Your home can influence your health and quality of life. Most of us spend a huge percentage of our lives indoors so it is well worth thinking more closely about the quality of life in our homes. This article discusses the probable sources of indoor air pollutants as well as the potential associated health consequences of undertaking renovations or home extensions. It gives advice and actions that you may take to guard the health of individuals living in your home. It is going to also assist you in making better-informed decisions about health and indoor air quality issues when discussing a new construction renovation or project with your architect, designer, builder, or building material supplier.

There is now growing scientific research to prove that our environment affects our physical and mental health in many ways. The relationship between our surroundings and our well-being is important.

For example, it is suggested that looking at a beautiful view results in a rush of endorphins which in turn leads to a feeling of peacefulness and well-being. By paying attention to the place and space around us, we can feel better. Therefore, living in a well-designed and healthy home can do more than improve our mood, it can affect our immune system and physical health as well.

According to a recent survey carried out by Houzz, a well-designed kitchen can transform the way you live and promote a healthier lifestyle. It was found that more people are encouraged to cook and bake at home, with fewer takeaways being ordered in. Not only is this good for physical health but it’s great for mental health too. A well-thought-out kitchen not only fosters an interest in home cooking but inspires the kids to get involved. This all contributes to more quality, family time.

Not only does living in a cold, damp, badly lit, and poorly designed house with a burst pipe or crumbling walls feel depressing, but it can make you less inclined to look after it and invite people around. This lessens opportunities for social interaction, which can lead to further feelings of isolation and depression. Improving your home can influence how you interact with others as well as how you feel individually. A welcoming, well-designed and organized home will encourage you to invite friends over which will enhance the social side of your life.

Air Quality

A properly renovated home, such as one with a house extension will be ‘airtight’. However, it will also be well ventilated. Living in damp-free, well-ventilated home results in better health all around.

The air inside an older home may be affected by damp, mold, and condensation. This is especially true if we block up vents and shut windows to keep draughts at bay. Therefore, moisture-laden air can’t escape, which leads to the formation of damp and mold. If a room is poorly ventilated moisture can easily build up – from showers, kettles, bubbling pots and pans, and even our own breath. Damp manifests in wet patches, mold growth, and often a musty smell. If left untreated, it can result in the corrosion of internal finishes and cause health problems, especially in very young and elderly people and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma.

In order to achieve optimum health, fresh air should constantly be flowing through your home to replace stale, moisture-laden air. Condensation, which is exacerbated by poor insulation, inferior windows, and inadequate heating, will be a thing of the past if you choose to retrofit your home.

There are health consequences from poor indoor air quality from mild and generally non-specific signs such as headaches, tiredness, or lethargy, to more severe effects such as aggravation of asthma and allergic responses. Most of these conditions may also arise in a range of different causes other than the grade of the atmosphere in your house.

Ask your doctor if you are worried about any of these health conditions.

If a source of air pollutants triggers an indoor air quality problem or not depends on:

• The type of air pollutant
• The quantity and rate at which it is released from its origin
• The level of ventilation available in the home to eliminate it from inside.

Common sources of indoor air pollutants include:

• Construction operations and construction materials
• Household products
• Different human indoor activities
• External variables (from outside).

People are most frequently exposed to air pollutants when they breathe within an atmosphere pollutant or allergen; vulnerability by swallowing or through the skin may happen in some circumstances. The body has an array of defenses against airborne compounds (e.g. skin, liver, immune system). Some defenses keep substances from their body; others conquer substances once they enter the human body.

Four steps to Enhance air quality

• Remove: Identify the source of air problems and where possible eliminate through better product choice and design.
• Ventilate: If only a small amount of fresh air enters a home, pollutants can gather to levels that can pose health and comfort problems. Ventilate the home to remove these.
• Separate: Separate problem substances from occupants by using air barriers or sealers such as coatings.
• Absorb: Indoor plants may be used to improve the quality of the indoor environment, in addition to adding beauty.

Questions for a healthful home

If purchasing or moving to an established house, will major renovations be required?

The substances utilized in some previous homes, in addition to the activities related to renovation, can increase the health risks for renovators and anybody else in the home during the job. Assess the risks of moving or putting in structural timber beams and manage them through safe work practices and clean-up.

How efficiently does the property’s design use natural ventilation?

Fantastic design and orientation can encourage breezes and convection currents to draw stale air out and fresher air in. If windows have been shut for safety or noise reasons, install fixed wall vents to make sure there is adequate ventilation. Strike a balance between the need to introduce new air, keep comfortable room temperatures, and save energy.

Does the home’s design keep moisture to a minimum?

In brick houses, if a damp-proof course has not yet been fitted or was broken, moisture may migrate out of the floor to the wall. Prolonged periods of humidity can increase the moisture within the environment. Keep away from mold growth by lessening moisture levels in your environment making sure that all the general plumbing is up to standard.

Can dust be easily removed from the rooms?

The visible and invisible dust in your home is made up of several substances. Even though most of the dust will likely be benign, there may be a little proportion that, if inhaled or swallowed, could trigger a health response. Design and furnish your home with easy to clean and washable surfaces or fabrics.

Are there any carpeted floors?

If new carpeting has adhesives underneath, these can contain VOCs. Underlay may also be a supply. Ask to observe rugs encouraged by producers as ‘low emission’ merchandise. Ensure that your provider unrolls the carpeting in a well-ventilated area and lets it air for several days until it’s delivered and installed. Trapped dust and microbiological pollutants might be a problem if they come from the carpet to the air, or might be an immediate problem for crawling babies and young kids playing on rugs. Consider laminated flooring as it will reduce the amount of dust absorbed in your environment.

It’s the fundamental question facing anyone who has ever embarked on a home renovation: How likely am I to get the money back when I sell my house? There’s no easy answer because what a buyer might be willing to pay depends on many factors — everything from the choice of project to the materials you use to the value of other homes in your neighborhood.

But it’s important to have some idea of what your improvements might be worth. If you want to invest more than you can hope to recoup because you love your house and plan to live in it for a long while, that’s fine. But consider the following guidelines and you’ll avoid unpleasant surprises when it comes time to put up that For Sale sign on the lawn.

What Home Improvements Give the Best Return?

Not all remodeling projects are created equal. Kitchens, baths, family rooms, or master suite add-ons will have the biggest return on investment.

