Updating your kitchen is an investment that can reap significant benefits including making the room more welcoming, creating more storage space, and boosting resale value. Jobs range from small updates to major overhauls, but they all tend to be expensive. Get ready to update your kitchen without breaking the budget with these tips for keeping costs of kitchen renovations down.

Know Your Home Renovation Limits

Determine before Calgary home renovations begin what you can and can’t afford to do. Avoiding structural changes like tearing down a wall or adding on to the kitchen can save a lot of money. So can leaving all the appliances where they are because you’ll avoid additional electrical and plumbing work.

Consider the Cabinets during Kitchen Renovations

Cabinets make up a large part of most budgets for kitchen renovations. Rehabilitating existing cabinets or choosing standard cabinets can save money in this area. Sticking with a simple design can also help you cut costs. Consider a combination approach of standard and custom cabinets if there are certain things you want custom made.

Choose Countertops for Calgary Home Renovations

The material you choose for the countertops can make a big difference in the final price of Calgary home renovations. Tile and laminate are affordable options that can give you good results. Tile comes in a variety of shapes, colours, and patterns that can fit well in any kitchen, and laminate can mimic the look of more expensive materials like granite and stone.

Work with a Calgary Renovation Contractor

Some kitchen projects are ideal for experienced DIYers, but renovations are best left to the professionals. Working with a Calgary renovation contractor helps you avoid costly mistakes and keep your renovation project on schedule.

Prepare to update your kitchen by talking to a Calgary renovation contractor about additional ways to transform your space on a budget.

Starting a renovation project is an exciting time; you’ve probably been thinking about and planning for this project for awhile. Get the results you want by hiring the right contractor for the job. Look for these things when hiring a Calgary home renovations contractor.

A Connection with Your Calgary Renovation Contractor

The contractor you hire for renovations should be someone you can talk with easily. Share your dreams and goals for Calgary home renovations and make sure they understand your vision. Good communication is key for any renovation project, to establish regular contact with your contractor from the beginning.

A Contractor with Home Renovation Credentials

Only hire someone with the appropriate licensing and insurance to practice in your area. Be on the lookout for additional certifications or memberships from national trade organizations which indicate further expertise.

A Written Calgary Home Renovations Contract

Never begin work on Calgary home renovations without a detailed, written contract from your contractor. The contract should include things like a timeline, payment arrangements, the total cost, project description, and the contractor’s license number.

A Calgary Home Renovations Contractor who Obtains Permits

All contractors should obtain the necessary permits before beginning work, but not all of them do. Some suggest not doing so to save money, but this can cause big problems later on. Check to make sure your Calgary renovation contractor pulls the proper permits before the project begins.

A Renovation Contractor with Reasonable Rates

You want to get the most bang for your buck with renovations, but this doesn’t mean you should choose the lowest bid. The price of renovations reflects quality, so look for a Calgary home renovations contractor who balances good quality work with reasonable rates.

The right contractor can help make your renovation dreams possible. Watch for these things when hiring a Calgary renovation contractor.

At Mastered Home Renovations, attention to detail is our specialty. Your home renovation is sure to meet all your functional and stylistic needs. It is our mission to turn your dream home into a reality. Contact us for a quote to get started.

Phone: (403)-700-7444

Whether you have contemplated building one of the Calgary custom homes, or you have considered a renovation to a home that already exists, you will need to do some planning in the process of the project. Good planning looks at a variety of factors that include the goals you have set for the renovation project and the lifestyle needs and functional requirements you have.

Write up a Checklist

Custom renovations in Calgary will look at a number of elements, and you will need to look at the proper planning and the design of the renovations. The checklist becomes a valuable tool and most Calgary home builders have seen how it helps in the design process. It initiates the thought process, and it becomes essential for custom built homes in Calgary. Whether for a basement, kitchen or a full-home makeover, a checklist gets you started.

What are the Chief Objectives?

When you understand the objectives of a project, you can communicate it to the Calgary renovation contractor. This eliminates some of the potentials for mistakes, and at the same time, it gives you a place to start. It doesn’t matter too much where you start, but that you begin somewhere.

What Impression Do You Want to Make?

Before you begin with one of the Calgary custom homes, you should first have an understanding of the impression you want to make on your house guests when they walk into the home. What do you want them to feel? These are essential questions to ask yourself to figure out where will be the best starting place.

When you begin, you should look at your personal preferences and pander to them. Also, take careful note of what you do not want to see in your future home and keep it out of the home. The wonderful thing about a custom home is how you have a lot of creative freedom in the design of it.

Phone: (403)-700-7444

Anyone who gets into Calgary home renovations can find some appreciation in these simple ways of making your home better. Through the right level of planning, you can transform the look and feel of an entire room through a single renovation project. These custom renovations Calgary ideas cost under $500.

1. Refresh the Rooms with a New Paint Coat

You’d be surprised how you can turn a drab and washed-out room into a brilliantly colored favorite room of the home with a couple paint cans. It will cost around $150 to transform and make a paradise.

2. Add Crown Molding

Ranking at the top of the list, crown molding can be undertaken by your Calgary renovation contractor to take the stress away. You can also add this yourself, which will cost you around $120.

3. Use a Dishwasher to Save on Water

Perhaps you have an old dishwasher in the home that hogs the electric and uses tons of water. In some cases, upgrading to a newer and more energy efficient one might save you as much as $30 per year in electric and 500 gallons of water. This Calgary home renovations project will cost about $500.

