It’s a competitive market in California when it comes to property, especially in LA. It could be that you are thinking of renovating your home to make it a more comfortable living space for you, or it could be that you have the view of selling it on to upgrade or downsize. Whatever the case may be, there are a lot of things you may want to look at before you get to work.
There are also many variables in terms of budget, where your home is – and how much you are willing to invest. Here we have listed some of the best renovation or improvement ideas and where you might want to start.
First of all – Set a Budget
Home renovations always have a danger of going over budget, and it’s a big challenge for people who flip properties. It could be that projects run over, there are hidden costs if you are getting construction work done – or let’s face it, it could be that the correct planning hasn’t been put in place to begin with. This can leave you with unfinished projects – or worse, mounting debt.
Make sure that you budget only for what you can afford, and you can use some online budget tools to determine this. This way you can set aside a set amount of money to assign to each element of your renovation, and you know not to go over it. You will also be able to establish what is achievable. It’s also a good idea to over project what you think things may cost, as this will leave you a bit of wiggle room when it comes to getting things done.
It’s also critical that you shop around when it comes to every element of your renovation project. It could be that you want to get the right contractors for any structural changes (although you won’t want to scrimp there) – or that you have a look in a good few stores before purchasing things like fixtures and fittings. If you are undertaking any work where you need to enlist a trade, research their company thoroughly online to make sure you are going for someone who is trusted. Have a look on their social media channels or 3rd party review sites that will give you an objective idea of how they work and examples of completed work.
Make your Home Open Plan
When you have an open plan home, you will automatically have much less restrictions than you would in a closed plan environment. This will allow you to customise the design of your home. You can have a living space that will be a lot more spacious, airy – and will have a great flow. Effectively, you would have a blank canvas to have your house looking as exactly as you would like it.
Obviously, there are lots of different open plan designs that you may want to have a think about. The majority of open concept homes have a large living area space, that is usually used as both a living room and a dining room – with a kitchen that is connected. By doing this, you are creating a warm and welcoming environment which is fantastic if you entertain a lot.
Open plan homes also have the added benefit of allowing more natural light to get into your home – which is perfect if you want to bask in the Californian sun.
If your home is a family home, taking away walls can also be a great way to promote togetherness within your family. If you are cooking in the kitchen, you can still have a chat with the kids if they are sitting in the living room – or at the dining table doing their homework. It’s a much more inclusive feel that you don’t necessarily get if everyone is in separate rooms.
Walls often tend to seal off space that you could use. If you have unnecessary walls in your hallway – this could be a missed opportunity to create different living areas within your home. Make the most of the square footage you have.
It’s also worth noting for those of you who are environmentally conscious – that open plan homes tend to be much more energy efficient than closed plan homes. In the hot LA summer, an open plan space is much easier to cool down than lots of separate rooms which is something to think about if you are looking to decrease your energy bills.
Updating your Windows and their Treatments
Windows can be a very much overlooked part of your home – and should be one of the top considerations if you are thinking of renovating. There are more things to consider than you may have first thought.
You need to first of all think about the style and layout of your home first to see which windows would best suit your needs. For example, if you stay in a cottage – large glazed open windows may not be the best idea, or if you live in an open plan style home – you may not want to go for narrow windows. In open plan homes, there is an increasing number of people going for floor to ceiling windows to let as much light in as possible and enhance the look of the open space.
If it’s an older home you are renovating – then careful thought needs to be put into the materials used. There are some window styles that are difficult to replicate such as such as trying to make woodgrain PVC, so it’s always good to ask for expert advice.
As well as potentially updating the style of your home, there are other benefits too. If looking to resell – this will most likely add value to the sale price which is beneficial if that’s an end goal. As well as this, it will make your home more energy efficient. Newer models will lock in the heat or cool air in more which will mean that you can expect lower monthly bills.
Once you have the windows you want for your newly renovated home, you will need to finish it off with the window treatments. Window treatments give you lots of control over your privacy and the light that comes into your home. Again, the style of your home will play a big part in what you go for – so you may want to visit this handy guide as to how to choose the right window treatments for you.
Investing in Solar Panels
Solar panel installation in Burbank LA is becoming incredibly popular. This renovation fits in perfectly with the sunny LA lifestyle due to the warmer climates.
This technological advancement has allowed people to be kinder to the environment and save some money at the same time. It is the perfect option for those of you who are looking to reduce your carbon footprint.
Solar panels are much more affordable than you think, you’d be surprised at the solar panel costs. There are also solar financing options available too which can help you on your way to getting them installed. You will find that they are so energy efficient, that you will see a dramatic difference when it comes to your energy bills. You can check out https://sempersolaris.com/ to find out what options are available in Burbank.
Make the Most out of Small Rooms
If you do have a small home, or there are some rooms in your house that are small – and you aren’t keen or don’t have the budget to go for an open plan layout – then doing what you can to make it look more spacious will make for a more comfortable living environment. It will also be beneficial in the long run if you are looking to sell on.
In actuality, you don’t need to spend a fortune in order to make this happen. One of the first things you should think of is colour. If you go for pantones that are medium – then this can make your room look smaller, whereas if you use a bright white or a deep and dark colour, you will give the room much more depth.
There are also great options these days when it comes to hidden storage – or furniture that is multi-functional. This could be useful if you have a small kitchen for instance, and you only want to have certain items out at a specific time – or if you want some extra seating when guests come over. It helps get rid of some of the clutter that people often associate with smaller spaces.
It also could be time to re-evaluate some of those knick-knacks you have if you have a smaller room – they tend to make small rooms look cluttered and untidy as opposed to a decorative choice. The same goes for wall art which a lot of people are utilising these days. Instead of a lot of smaller pieces – if you display larger scale art on one wall – and leave the others blank – it will draw attention to that space and act as a feature type wall.
Remember the Garden
Often when renovating a home, the garden is more of an afterthought rather than something that should be taken care of as a matter of priority. However, if you do live in a sunnier climate, the reality is you might spend a lot of time in your garden if you are lucky enough to have one.
The first thing that you will be best doing is making sure that you have decluttered it. You can invest in great garden storage sheds to make sure that all of your garden tools are kept nicely away and not affecting the look and feel of your garden.
You may also want to keep it low maintenance if you aren’t green fingered. There are easy ways to do this such as only include perennial plants and group them together based on how often and when they need watered. It also would be a good idea to get rid of any trees or shrubs that are on the messy side – and have a look at hard landscaping options.
A garden design trend of 2019 is creating a staycation spot within your garden. This will give you somewhere to rest and relax and feel as if you are on holiday all year. Some good features for your spot are weatherproof outdoor speakers, some mood lighting – and a comfortable chair or even some kind of fire feature for when the colder weather does come in.
It’s always a good idea to invest in garden furniture that you really want to spend time on, particularly if you do plan on having guests round regularly. A barbeque is also always a good idea and is an additional entertaining feature.
If you have a large garden, you will also want to make it welcoming to people who drop by. As such, you might want to have scented flowers on the entrance pathway and have some lighting on the path to make it easy for people to see where they are going.
More than ever, growing food is becoming a popular trend when it comes to gardens. People are much more invested in where their food comes from than they were before. A common myth is that you need to have a garden of a substantial size to do this – but in actual fact, there’s not a lot of space needed to grow food. You could start with hanging plants or have growing herbs on your walls – or just add some pots on your porch.
If you are thinking of renovating your home – but just not sure where to start, then hopefully these ideas will give you a clearer idea of some of the things you might want to think about.