Here’s a breakdown of the average ROI one year later after some common home improvement projects:

Home Improvement Return on Investment

Project	Average Cost	Average Resale Value One Year Later	% Return
Minor kitchen remodel	$14,773	$13,039.00	87%
Two-story addition	$67,743	$56,770.00	83%
Bathroom addition	$14,216	$11,704.00	81%
Major kitchen remodel	$38,769	$31,344.00	80%
Family-room addition	$46,738	$37,217.00	78%
Deck	$5,865	$4,498.00	75%
Master suite	$63,275	$47,699.00	74%
Attic bedroom	$31,366	$23,232.00	73%
Home office	$10,526	$5,723.00	54%

Figures are national averages Source: Remodeling Magazine (www.remodeling.hw.net);

Spending More, Doesn’t Always Mean Higher Return

“People buying a house look first at kitchens and baths,” says Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. So while these rooms can be the most costly to redo, they’re more likely to pay for themselves. Adding rooms, such as a family room or master suite, also tend to fare well at resale time: Bigger homes command higher prices.

At the other end of the spectrum, swimming pools hardly ever return their cost, because a lot of buyers aren’t willing to shell out more for a house just to acquire what they consider maintenance bother. Home offices tend to be low-return for the same reason: Only a handful of buyers will want a room designed for working. (Think of it this way: How high a premium would you be willing to pay for a convertible if you were never going to put the top down?)

Kitchen Remodel ROI

And just because a project is expensive doesn’t mean it will pay back more. Often, minor improvements can yield major dividends. According to Remodeling magazine’s annual analysis of cost versus value, a kitchen “face-lift” — painting, refinishing surfaces, and upgrading appliances — will return more than a full redesign.

The key to spending less is spending it wisely. “If you take $20,000 and spend it judiciously on a kitchen, you can make it look a million times better,” says Remodeling senior editor Jim Cory, who supervises the survey. “The design and product selection are key.”

Is Remodeling A Good Investment?

Even when your remodeling job is an appealing improvement for most buyers, it adds little value if done to just your taste. “You might want a room in your house in the shape of a cat or a mouse, but can you find a buyer who wants it?” says Gopal Ahluwalia, director of research at the National Association of Home Builders. “You have to think in the back of your mind that you’re going to have to sell someday.”

If you’re living in a Craftsman gem and want to tack on a family-room addition, for instance, keep the design in harmony with the original look and feel. That goes for the height of the ceilings as well as the style of the windows and moldings. “You don’t want to lose the integrity of the house,” says Bobbi Chasin, a real estate agent in Evanston, Illinois. “Putting a big box on the back of the house will spoil the entire appearance.”

The same holds true for smaller projects, too. For example, when choosing kitchen cabinets, countertops, and flooring, aim for classic or neutral colors and styles. “Years ago, I had a client who wanted a purple kitchen, to match the purple grout on her fireplace,” says Mark Scott, a remodeler in Bethesda, Maryland. Scott argued strenuously against it, but the homeowner insisted that she was planning to stay in the house for the rest of her life. If you can’t make that kind of commitment, don’t expect somebody else to pay for your unique and funky choices.

5 Factors That Impact Resale Value and ROI

1. Neighborhood

Before Kevin and Julianne Warren spent $42,000 to remodel the kitchen in their nicely detailed 1950s ranch house, the home was probably worth about $150,000. But their location, the Forest Hills section of Grand Rapids, Michigan, gave them confidence that the improvements were a smart bet. “This is a high-end neighborhood for schools. Everyone tries to get into this area,” Kevin says.

Even better, the Warrens’ home is surrounded by properties worth $200,000 or so. That means they haven’t priced themselves out of the local market, a very important consideration with any remodeling project. “Are you going to do work that makes your house worth $300,000 when it’s sitting in a $100,000 neighborhood?” asks Israel Ramos, a real estate agent in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Don’t exceed the ceiling for the neighborhood, or you won’t get your money back.” Just as your home’s cost should be in line with your neighborhood, your improvements should be in line with the value of your home. In Seattle, real estate agent Kay Rigley recently discovered that a former client spent $90,000 on remodeling two bathrooms, complete with heated floors and Italian tile. “I said, ‘I wish you had talked to me first,'” she says. Between what they paid for the property and other improvements, the owners spent more than half a million dollars on a home that Rigley estimates is worth $450,000 at most.

2. Region

What part of the country you live in affects several remodeling decisions. Labor tends to be cheaper in the South than the Northeast, for example — enough so that Remodeling’s annual survey prices the same master bedroom suite at $59,401 in Louisville, Kentucky, and $73,814 in Westchester, New York.

Local factors also influence demand. Buyers everywhere will probably like a new, well-appointed family room. But fireplaces sell better in the North than in the South, and decks add more value in warmer climes. There are no hard-and-fast rules, but keeping an eye on local trends is a good way to ensure that your choices will appeal to house-hunters.

3. Market

Where regional differences really come into play is in the real estate market. If housing is in great demand, buyers are likely to be willing to pay more for your improvements. Bethesda builder Scott says he billed $300,000 recently for an expanded kitchen, breakfast room, and study — the most expensive renovation per square foot he’s ever done. But the couple got the money back when they bought an even bigger house last year. “Around the Washington, D.C., area, it’s way different than Missouri,” Scott observes. “People are paid an awful lot of money to be here.”

Be careful, however. Even in a strong market, you can over-renovate. Brett Weinstein, a real estate broker in Oakland, California, has lived through the Bay Area housing boom. While prices remain high, he says, “if someone paid $200,000 over the asking price last year, they bought when the market was red hot. So if they want to spend $60,000 for a kitchen remodeling, they’re going to have to live there a little longer to see that money back.”

4. Timeline

As Weinstein points out, the longer you stay in your house, the more likely you are to recoup your costs. With home prices rising about 5 percent a year, your outlay will eventually be absorbed into the increase in the property’s value. (Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy your renovations for those years.) A few caveats: There is no natural law that says prices must go up, so don’t depend too heavily on that annual bump. And remember that sometimes life can throw a curve, and you might have to put your house on the market sooner than expected.

For some projects, time also works against you. “There’s stylistic depreciation,” says Harvard’s Baker. “All the fads now are for knocking down walls and making big rooms. But ten years from now, that might not necessarily be the case.” Kitchens and bathrooms are especially prone to looking dated, as anyone who has blanched at discovering avocado-green appliances in their dream house can tell you.

5. Hidden Expenses and Issues

If you think a project will pay for itself, but just barely, be prepared for something to tip the balance against you. Home renovation is rife with “hidden” expenses: the extra costs when a project takes longer than planned; the experts’ fees for asbestos testing or heat-loss calculations; the monthly interest payments for a home equity loan. Not to mention the higher property taxes you may have to pay when your new-and-improved home is reassessed.

