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Home Renovation Project Tips and Tactics

Tackling a home remodel or renovation project can be quite the task. Regardless of size and scale, any home improvement is likely going to cost you- not only in financial terms but also in mental taxation, your physical wellbeing, and the unavoidable disruption to your present life. So, how can a home renovation project become an easeful, relatively painless experience that doesn’t totally drain the bank? We’ve got some tips and tactics to consider before you start out on this new journey.

Before diving in too deep, you’ll have to understand that there are multiple factors at play during a home renovation- think of it as a symphony that must work with total cohesion to reach a beautiful harmony. In order to save money, stay on a time schedule, and not completely disrupt your life, all of these considerations should be employed.

Conserving Your Resources

In the beginning stages of any home improvement project, you’ll need to work with a great contractor or architect to identify what visions you have for your space(s), how long you can budget build time, and most importantly- the relative cost of all of this work. Set a clear budget with your team and stick to it. Be very clear that you don’t have a flexible budget (if this is the case) so that they don’t make costly decisions without your approval or enjoy too much wiggle room. When allowed for invited, often time architects and builders will try to push the budget and possibilities for extra add-ons and certain materials. Make sure you outline your boundaries and let them know you’re aware of your finances.

Choose the right materials

This can be a tricky process, as picking textiles and building materials can often be a frenzy of options and unknowns. First, try to identify the overall aesthetic of what you’re trying to achieve. Next, talk with your contractor about these main considerations:

  • Quality
  • Cost
  • Sustainability
  • Aesthetic
  • Availability
  • Long-term Use
  • Environmentally Responsible

All materials vary greatly in regard to the above factors. New wave building consciousness has led us to become acutely aware of the sustainability of our materials and textiles. This refers to the ethics and environmental impact of where and how these materials are sourced, as well as how long they will last and if their deterioration could be a potential environmental hazard/harm. Your contractor should be well versed in a plethora of material options and will be able to talk with you about your options. Typically, there is a great medium to be reached with regard to cost and quality. If you only select the top tier materials, you’ll end up paying the price for them in the end. Sometimes homeowners don’t realize that the relatively small price difference, while seemingly minuscule per unit, adds up quite a bit with the volume of units. Be aware of these factors.

Choose Flexible Solutions Whenever Possible

There are many fantastic options out there for space optimizing designs that don’t require full (and costly) wall construction. For example, full-length sliding wall doors are a stylishly modern and innovative solution to install in place of permanent drywall. This option allows for spatial flexibility, increased visibility, and light flow, as well as the option for a thoroughfare between two distinct spaces. Wall doors and frosted glass wall partitions, even a stylish barn door room divider still offer the option for privacy (depending on chosen glass opacity) yet they slash the cost of constructing an entire wall, and fortunately, are very easy to deconstruct when needed. These options will save time, money and add a lot of practicality to your new space.

Clear Design Direction

A lot of homeowners, when setting out to update their homes, are somewhat unaware of the necessity to outline- and stick with- a consistent design theme. This is such a crucial factor in the renovation’s success. While upgrading to a more modern look is a great design choice and probably a good return on investment, you’ll want the right accessories, fixtures and hardware to ensure your theme works within the full scope of the home. Below are a few considerations to attaining a consistent modern look:

  • Furniture and art curation (pick one or two themes and don’t deviate from them)
  • Smooth dyed cement retaining walls and siding
  • Wood accents (siding, fencing, hardwood floors, cabinetry)
  • Sliding bathroom door, mirror sliding door, or mirrored closet doors
  • Stacking room divider, pocket doors, or bi-fold doors
  •  A blend of elements throughout the house (wood, stone, fur, granite, metal)
  • Large, open windows
  • Plenty of light
  • Open floor plan
  • Large open kitchens

Relinquish Overzealous Design Choices When You Can

During the design process, we tend to get a little excited, and can at times go a bit overboard with our vision. Most times, architects will go through a series of designs, with each round cutting back and refining the overall choices and aesthetics. Throughout the first few rounds, there are typically ideas thrown out there that are inherently too costly to remain in the project in order to stay on budget. Work with your contractor to figure out which parts of your blueprints you are willing to give up to achieve financial harmony.