4. Add Interior Shutters

Ever had the sunlight stream through the windows and blind you? You might install shades to help eliminate light coming in. It will cost you about $150.

5. New Finish on the Kitchen Cabinets

One of the awesome custom renovations in Calgary would be if you were to change the finish color on your cabinets. You could make them brighter and less gloomy. This will cost you around $200.

As you see, you have plenty of valuable renovation projects that you could undertake to improve your home. Through a Calgary renovation contractor, you can figure out the best project you want to do and possibly go through them.

At Mastered Home Renovations, attention to detail is our specialty. Your home renovation is sure to meet all your functional and stylistic needs. It is our mission to turn your dream home into a reality. Contact us for a quote to get started.

Phone: (403)-700-7444

Developing your basement is a great way to increase your living space, and often increases the value of your home too. But not all basement renovation ideas are equally good. If you’re preparing for renovations, avoid these seven common Calgary basement development mistakes.

1. Lack of Lighting without a Calgary Renovation Contractor

Basements tend to be dark places that need additional lighting. Talk to your Calgary renovation contractor about installing larger windows or window wells, and include plenty of artificial light from various sources.

2. Awkward Floor Plan for Calgary Home Renovations

Various obstacles like floor drains and utilities can create oddly-shaped rooms. Avoid making things smaller to create more traditional shapes because chopping things up quickly makes the space feel claustrophobic.

3. A Noisy Hub after Basement Development

Mechanical systems are often stored in the basement, so choose materials that absorb sound to avoid creating a noisy environment during Calgary home renovations.

4. Too Specific Calgary Basement Development

Keep resale value in mind during Calgary home renovations and try to avoid making your basement something too specific. If there’s something specific you really want, talk to your Calgary renovation contractor about ideas for keeping the area flexible.

5. No Design Continuity with the Rest of the Home

Your basement should reflect a sense of continuity with the style of the rest of the home. This doesn’t mean you can’t get a little adventurous, but don’t make it feel like a completely different home.

6. Unappealing Descent to the Basement Renovation

Include the stairwell in your basement development plans and try to make it more appealing.

7. Ignoring Water During Home Renovations

Basements are more prone to water damage. It’s important to address any issues before beginning renovations and then choose materials that can handle extra dampness.

Make the most of your Calgary basement development by avoiding these common mistakes.

Phone: (403)-700-7444

In 2018, the future of home renovations look promising as a report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies out of Harvard University suggests that we could see a record number of home renovations in the coming year. This report suggests how we will most likely see a 7.7 percent increase in spending in this field by the fourth quarter of 2018. Here are some of the most popular Calgary home renovations in 2018.

1. Rejuvenate with Colour

Hands down one of the hottest trends of 2018, colour will play a big role in the coming year. We have seen years of homeowners playing it safe with neutral colors like grays and whites, but this year will see and infusion and blend of colors. In particular, greens and blues have grown in popularity.

2. Energy Efficiency

Sometimes the smallest improvements can cause the biggest ripples. One of the biggest changes we might see in 2018 is a trend toward smarter homes that have efficient doors, windows, siding and roofing. With Energy Star windows, you can save anywhere from $126 to $465.

3. Finishes and Patterns

In the 1960s and the 1970s, we saw a lot of popularity with geometric patterns. In 2018, some of this has started to make a comeback with the chandeliers to the frames and drawers pulls. If you have hired a Calgary renovation contractor for a kitchen remodel, you may want to upgrade to vintage appliances, which have replaced the stain steel and added more color to the kitchen.

4. Hygge Design

The Danish word for “cozy,” this concept has entered the Calgary home renovations field and kept a strong momentum. In 2018, we’re likely to see an embracing of authenticity and simplicity in homes. One of the big trends this year has been to rejuvenate the style with vintage.

5. Widening Out Hallways and Doors

In particular, this has become one of the Calgary home renovations among the elderly. This has meant widening the hallways and doorways of homes because it helps to accommodate for the elderly with scooters and wheelchairs. Pocket doors have become an alternative choice for those who choose to stay at home because it takes up less room than swinging doors.

When looking to do a home renovation, you also have to look at what will be the most comfortable for you if you plan to live in it over the long term. Also, sometimes personal taste is as important as adding value to the home.

Phone: (403)-700-7444

When it comes to custom homes in Calgary, you have tons of questions that need answers. In fact, your response might even change with time as your needs evolve. You might be nestled in a loving community where you can knock on your neighbor’s door and ask for a cup of coffee. Making it into a home comes with the right home renovation ideas.

1. Connected Space

One of the great ideas is to design a connected space with an open floor plan. This will usually include an adjoined kitchen and a family room. This shows us a wonderful example of connected spaces, and the contractor can give you an assessment of how to remove the walls.

2. Add the Square Footage

You can do a lot by adding to the living space. One of the most common additions that you can make is to do a single story room closer to the back of your house. For example, you might do a kitchen bump-out. In another example, one homeowner did Calgary custom renovations where they added 600-square feet onto their unattached garage. In this case, the custom home renovations added to a children’s play area and a family entertainment area.

3. Design an Outdoor Living Space

For those with a love for the outdoors, you might slant your custom home renovations more towards the outdoor space. In the summer, it becomes a place to enjoy your patio. When planning your outdoor space, you should think about how you want to use it. For example, perhaps an outdoor kitchen will be of better convenience to you, or maybe you will design a pergola to escape the midday sun.

Designing custom homes in Calgary can breathe a lot of new life into your home. What you should do depends on what you want most in your new home. You should remodel it based on what you want to do in the space.

Phone: (403)-700-7444