When all is said and done, most experts counsel against home improvement as an investment. Be smart about what you spend, sure. But a new deck isn’t a mutual fund. Real estate agent Chasin suggests that once you’ve done your homework, make your decisions based on what you want and what you can afford. “I had a listing where the husband had taken early retirement, so his wife convinced him to put in a very expensive home office for $50,000. Ultimately they moved to Florida, and they didn’t get the money out of that home office,” Chasin says. “But she didn’t care. It made him happy.”

Payback by the Project

Since the mid-1980s, Remodeling magazine has done an annual analysis of cost versus value for residential remodeling projects around the country. By polling real estate agents and appraisers in various regions, the editors determine how much projects cost to complete and how much those improvements might add to a house’s selling price one year later. The report is widely considered the most authoritative study of the subject. But even Jim Cory, the editor in charge of the survey, admits it only goes so far. “We provide a benchmark with our study,” he says. “Cases have to be decided on an individual basis.”

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New is beautiful, but old will always be gold! As Indians, we all understand the heartwarming importance of old ancestral homes passed down through generations. But, as we move with the times, so should our homes. At Livspace, we not only design brand new houses but also renovate timeless homes into modern masterpieces! So check out some of our favourite old house renovations from different cities.

#1: A 7-year old Mumbai home transformation story

Why do we love renovations so much? Well, maybe because they are the best of both worlds — old and new! Shweta and Arpit’s 7-year old Mumbai home needed a drastic revamp! They wanted their dark and cluttered apartment to get a fresh, bright and spacious makeover. Be it the use of white to highlight the oodles of natural light flowing in, the traditional jhula in the living room, or the warm wooden furniture, Livspace designer Rukmani Dialani ensured that the house got a contemporary look rooted in traditional design.

PRO Tip: While renovating, retain some of the old furniture and use those as a focal point in the design.

#2: A 25-year old home in Gurgaon undergoes a massive makeover

At first glance, could you guess that this home is 25 years old?! Dr Pallavi and Dr Aashish’s 4BHK in Gurgaon was quite dark and unwelcoming. They wanted a warm and happy vibe in their home along with ample storage and easy-to-maintain interiors. With the help of some extensive civil work, designer Nilisha Keshri created the doctor couple’s dream home! A cute indoor garden near the main entrance, tons of closed cabinetry in the kitchen, a walk-in closet and a balcony converted into a study — this old house renovation surpasses imagination! 

PRO Tip: The carved out niches in the living room wall with spotlights help to focus on decor items and awards.

#3: This 20-year old kitchen went from basic to modern (check out to the unique layout)

Even your kitchen deserves some TLC! Nitya and Kamlesh Tejwani wanted their 20-year old kitchen to look sleek, clutter-free and contemporary. But, there were two challenges for our designer Ashwini Gokhale — the tricky trapezium shape of the kitchen and the Tejwanis’ requirement for plenty of storage without compromising on a light look. The final result is such a masterpiece! From the elegant monochromatic colour palette to the huge variety of storage modules, every aspect of this kitchen is stunning!

PRO Tip: Use pullout storage units in a kitchen to save space and avoid a bulky look.

#4: This 15-year old Chennai home got a vintage-inspired makeover

What’s better than old house renovations? An old home renovation that has been done up in a vintage theme! The owner of this 15-year old home in Chennai, Kamal Ram Mohan wanted a yesteryear abode done up in a mix of modern and classic Indian styles. Designer Padmavathi used a vast collection of timeless vintage furniture and traditional artefacts to create a rich and desi look. The traditional, intricately carved jhula, the colourful artwork, the vintage crockery cabinet — all combine to create such a classy look! Also, the use of a single colour scheme and simple false ceiling gives a modern and understated look.

PRO Tip: For a vintage look, use wooden furniture.

#5: This 20-year old compact kitchen in Pune looks so spacious after its transformation

A 20-year old kitchen that needs a complete overhaul — sounds tricky, doesn’t it? That’s how we felt when we saw Rohini Karkera’s kitchen in Pune! Her kitchen is quite small, at just 100 sq. ft, and she wanted a clean, spacious and modern look. And that’s what designer Aparna Ganesh gave her! The first thing Aparna did was break the RCC lofts to create more space and remove the existing L-shaped counters to add a more spacious C-shaped one. A swanky black and white colour combination, high-end marble-like tiles and sleek cabinets in acrylic and membrane ensured that Rohini’s kitchen came out of the 90s and joined the modern world!

PRO Tip: LED lights under cabinetry can lighten up a kitchen that does not receive much natural light.

Old house renovations are always very special as they show how design expertise can make a space go from blah to wah while retaining its timeless charm! 

Love renovation stories? Check out how this 15-year old Noida home got a massive makeover!

Everyone deserves their dream home at a price they can afford. But can you really renovate a home on a shoestring budget?

Home renovation doesn’t have to be costly. Think strategically about the materials, design, and timing of your renovation project. To stick to a tight budget, do simple tasks yourself, collaborate with a contractor, and be on the lookout for sales.

Read on to get more money-saving home renovation tips and ideas.

Tips to Save on Home Renovation Cost in the Philippines

1. Set a Budget and Stick to It

Start with a well-defined budget that covers all home renovation costs. This ensures you will not overspend on renovating your house.

Take stock of all the things you need to pay for, such as labor, materials, tools and equipment, permits, and cleanup service. Also, set aside a contingency fund—around 10% to 20% of your total budget—for unforeseen expenses.

Put your home renovation cost breakdown in a spreadsheet that will also serve as your house renovation checklist^[1]. Refer to this file from time to time to check if your spending is on track with your budget.

2. Start the Planning Early on

By leaving everything at the last minute, you risk overspending on mundane things. To stay within your budget, start lurking the aisles at various home improvement centers and hardware stores, so you can compare prices of various appliances and fixtures.

3. Find the Right Home Renovation Loan

Ideally, you have cash savings to pay for all the costs of remodeling your space. However, the home renovation cost in the Philippines is never cheap—you’ll be spending hundreds of thousands of pesos for renovating an entire house.

Your savings might be just enough to cover small projects such as a new paint job or installing a new gate. But for larger projects, an easy way to finance your renovation is to get a home loan.

Save more on your home renovation cost with a home loan whose monthly repayments you can afford. How much a loan will cost you depends on factors such as the lender, its interest rate, your income, and your chosen loan term.

Work with an online mortgage broker like Nook that can help you easily find the best home loan and get approved for it. This way, you can save both time and money. Instead of wasting time talking to different lenders, you can focus on your home renovation project instead.

4. Know Where to Shop for Affordable Home Decors

Be extra cautious when buying home decors, as it’s tempting to splurge on beautiful items you fall in love with.

