Top 5 Flooring Options to Consider Installing When Staging a Home

You might not think that staging a home is necessary if you want to sell it in a market this hot. With practically every home getting multiple offers the first day they are on the market, some sellers are skipping staging. Yet, doing so can open the door to not only more bids but higher bids. One of the biggest staging decisions you'll have to make is what kind of flooring to install.

Laminate

Laminate flooring can mimic the look and feel of stone, tile, and wood. However, the cost is a lot lower. Assembly is easy, too, if you go the DIY route. Tongue-and-groove construction just needs interlocking. Aim for the higher-end options in laminate choices for staging. Lower-end choices look somewhat artificial and turn off some potential buyers.

Renewables

Many modern home buyers are interested in being eco-friendly whenever they can in their lifestyle, so cork and bamboo floors might appeal to them. Bamboo is technically a grass but acts much like hardwood flooring in how scratch-resistant it is, while cork dampens noise and absorbs a lot of shock with its comfort and resilience.

Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is timeless and resilient. You can pick from lots of different kinds and colors, some of which can be refinished multiple times. Solid hardwoods are something you can sand and refinish quite a few times, whereas engineered hardwood has hardwood on top of plywood or high-density fiber cores for cheaper cost and easier installation. If the subflooring is concrete, solid hardwood might not work, but it's also generally thought of as the top option for all flooring options.

Tile Flooring

Tile is an effective choice for rooms with lots of foot traffic and also get wet. Such spaces might include kitchens, laundry areas, basements, and bathrooms. It's durable and doesn't need much maintenance but still has lots of options, including ceramics, porcelain, and natural stone.

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl is made using synthetic materials, including plasticizers, PVC, and fiberglass. It also comes with as many benefits as physical sources, because it's resistant to scratching and staining, is waterproof, and lasts a very long time. Find it in quite a few colors and styles in planks, sheets, and tiles. You can even put it over most existing flooring for quick and easy installation.

Staging Matters

Staging a home can cost a few thousand dollars, but it also helps potential buyers truly see the potential it holds if they were to buy it and move in. The return on your investment is never assured, but it's more than worth it on average in terms of the possible bidding war and increased interest you'll generate.

Why You Need Professionals for Your Home Renovation

Building supply stores make it easy for homeowners to tackle their own DIY renovation projects. However, challenging or extensive remodeling work should be planned with the help of an experienced contractor. Consult a licensed and insured contractor before launching your in-depth home renovation.

Rely on Professionals

No matter what kind of renovation or addition you might be doing on your home, you will need a few professionals to consult and work with to be able to make sure the job is done right. Rely on their years of experience, and remember that they have your best interests at heart. Contractors have the experience that you need to feel good about moving forward with your home renovation. Be sure to consult your spouse as well, make sure that you both like the contractors you are working with and that you admire their work ethic and focus. If you see any questionable things they are doing while working with them, be sure to either ask them to explain, or get a new contractor. After all, you definitely want to make sure, without a doubt, that you are making the right decision with your home. Remember that your home is an investment, so renovating it will only increase its value.

Organize an Efficient Plan

Develop a basic outline of the work you plan to do. Keep the cost and time factors in mind so you don't end up doing more or spending more than you can afford. Include all the periphery work that will be needed to support your remodeling project. For example, if you are turning the garage into a guest suite, you will need to plan for HVAC, electrical system, and possibly plumbing. Without going into extreme detail, describe what you plan to do within certain limits as the guide to be followed by everyone involved.

Establish a Reasonable Budget

Write a realistic budget to finance your renovation. Include materials, supplies, equipment, and tools as well as any hired labor. You should probably include mileage if you will be making several trips to the building supply store, and don't overlook the cost for building permits and delivery charges. It is easy to overlook additional expenses that will take you over the proposed budget, so use generous estimates.

Meet Local and Personal Safety Standards

Don't take shortcuts for your remodeling project. Use industry-recommended materials and follow the correct guidelines for installations. Make sure your addition has adequate electrical wiring and all the necessary safeguards to keep everyone safe. Contact a municipal, county, or state building office for guidelines if you aren't familiar with them. Follow the zoning laws to avoid problems or accidents. Work with the proper safety gear and equipment while working on the renovation.

Save Time and Avoid Costly Mistakes

One of the best things you can do to ensure a successful remodeling project is to consult or hire a home additions contractor. Unless you have years of experience, a building professional can reduce the amount of time needed to figure out how to get the right permit or deal with an unexpected problem, for example, finding a raccoon nest in your attic. A building expert can also help to prevent expensive mistakes by ensuring you are doing things the right way so that the wiring you wrongly installed won't get faulted by the permit inspector and force you to redo the work.

