all the way to a rustic cabin feel, or simply choose a few beautiful and rustic pieces of furniture is up to you. If you love collecting and buying different individual pieces, then this style might be a great option, as you can mix and match as much as you like.

3. The Scandinavian style

This style is about more than just visiting IKEA and driving home with your car fully loaded. The Scandinavian style is a great choice for Canadian homes, as the climate in Scandinavia is quite similar to Canada.

The keywords here are light, neutral colors with a focus on minimalism and a few focus pieces to draw attention. As for color schemes we recommend white, gray and natural browns, with a few accent pieces in a bolder color for that popping contrast.

Considerations for homeowners

Before we sign off, it is important to understand that undertaking a home renovation is a significant investment that requires a lot of money and time.

Therefore, homeowners should carefully consider their goals, budget, and timeline before selecting a renovation style. Picking a style because it is popular in a given period, does not necessarily mean it will be popular a few years down the road.

So, if you intend on enjoying your renovations for years to come, then this will be less of an issue. But if you might be selling your home within 4-5 years, perhaps it might be better to pick a more timeless and traditional style.

Consider contacting us at HandyForce if you are looking for even more inspiration, a qualified contractor, or just wish to hear more about your possibilities. We are always available for a consultation.

Should you fix your drywall or let professionals handle it?

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When renovating an older home, it is often a good idea to replace the old wall finishing, in order to get a more energy efficient home, a modern and fashionable look, and to eliminate any potential issues before it is too late. But should you take on this project on your own, or leave it to professionals?

All this and more will be covered in this blog post, where we aim to provide our readers with an easy overview, so enjoy!

The basics of drywalling

Drywalling is essential for keeping the winter temperatures outside, and your home nice and warm. But why is that? And what benefits does drywalling and insulating offer that similar methods do not?

Drywalling is a method used for wall finishing, similarly to plastering, but compared to this method, offers the following benefits:

  • Easy to install
  • Great insulating effect
  • Looks good and can be painted on
  • Cheaper
  • Resistant to fire

Doing it yourself

Alright, now that we’ve covered the drywall basics, it’s time to look closer at whether or not you should take on this project on your own.

One of the major considerations is the overall scope of the damage, cracks or wear and tear on the existing drywall. For tiny holes or issues, it is often possible to adequately repair these yourself, as long as you are willing to invest time into researching the proper methods, as well as money into the necessary equipment, tools and materials.

However, it is important to be aware that even minor drywall damage can be caused by a structural issue, meaning that any potential problems will most likely recur after patching up the drywall itself.

The process of doing this yourself can be time consuming, but for tiny patches it should be doable. You will need various bits of kit, such as drywall compound, masking tape, a special knife for cutting drywall, and more.

It can require a steady hand and a good eye for details when doing this yourself, as the end result will depend on how well each step in the process is completed.

Leaving it to professionals

Many homeowners in Canada prefer to let a skilled company handle drywalling projects, since there are many things that can go wrong, but also because it provides comfort in knowing that a professional and skilled worker has looked closer at the structural integrity of the home.

As mentioned earlier, issues with holes or cracks in your drywall can be caused by a serious issue with your walls or other parts of the structural and load bearing construction. At The HandyForce, we will always do a proper inspection to rule out any serious issues before starting work.

At the same time we will also be able to leverage our many years of experience in the industry, to help guide you towards the optimal choices for insulation, whether it is spray foam, batten, blown-in or foam boards.

We are also able to schedule an appointment with a professional from HandyForce, in order to evaluate the necessary steps, leaving the final decision of who to perform the actual work up to you.