To keep your home decor costs to a minimum, do your shopping at tiangges and surplus shops where items are sold for cheap. You can order from the online shop of Dapitan Arcade, the most popular place for affordable homewares and decors in the Philippines.

Related: 9 Sulit Tiangges in the Philippines for Budget Shoppers

5. Do Small Home Renovation Tasks Yourself

Renovating a home involves a range of tasks, including demolishing, cleaning, and adding the finishing touches. Although professional assistance is required for major tasks like electrical works or new fixture installations, you can save money by doing some simple tasks yourself.

Don’t be afraid to DIY! You can do moderate DIY tasks such as painting your walls or building a headboard. For learning DIY home renovation, YouTube is your friend.

6. Compare Quotes from Different Contractors

Even if you’ll DIY your home renovation, the more sophisticated tasks will have to be handled by a professional, so you won’t waste money re-doing things.

Ask for referrals from people you know. Contact the recommended contractors, interview them, and get at least three quotes. Compare not just the cost estimates but also their track record and relevant experience in the type of job you need to get done.

Offering the cheapest rate doesn’t necessarily mean a contractor is the best one for the job. If there’s a contractor who’s competent and whom you’re comfortable with but is charging a higher price, ask for possible ways to cut costs (like changing the specs or completing the work in stages).

Read more: What is the Best House Type for My Family?

7. Discuss Your Budget with the Contractor

Simply communicating your budget restraints with your contractor will help you save on home renovation costs. It allows the contractor to collaborate with you on the house remodeling project and come up with cost-saving ideas to help you stick to your budget.

For instance, flooring often costs a big chunk of money. Your contractor can make a few calls and see if there are any leftover tiles and flooring options from previous projects that you can buy at a cheaper price or even get for free.

Home Renovation Ideas on a Budget

1. Refresh Your Home with a New Paint Job

A fresh coat of paint might just be the only thing you need to give your home a whole new look. Repainting is a lot cheaper and easier to do than tearing up your walls and changing the structure of your house. And it works wonders in enhancing the ambiance of your space without having to buy furniture and decors.

To save on home renovation costs, do the paint job yourself or with the help of family or friends. If you’ll repaint the entire house, choose a suitable color^[2] that will evoke your desired mood for each room.

Working on a tighter budget? Just repaint your doors, window casings, and cabinets. This will instantly give your home a makeover while saving significantly on paint.

2. Let in More Natural Light to Illuminate Your Home

Is lighting your biggest concern? Do you wish to brighten up a dull hallway?

Instead of splurging on fancy light fixtures or new windows, simply add light pipes to the area. Adding a window requires you to create a hole in an existing wall and install the frames, which can be quite costly. Light pipes cost three times less than a window and distribute the natural light beautifully in the space.

3. Find Cheaper Alternatives

Buying expensive furniture will blast a hole right in your budget. These days, high-quality furniture made of alternative materials is available at a fraction of the price.

Instead of buying a pricey mahogany chest, for example, a particleboard drawer will serve the same purpose for much less. But if you have a particular design in mind, approach a local carpenter and have them make affordable custom versions of the expensive furniture you want.

Consider getting second-hand instead of brand-new furniture. It’s a perfect idea if you’re aiming for a vintage vibe for your remodeled home. You can score great bargain finds in ukay-ukay and Japan surplus stores^[3] as well as online marketplaces.

4. Maximize Existing Spaces

Want more space in your home? Expanding a home, such as building an additional room/loft or extending an existing room, requires a huge budget.

Instead of burning your money on an expensive house expansion project, create more space in your home by getting rid of all the clutter. Sell your old stuff and add your earnings to your home renovation budget.

Adding storage in each room helps organize things and maximizes your space. Set up overhead shelves, floating shelves, under-the-bed storage space, and built-in cabinets where appropriate.

Another trick is to install mirrors that create an illusion of a bigger space in a room.

5. Retain Your Existing Furnishings

If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. A home renovation shouldn’t mean a complete design overhaul. Unless your home was built decades ago, there’s no need to tear apart all existing furnishings and change every room’s layout.

Need to update your old, worn-out flooring? You don’t have to remove your existing floors. Peel-and-stick vinyl floor tiles can make a huge difference to a room’s look at less the cost of expensive flooring.

If your current plumbing and electrical fittings are working fine, you’ll be saving money if you keep them in the same location.

6. Use Recycled Materials

To cut down on your renovation expenses, use as many recycled materials as possible. Repurpose any old but usable stuff at home and hand-me-downs from family and friends.

For instance, a vlogger spent only PHP 5,000 for renovating her room^[4]. Her secret? She DIY-ed pretty much everything with recycled materials and inexpensive items bought on sale.

7. Decorate Your Home with Plants

Display indoor plants such as snake plants, peace lilies, or aloe vera instead of pricey home decors. Houseplants don’t just add a homey vibe to a room, but they also keep the air fresh. Also, taking care of plants can be therapeutic, so go ahead and bring out your inner #plantita or #plantito!

Final Thoughts

If you’re thinking about renovating your home and your biggest concern is getting everything you want in a very tight budget, these simple home renovation tips and ideas should help you refurbish your old space without breaking the bank. Also, consider applying for a home renovation loan if you plan to do a major overhaul on your space. Plan your finances and compare your loan options.

If you’re a home remodeling junky like we are, you likely spend a great deal of your free time glued to television shows on DIY networks. Shows that provide tips on creating your perfect living environment, sometimes on a dime, and sometimes extravagantly. Both are good.

Trust us… we know the feeling. We love decorating and remodeling, too. We love exploring the ins and outs of how to make a bathroom more functional; ways to create a comfy, cozy den; and paints, colors, and accessories to make any room pop. 

In this post, we’ll give you 5 decorating ideas to help you create your dream home. So sit back, grab a pen and paper, and read on!

1. Open Floor Plans: They aren’t the right fit for every home, but an open floor plan touches many people right in their hearts. An open floor plan is perfect for entertaining, decorating, designing, and experimenting with colors, contrast, and contentment. We recommend looking into an open floor if your home allows for it. 

2. Utility Room Functionality: The utility room, or if you prefer, the laundry room, is just one of those rooms people often forget. Yet it serves a great purpose. We think that a functional space has the potential for coziness, while still being inviting. Consider that when you are redesigning your next room.

3. Guest Room of “Shoulds”: If you have a guest room, maybe it’s time to rethink its purpose, its design, and its feel. A guest room should be formal yet comfortable. It should have a great theme while exuding cleanliness. Similar to a hotel, a guest room should invite your guests in for the night, and relax their senses.