Remodeling your home is an exciting way to improve or expand your living space. From the start, take time to plan and organize the project rather than handling it carelessly. Work with experts to get optimum results.

Signs Your Home Needs a Fresh Coat of Paint

Your home is an extension of yourself, and you must keep it maintained. Your house's exterior paint job is no exception to this rule, either.

But it's challenging to know when exactly your paint needs a little freshening up. This is especially true if you're not sure what it looks like when a paint job has outlived its usefulness. Fortunately, you can learn about a few easy-to-spot symptoms that indicate the need for a new coat of paint.

Peeling or Cracking

Some of the first signs your home needs a fresh coat of paint include cracking, flaking, or peeling on your home's exterior features. All these things indicate that your home has sustained severe weathering from the elements. And as a result, your exterior paint job is suffering.

Plus, because it's peeling off, the paint is no longer able to protect the inner structure of your home. This exposure could lead to moisture buildup and unhealthy mold or mildew growth. Thus, if you notice that your paint is starting to chip or crack, it's probably time to give it a fresh coat.

Fading Color or Luster

In a similar vein, if you examine your house and notice that the paint has lost a lot of its vibrancy or luster, it might be time to repaint it. As the years pass, the sun beats down against your home's exterior, causing its color to fade.

This is perfectly normal, especially if you live in an open, shade deficient area. However, if you feel your paint is entirely devoid of color or sheen, go ahead and have it repainted. Trust us; an expert paint job's protective and aesthetic qualities make it a worthwhile home improvement to invest in.

Pro-Tip: Homes with shaded areas require less frequent repainting. So if you're finding that you have to repaint your house more often than you’d like, consider planting some trees or shrubs to create shade.

Gaps or Shrinking Wood

Perhaps some of the more alarming signs your home needs a fresh coat of paint are gaps or shrinking wood around the exterior structures of your home. For instance, say you go out to investigate your wood siding. Upon further evaluation, you discover a gap between two wooden boards.

This is most assuredly a cause for concern, as it indicates that moisture is building in the wood and making it rot. Luckily, if you catch these issues quickly enough, you can usually fix them with a bit of fresh paint and regular maintenance. So please don't ignore these symptoms if you see them. Take it as a cue from the home and garden gods to get your house repainted.

Things You Should Pay Special Attention to When Updating Your Garage

If you're like most homeowners, your garage probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when it's time for a home renovation project. However, updating your garage can be a great way to improve your home's overall functionality and aesthetics. Here are some things you should pay special attention to when updating your garage.

Security

For most homeowners, a garage door is the largest moving object in their home. A typical single paneled garage door weighs upward of 45 kilograms and requires a lot of force to move. That's why you should update your garage door with stronger parts that prevent the possibility of break-ins. For security purposes, the most common updated parts include the garage door track, the hinges, and the cylinders. Of course, security parts also come in a wide range of colors and designs to allow you to personalize your home's exterior appearance. Consult a company offering garage door services, one like JTM Garage Door Service LLC, to advise you on updating the door’s parts to your needs and wants.

Appearance

In addition to updating your garage door with stronger features, you should consider how it will open and close when designing any new opener or security system. When it comes to colors, most garage doors are typically painted the same color as the home's exterior, but there are some exceptions where homeowners will paint their garages with bold or contrasting colors. Depending on what type of vehicle(s) you own, you may want a one-piece door that folds upward as a traditional door would, which is better suited for larger vehicles such as minivans or SUVs. If you often park smaller vehicles inside the garage - such as camrys or mini coopers - you may opt for a larger, two-piece door that folds down.

Functionality

You should also consider the functionality of your garage concerning storing your vehicle(s) and other belongings. Garage storage options include cabinets which are ideal if you don't have a lot of space and need to store away smaller items such as sports equipment or gardening tools. Larger garage storage can be achieved by installing garage flooring designed to hold large items such as sports cars or even a boat. Another option for adding extra space in your garage is a suspended ceiling which includes a removable panel. This allows you to store things above the roof of your garage without having to worry about the ceiling caving in on your stored items.

Garage renovations are typically best left to professionals who provide you with quality and comprehensive parts and installation services. However, if you're handy and don't mind taking on a DIY project, knowing which garage door parts to purchase will go a long way in making your home safer, appearance more attractive, and functionality better than ever before.