Frosted glass sliding door divides reading room with two pictures on the wall

Plan For The Unexpected

There are situations that will unavoidably arise throughout a building/renovation project that you hadn’t expected, and you’ll have to face these roadblocks head-on. If you and your contractor only budget both time and money for smooth sailing, most likely you will exceed your budget on all sides. Factor in an emergency cost budget, as well as plan for extra time in case unfortunate situations arise, causing delays and increased finances.

By being prepared for the unexpected, following a consistent design theme, employing flexible construction solutions, and carefully choosing materials you’ll set yourself (and your home renovation project) up for success. No one should endure a terrible renovation experience- leave those for television. Consult us at The Sliding Door Company- the experts in spatial optimization. For more exciting solutions and inspiration, Visit Us Online to browse our online viewing catalog and Enjoy A Free Consultation from one of our team members to actualize your design dream today.

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Stay At Home Parents, It’s Your Time

As a stay at home parent, there can be a lot of hours in the day just waiting to be filled. This can pose a troubling series of questions for those not sure what to do with all of this novel free time. While raising children can be undeniably taxing, there are, of course, school hours and extracurricular activities that take them out of the house and leave you with ample time to sink into a project. Once your child (ren) head off to school, your entire day all of a sudden opens up and presents you with (at times) a stifling existential question- what exactly should I do with mytime?

If you’ve felt this way before, you’re not alone. This is a very common occurrence for stay at home parents that presents a wonderful opportunity to get creative. This is a chance for you to deeply consider what activities, hobbies or skills you’d like to learn or improve upon. Taking time and money into account, we’ve outlined a few creative options to consider during your process.

Home Daycare

If you love kids, which, there’s a high likelihood (seeing as how you’re a stay at home parent), consider starting your own at-home daycare for little ones. This is an excellent way to spend your daytime/morning hours after your own children head off to school (or before they’re in school) where you can be at home, and run a business at the same time. You can easily and affordably build your own home daycare by employing a few spatial optimization solutions and techniques that cost very little and don’t require any major construction. Convert a wing of your home into this daycare by installing sliding wall doors, a barn door room divider or glass wall partitions to enact space separation within a comfortable setting. These spatial solutions are super handy and provide the needed flexibility to account for expansion or deconstruction if you decide to end the daycare business. You’ll be helping out so many parents, and simultaneously growing your community and making friends with other parents. Sometimes being a stay at home parent can feel limiting and can cause a separation from the important adult interaction that parents with 9-5 jobs enjoy. Owning a home daycare will put you in touch with other parents and babysitters and will expand your interactions ten-fold. It also could be a great way for your children to meet new kids.

Personal Business/Startup

Having your children head off to school for the majority of the workday presents a brilliant opportunity to develop your own business doing something you love and working with other adults in doing so. Perhaps your new business is an exciting startup that will take a few years to grow momentum- the perfect circumstance for your lifestyle. Turn a room in your house into a home office or use frosted glass wall partitions to craft an entirely new room or freestanding office space within your home. Choose from six different glass opacities to achieve your desired level of privacy when constructing this office space. This will save you a commute and the cost of renting out an office. Allowing you the flexibility to still drop off and pick up your kids whenever needed, and work from the comfort of your own home.

Yoga Teacher Training/ Fitness Specialist

Have you always secretly dreamt about getting wildly in-shape or even becoming a fitness instructor? Now is the time to actualize these goals that used to be mere fantasies. Starting the yoga teacher training process is actually a lot easier than most people expect and will endow you with a skill set that you can use and enjoy for the rest of your life. Once you acquire this certification, you can teach yoga and integrate your practice into your everyday life. Perhaps you’ve always dreamt of becoming a fitness specialist or a nutritionist. Consider turning one of your rooms into a workout/fitness/yoga studio. Install mirror sliding doors (such as mirrored closet doors) to get the visibility you’ll need when starting this fitness venture. For a relatively simple room upgrade, you’ll craft a health and wellness sanctuary from your own home.

Take the time to look within and ask yourself what path you’d like to go down with the years you have ahead. With your abundance of unique free time, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. By employing some creative spatial solutions, you’ll set yourself up to utilize your home in a way you never thought you could. For more exciting solutions and inspirations on your home (and lifestyle) transformation, The Sliding Door Company has everything you’ll need. Visit Us Online to browse our online viewing catalog and Enjoy A Free Consultation from one of our team members to actualize your dreams today!