4. Lighting Everywhere: No one likes a drab or dull living area (or any area). Lighting in all the right places is illuminating for everyone who lives in your home. If you’re really looking to make an impact, consider installing skylights to let every inch of light possible in.

5. Bathroom Elegance: Bathrooms are sometimes small, but they are no less important. A well-designed bathroom is something of beauty. Marble countertops, muted eggshell colors, gold and silver fixtures, and various lighting choices for the user are all excellent ways of turning a normal bathroom into a magazine cover.

For more information on how we can help you create the home you’ve always dreamed of, please contact us at any time.

Home renovation costs can add up quickly. Here are a handful of ways you can plan for a cheaper remodel.

Busting the budget is everyone’s biggest fear when it comes to home remodels. And with good reason.

Even if you follow the essential advice we’ve been doling out for years—build in a 20 percent cushion to cover the nasty surprises, get contractor references and check them, banish the words “while you’re at it” from your vocabulary—it’s hard not to end up shelling out more than you want to.

With some strategic thinking about design, materials, and timing, you can cut costs without cutting corners. Below, we’ll show you the ways, from the big to something as small as choosing a wall sconce over a recessed light.

But another universal truth about home improvement is that every little thing adds up. So another important consideration to start with is to decide whether or not to demolish the whole house and start from scratch.

Is it Cheaper to Remodel or Build a New House?

“Most clients don’t want to hear those words,” says Paul Irwin, design director with Landis Construction, in the Washington, D.C., area, “but it really needs to be considered on major remodels. “In one case, for example, plans for a 1,300-square-foot addition revealed that the house’s existing foundation wasn’t up to code and would have to be replaced—a $30,000 proposition.

After crunching the numbers, the owners concluded that it would cost as much to update the house, a former summer cottage, as it would to reproduce it new. “For a relatively small additional cost,” says the owner, “we get all the benefits of new construction while preserving the character and feel of our old house.”

• Cost to remodel: $570,000
• Cost to replicate: $588,000
• Saved: For $18,000, the owners gained as much as $60,000 worth of new living space, plus improved safety and energy efficiency.

If you’ve weighed your options, and have decided it’s better to remodel your home, here are our tips.

1. Increase Efficiency, Not Size

If you can reorganize and equip your kitchen for maximum utility, you may not need to blow out the walls to gain square footage. Start by replacing space-hogging shelves with cabinet-height pullout drawers 8 inches wide, containing racks for canned goods and other items.

“You’re getting three or more horizontal planes where you might otherwise get only one,” says Louis Smith Jr., an architect with Meier Group, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

You could easily shell out a few thousand to outfit cabinets with upgrades like dividers, pull-out pot trays, and lazy Susans, but you’ll save many times that amount by skipping the addition you thought you needed.

• Cost to expand kitchen by 200 square feet: $48,000 to $95,000
• Cost of super-efficient, custom-designed cabinets: $35,000
• Saved: Up to $60,000

2. Bring in Natural Light Without Adding Windows

Before cutting a big hole in the side of your house and rearranging the framing, consider less invasive—and less expensive—ways of capturing light.

To brighten up a windowless bath or hallway, for instance, you can install a “light tube,” which slips between roof rafters and funnels sunshine down into the living space.

• Cost to add a double-pane insulated window: $1,500
• Cost for a light tube: $500
• Saved: $1,000

3. Hit the Recycling Center

Do-it-yourselfers can reap big savings with recycled or lightly used fixtures and building materials. Habitat for Humanity operates about 400 ReStores nationwide, which offer salvaged materials at half off home-center prices.

One caveat: Many contractors won’t work with salvaged items, or homeowner-supplied materials in general, because they don’t want to assume the liability if something goes wrong.

That said, if you’re doing your own work, you can find anything from prehung doors to acrylic skylights to partial bundles of insulation. (To find a ReStore near you, visit habitat.org.)

• Price of 4-by-5-foot insulated window in a home center: $600
• Price at ReStore: $300
• Saved: $300

4. Donate your Trash

Before you begin a remodeling job, invite the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to remove materials and fixtures for later resale. “About 85 percent of a house is reusable,” says B.J. Perkins, Habitat’s ReUse program manager, in Austin, Texas. “We can do a total takedown, or do a cherry-pick job and take the cabinets, the tub, the sink, and so on.”

You save space in the landfill, collect a charitable tax credit for the donation, and help a good cause. Visit Habitat to find an affiliate near you.

• Cost to trash a suite of bathroom fixtures: $50 to $75
• Cost to donate: Nothing, plus you get a tax deduction
• Saved: Space in the landfill (and a little bit of your soul)

5. Do Your Own Demo

Knocking down your home down may not be as costly as rebuilding, you can still shave dollars by doing some of the demolition yourself—as long as you proceed with care.

“If a homeowner wants to demo a deck, well, I am sure they can handle that,” says Michael Winn, owner of Winn Design, in Virginia. “But when it comes to interior spaces, I would dissuade them from doing it unless they have done it before.”

The reason: A reckless wrecker might unwittingly take out a load-bearing wall or, worse still, plunge a reciprocating saw into live wiring or pressurized plumbing.

• Cost to demo a 200-square-foot deck yourself: $450 (Dumpster rental and parking permit)
• Cost for a pro: $1,000
• Saved: $550

6. Consider Long-Term Costs, Not Just Short-Term Gains

If your addition calls for clapboard siding, for instance, you can save more in the long run by ponying up now for the preprimed and prepainted variety. It costs an extra 10 to 20 cents per foot, but “you’ll wind up paying for half as many paint jobs down the road,” says Paul Eldrenkamp, owner of Byggmeister, a design-build remodeling firm in Newton, Massachusetts.

The reason? Factory finishes are applied on dry wood under controlled conditions—no rain, no harsh sun. “I used prefinished claps on my house about ten years ago and the only flaw in the finish is the occasional mildew spot, easily washed off,” Eldrenkamp says. “The paint looks as if it’ll be good for another ten years, easily.”

• Cost of unfinished siding for a 10-by-40-foot addition, plus two paint jobs: $5,000
• Cost for pre-finished claps and one coat of paint at installation: $3,750
• Saved: $1,250

7. Tap Your Contractor’s Sources

When it comes to things like flooring, ask your subcontractor if he has odds-and-ends stock left over from other jobs. While renovating a Civil War-era bed-and-breakfast in New Jersey some years back, contractor Bill Asdal needed wood flooring.

He made a few phone calls and came up with hundreds of square feet of hardwood, in various lengths and widths, that otherwise would have gone into the trash on other job sites. Just by planing it to uniform thickness, then sanding and refinishing it, he saved his client almost $9,000 in materials costs.

• Cost of new flooring: $19,200
• Cost to use someone else’s discards: $10,500
• Saved: $8,700

8. Consult an Architect

Depending on the scale of your project, you might not need a full-on architectural commission, which involves extensive meetings, multiple job-site visits, and several sets of construction drawings, to the tune of about 8 percent of a project’s construction budget. You might be able to tap an architect’s design savvy by having him undertake a one-time design consultation.

For example, for a $400 flat fee, Baton Rouge architect Kevin Harris will meet with a homeowner, examine the problem, and sketch out a few solutions that could be as simple as opening up a partition wall or moving a door. The homeowner can then give the sketch to a builder or take it to a drafting service, which will charge about $1 to $1.50 a square foot to crank out formal construction drawings.

• Architect’s fee to design a 300-square-foot home office: $2,250
• Fee for design consultation only and plans: $580
• Saved: $1,670

9. Partner With a Contractor

Though the practice is controversial among the trades, some contractors will offer consulting and mentoring services to skilled do-it-yourselfers on an hourly basis.

Chicago-area builder Ted Welch charges $150 per hour for such coaching, with a two-hour minimum commitment. “The most satisfied clients tend to be those who have good manual dexterity, who realize that skills need to be practiced in order to be perfected, and who are willing to risk making a few mistakes and then learn from them,” he says.

• Cost to drywall one room: $1,000
• Cost with DIY consultation: $300 (2 hours of coaching), plus materials
• Saved: $700

10. Make Sweat Equity Count

Unless you’ve got loads of time (and expertise) to spend on your project, the best way to add sweat equity is upfront, by handling your own demolition, or at the back end, by doing some of the finished work yourself.

“If you want to save money, dig in and start helping out,” says Tom Silva. “You can insulate, you can paint, you can sand.” Or better still, he says, help with cleanup every day. “Instead of paying someone to pick up sawdust off the floor, put your money into the time it takes to trim the window properly,” he advises.

• Cost for construction crew to handle cleanup: $200 per day
• Cost to do it yourself: $0
• Saved: About 3 to 5 percent of the overall job cost

11. Do Your Own Schlepping

If you’re doing your own project, slash your materials-delivery fees by picking up goods yourself. No pickup truck? For about $400, you can purchase a nearly new single-axle utility trailer online, which you can tow behind your SUV. Get one just big enough to carry 4-by-8 sheet goods flat. Use it for a half-dozen trips, and it’s paid for itself. Find trailers for sale near you via eBay Motors, or try your local classifieds.

• Cost of 10 deliveries: $750
• Cost to buy a used trailer: $400
• Saved: $350, plus you get to keep (or sell) the trailer

12. Don’t Overspend on Wall Prep

If your walls are in such rough shape that it would take a painting contractor days of filling and sanding to make them ready for the roller, consider using materials such as Texturglas, from Deerfield Beach, Florida—based company Roos International.

A breathable, nontoxic wall covering made of fine glass filaments, Texturglas has a similar look and feel to the fiberglass matting used in auto-body work. It’s available in a variety of surface patterns, takes paint readily, and is designed to be installed right on top of existing surfaces, adding strength while covering up dings.

• Cost to patch and paint a 15-by-20-foot room with heavily damaged walls: $1,525
• Cost to install Texturglas: $1,050
• Saved: $475

13. Consider Look-Alikes

Some imitations just make sense: Lumber giant Weyerhaeuser sells a fast-growing natural eucalyptus hybrid under the brand name Lyptus. Sustainably harvested in plantations in Brazil, the clear-grained hardwood looks and feels remarkably like mahogany. It’s sold as toungue-and-groove flooring and in planks and sheets for cabinetry and millwork.

• Cost of 100 board feet of mohogany: $808
• Cost of same quantity Lyptus: $395
• Saved: $413

14. Wait Until Contractors Want Your Business

Don’t schedule your reno in the height of summer or between September, when the kids go back to school, and Christmas. “That’s premium time,” explains Lisa Stacholy, owner of LKS Architects, in Atlanta, Georgia. Suppliers tend to be busier, labor scarcer, and deliveries slower. One Virginia-based contractor offers discounts of between 4.5 and 5.5 percent (depending on the overall budget) on projects during his downtime, right after the new year.

• Cost of a major bathroom remodel in peak season: $25,000
• Cost in January: $23,625
• Saved: $1,375

15. Skip the Foundation

If local code allows, you may be able to support a small addition on posts and beams, as you would a deck, explains contractor Dennis Gavin, of Gavin Design-Build, in Media, Pennsylvania.

• 220-square-foot addition with poured foundation: $40,000
• Same-size addition on posts and beams: $35,000
• Saved: $5,000

16. Don’t Move the Kitchen Sink

Or the toilet, if you can avoid it. “That often becomes the biggest part of the plumbing-price increase,” says Richard Trethewey, This Old House plumbing and heating expert. If your new layout requires that you move the toilet, use the opportunity to upgrade the pipes at the same time. “That will save you money in the long run,” says Richard.

• Cost to move toilet more than 3 feet: $500-$1,000
• Cost to leave in existing location: $0
• Saved: Up to $1,000

17. Plan with Stock Sizes in Mind

“Ask yourself, ‘Why am I building something 10 feet wide if plywood comes in 4-foot-wide sheets?'” says Lisa Stacholy, of LKS Architects, in Atlanta. The same applies to stock windows and doors: Use manufacturers’ off-the-shelf dimensions from the outset and you will save the premiums of custom fabrication.

• Cost of custom doors: $1,500-$2,500
• Cost of standard doors: $500-$800
• Saved: Up to $2,000

18. Buy Building Supplies at Auction

Brian Peppel, a homeowner in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, attends one building-supply auction each month in nearby Lancaster County. His recent finds include two pallets of concrete block for $10 and a solid-wood prehung exterior door for $65.

“Their inventory is everything under the sun, a lot of scratch-and-dent, misordered custom items, or new overstock supplies,” reports Peppel. He once watched the auctioneer’s gavel fall on a large, custom-made triangular window with an original retail value that he pegs at several thousand dollars. The winning bid? $1.

• Cost of solid-cherry wall cabinet at a home center: $300
• Cost at building-supply auction: $10
• Saved: $290

19. Make Decisions Early

Start prowling the aisles at the hardware store or home center way before the wrecking crew shows up. Get a good feeling for what you want in fixtures and appliances and what they cost.

If you aren’t absolutely specific upfront about what you want, you’ll have to rely on your contractor’s estimate, called an allowance, and his notion of what is acceptable may be quite different from yours. “Ninety-eight percent of the time, allowances are too low,” says Tom Silva. For instance, you may have had a glass-tile backsplash in mind, but your contractor’s bid was for ceramic.

• Cost to plan ahead: $0
• Cost of change orders midstream: The difference in the item price, but also time lost to project delays and communications glitches
• Saved: Up to thousands

Home renovation is a popular hobby for homeowners.

Remodeling can help increase the value of a home while also providing a newer, more pleasant aesthetic to an aging home. This makes it more appealing to continue living in an older home.

In an attempt to save money, here are nine creative home renovation tips for a tight budget.

1. Update any room with a fresh coat of paint

One of the most tried and true budget home renovations is a fresh coat of paint. This is an easy way to help to transform the feeling and ambiance of any room in the house without spending a fortune on extra furniture or add-ons. Paint is fairly inexpensive and is simple to apply. This ensures that money isn’t wasted hiring professionals to conduct renovations. A different color paint can help change any room without breaking the bank.

2. Install crown molding

Crown molding isn’t the most intuitive home renovation idea as not many homes utilize this design. Crown molding is essentially angled trim that lines where the ceiling and walls meet. This is a great way to add value to a home and increase the overall aesthetic appeal. The process is relatively simple and only requires some carefully cut angles and the patience of installation. There are also non-wood, crown molding options that are even more affordable.

3. Refinish kitchen cabinets

The kitchen is a popular area in the house to renovate. However, new cabinets and appliances can be quite expensive. Fortunately, there is another, more affordable remodeling trick. By sanding down the cabinets and applying a new finish, homeowners can achieve the look and feel of a completely new set without the purchase.

4. Install a stair runner

Stairs can be another costly renovation. However, adding a cheap stair runner can help give the space a different feel without a complete remodel. These runners can be purchased in a variety of designs to match any color of paint or atmosphere of the home. Homeowners should be able to find the right size for their homes quite easily.

5. Rearrange your furniture

While furniture contributes a lot to the overall feel of a room, it also tends to cost a lot of money. Most of the time, a tight budget won’t allow for the purchase of a new couch or dresser. For this reason, it is important to utilize the power of rearrangement. A room can feel completely different even with the same furniture when it has been moved around to different spots. You can do this with furniture from other rooms as well. This essentially costs nothing, yet can bring the feel of a complete remodel.

6. Replace cheaper household accessories

When considering a remodel, our attention typically turns towards the bigger ticket items. However, even swapping out smaller household accessories can help to shake things up. For example, pillows are littered throughout most homes on couches, beds, and chairs. Changing the smaller accessories throughout your home is a great way to renovate with a tight budget.

7. Hang up homemade art or photos

Many homeowners scratch their heads when considering what to do with a large area of empty wall. Instead of investing in expensive mirrors or other accessories, consider hanging some of your own work. This could come in the form of a personal painting or photograph. It’s a great way to make your rooms feel more personalized while also saving money in the long run.

8. Add minimalist storage ideas

Storage is an issue in most households. Not only do you have too many things to store, but storing them in a nice way is important as well. This is when investing in some minimalistic storage is a good idea. Small cubby holes and hanging racks are a few great ideas to make storing clothing and other smaller things a breeze. These storage devices can be added to closets and empty spaces throughout the house.

9. Install some new lighting

Lighting is another factor that contributes a lot to the ambiance of a room. Lucky for you, lighting is also a very affordable factor to change. You can opt for a brighter or dimmer setting depending on how you want the room to feel.

Colour is another option when it comes to changing the lighting in a room. Small colour accents can help give a room a cooler or warmer feel depending on the shade.

Wrap up

Renovating your home can be a great way to stay satisfied without having to spend money on moving. However, remodeling can cost money that a lot of homeowners simply don’t have. These nine creative home renovation tips will help you accomplish these goals on a budget.

4 Things to Consider When Renovating an Old House

How Reed and Delphine Krakoff turned Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s childhood summer home into a contemporary retreat with period-appropriate details

By Jennifer Fernandez

Photography by Ivan TerestchenkoApril 7, 2016

When designers Reed and Delphine Krakoff purchased a circa-1917 Arts and Crafts residence on a historic 11-acre estate in East Hampton, New York—it was the childhood summer home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis—the Manhattan-based couple chose to preserve its many period details instead of giving it a strictly contemporary overhaul. “I think we enjoy the process of bringing a house back to what it was more than the end product itself,” Delphine says. “We were very disciplined about getting rid of whatever wasn’t house-appropriate and bringing in things that were.” It’s a delicate balance that requires a sense of discovery, a discerning eye, and an inexhaustible spirit in the face of unexpected developments. Here are four things you should consider when renovating an old home.

Lay the groundwork. Before even thinking about doing anything aesthetically, have an inspector check the existing systems and structures. It’s easier to repair electrical work and plumbing—as the Krakoffs did when they updated their home’s antiquated pipes—as well as roofing and windows before you’ve added wallpaper and paint.

Dig deeper. The living room was clad in an ornate Louis XVI–style boiserie, but the pair discovered a drawing of the room from the early 20th century and learned about the grid-pattern millwork that had originally been there. So they cut a hole into the paneling and found the preserved oak beneath it. The design element now figures prominently in the space.

Embrace patina. “One of the best moments was when Martha Stewart walked through the finished house and asked if we’d done anything,” Reed says. “That was the highest compliment.” A significant contributor to that effect: the Krakoff’s decision to use plaster with metal lath for walls in lieu of Sheetrock.

Decorate with new old things. The couple replaced damaged floorboards with reclaimed 200-year-old oak to retain “that old creaky feeling,” Delphine says. In the dining room, a midcentury Samuel Marx table sits beneath a pair of 1910 Tiffany pendant lamps. “What’s interesting to us is the mix,” she says. “We wanted the house to seem as if it had been furnished over time.”

You are renovating because you want your house to look more beautiful and feel more comfortable. Consider your home renovation plan as a business plan or as your special project you are starting from scratch.

If you hire an architecture he plan for you, but if you want to save money the first step is to take charge of the project and do it to yourself. In this article, we are sharing some DIY ideas on how to renovate your house on budget?

The key to renovating your house on budget yet beautifully is primarily to plan the entire process effectively. The following sections will demonstrate how you can divide your entire renovation plans into sub-plans, according to the space you have and renovate your home effectively. If you are looking to find out top 10 ways to renovate your house beautifully yet economically then read below: 

Divide and Conquer

As mentioned earlier effective planning is the key to effective renovation. If you are renovating yourself then you need to focus on both the bigger picture and the smaller parts. You might have heard the phrase “whole is greater than the sum of its parts”, you can apply the same strategy to your home renovation project and devise a renovation plan for each area in your house. If you hire an architect for renovation, he will assess your requirements and then renovate accordingly. In this case since you’re in charge, you will brainstorm your requirements, write your end goal for each space in the house and decide the overall goal, and then move on to:

Budgeting

Since you want to renovate your house economically it is important for you to decide the total expenditure requirements/limit. It is important to remember in budgeting that you cannot overestimate your budget, keep your budget underestimated and then move on to researching for things you need.

Research

You will be surprised at the number of options you have once you start your research. The beautiful lamp that you liked at a high end store can be purchased at a lower price from elsewhere as well. So, when renovating your house on budget please remember that if you research to find the furniture you like, paint you want or the decorations you would like in your house, you are likely to find most of the supplies at an inexpensive price. Take advantage of online shopping, thrift stores and second hand furniture shops and see how far you will go. For step by step instructions on how you can decorate your house beautifully yet economically please read below:

Doors Create the First Impression

The first impression of your house is your door. If you are unable to change the door completely and if your existing door is in a good condition then you should repaint your door. Your doors could also affect the lighting of your room, and you could benefit from this great technique interior designed Amy Lau uses, “When dealing with a dark room, whatever color is used on the walls, I paint the ceiling, trim, and doors the same color but 50 percent lighter. Too much of one shade can overpower a space.” So, when renovating on a budget if you are repainting your door try to use different shades according to the concentration of light in your house to optimize the lighting of your house the way you want to.

Paint Affects Lighting

As mentioned earlier painting affects lighting and when renovating your house you might opt for a new paint. In that case if you are already on a budget purchasing different colored pallets might seem counterintuitive. If you are on a tight budget then opt for a black and white palette, it will give your house a modern sophisticated look and you will have the guarantee that you can never go wrong with white or black.

Small Rooms don’t have to Look Small

If you are renovating to make a small house look bigger than an inexpensive and beautiful way of achieving that goal is to use mirrors. It’s an inexpensive technique but it’s used by one of the most famous architects of his time, Sir John Soane, who used mirrors in the breakfast room of his London house.

Kitchens and Storage

If you are decorating/renovating your house then you are probably trying to de-clutter and maximize your storage as well. Utilizing your kitchen to its maximum capacity can help you minimize your storage problems. In order to do this on a low budget you can either DIY kitchen cabinets or storages from recycled material at your house, or take advantage of thrift shops in your area.

No one knows your kitchen space better than you do and your storage needs building DIY storage kitchen cabinets will not only help you save money and reuse old materials at your house but it will also ensure that you’re building exactly what you need. If you already have cabinets which are enough for storage then you don’t need to replace them you can just repaint them to make your kitchen look as good as new.

Light Comes through the Windows

According to Marc Appleton, “half the experience of living indoors is seeing the outdoors” So when remodeling your house install large windows. However, you might not have the budget to change your windows in that case play around with paint and paint your windows a shade lighter than the rest of the room to maximize the light coming through the windows.

Bathroom Renovation

You would be surprised at the number of inexpensive yet quality products you can purchase to renovate your bathroom. If you are looking to install new toilet fixture you can check our Toto Toilet, and if you are not planning to install any new items, you can fix up your existing toilet by changing the paint, changing cabinet paints and by fixing the pressure of shower etc.

Floor Renovation

 If you are on a budget then floor renovation might seem expensive, and if you cannot find a flooring installation under your budget then you should invest in renovating everything else according to your floor design.

The key to renovating or redecorating your house beautifully yet inexpensively is to devise a goal for yourself, and paint an entire picture of what you want and then step by step renovate each part of your house like mentioned above.

For those about to attempt a kitchen renovation—or really any renovation—the “Kitchen Renovation 101: What You Need to Know” panel at our 2016 Architectural Digest Design Show was the place to be. Moderator George Oliphant of NBC’s George to the Rescue spoke to three kitchen design professionals, including Mike Daddio, principal at Design Development NYC, about how to create the kitchen of your dreams. Daddio shared ten questions that will make your life—and your contractor’s life—easier, and we’ve got them all here. “If you have these questions answered before you call the contractor, than we’ll be able to have a much more productive, streamlined conversation,” he says.

1. What is your objective?
“Are you planning to sell your apartment in three years? Are you intending to spruce up for that sale? Or are you looking to have all the bells and whistles?”

2. How long do you plan to live in the home?
“If you’re going to be living there for one or two years, you probably want to consider a different type of renovation, something that’s maybe not as costly or something that’s more timeless and traditional in the aesthetic that’s chosen by your design team,” says Daddio. “If you’re going to be living there a little bit longer, then naturally you’ll be spending a bit more and designing something that you really love.”

3. Do you have children?
“If so, where are you going to store everything? Are you going to have a kitchen with a magnetic board; do you hang your children’s artworks?” Resilient, easy-to-clean materials, whether wood or stone, are also ideal for kid-friendly kitchens.

4. Do you have allergies and health issues to consider?
If someone in your family suffers from asthma or other breathing issues, let your contractor know. “Things that are important to stay away from if you do have any of those concerns are high-gloss lacquers and urea and phenol formaldehydes, which are used in the adhesives of most plywoods.”

5. Will you be living in your home during the renovation?
“It adds to the lead time and the construction duration, so that’s something that’s very important to know. It also adds to the level of protection and cleanliness that needs to be maintained in the renovation.”

6. What is your budget?
“This question has to be something that’s first answered for yourself, so you understand what amount of money you want to spend, but it’s important to be honest with the people on your design team, and your contractors, about what that number is.” Once you have a number, add a 10 to 20 percent contingency.

7. What have people in similar homes accomplished, and what have been their limitations?
“What I always encourage on first meetings, in New York City especially, is that you invite your building’s superintendent,” says Daddio. “Getting to the answer of ‘Can we do it?’ sooner rather than later is very, very helpful in the process.” Research local zoning laws, landmark preservation rules, and yard setbacks, too.

8. Can you remove that wall to open up the kitchen?
“It’s very easy to ask the building’s superintendent or other people within the apartment that may have completed renovations. It’s also great to schedule walkthroughs with those people to see what they’ve done.”

9. What’s behind those walls?
“Are there utility risers that limit the amount of wall that can be removed safely?”

10. When can we get started?
“I always say that a well-planned project is a well-executed project,” says Daddio. “Take the time with the architecture and design team to properly plan everything that you’re doing. Source your long-lead materials and purchase them in advance.”