Spring into new décor!
Expert advice for home renos
With purse strings drawn tighter lately, people are forgoing their usual indulgences, such as fine dining experiences and trans-Atlantic holidays, and spending more time at home. So it’s no surprise we may feel like investing more time, energy, and money into making “home” more fun—like turning the bathroom into a spa, the living room into a multimedia entertainment centre, or the kitchen island into a cappuccino bar— especially when we can’t afford to go somewhere else.
The timing has never been better for home renovations, which can upgrade your home to suit your evolving lifestyle needs or even increase its resale value. There’s definitely a payback on bathroom and kitchen renovations, but any renovation is worth it when it adds to your enjoyment and makes daily living easier. Some upgrades, such as enhancing your home’s energy efficiency can save you money directly on your utility bills, and improving safety features (i.e. fire prevention, security) may help to lower home insurance premiums.
Your reno reality check list
Renovating is certainly a cheaper option compared to buying a new home. Plus, there are lots of smart ways to save money—and your sanity—when going ahead with a renovation. Contractor Jim Caruk of HGTV’s Home Renos has some great tips to help make your project
go smoothly and stay within budget.
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Know your limits. Caruk says, feel free to tackle cosmetic details, such as painting, tiling, and trim work, and let professionals handle electrical, plumbing, and structural work, since errors can be costly and dangerous. “There’s a reason why these trades require a license—if you don’t have the experience, things can go very wrong,” says Caruk. So what you save initially may turn into unexpected costs later to fix mistakes.
- Check contractors’ credentials and work. Forget just leafing through a portfolio—go see some projects in progress. Check that contractors have insurance, liability, and workman's compensation, and ideally are members of a professional association (i.e. homebuilders), advises Caruk.
- Put down money cautiously. Pay upfront only for things that need to be paid for right away, such as kitchen cabinets or windows. “Expect to put down 30-40 percent,” says Caruk, “but never pay anything upfront for labour.”
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Measure appliances first. “You need all your specs before starting any project,” says Caruk. For a kitchen renovation, for example, you need to know if/how appliances will fit into the space. You don’t want to be forced into choosing a smaller fridge because you find out after the fact that you don’t have enough clearance.
- Don’t change your mind—it’s expensive. Have the scope of work defined to get the most accurate quote. The more you can tell a contractor upfront, the smoother things will go.
- Beware of amateurs. Avoid cheap, fly-by-night operations at all costs, warns Caruk. That tempting low quote may balloon with hidden costs for extras, or you may be skimping on the quality of materials and/or labour.
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Go for rebate programs. It’s worth the effort to look into the provincial and municipal rebates available in your area and the application processes you’ll need to complete. For instance, the new federal Home Renovation Tax Credit is a great way to save. There are also beneficial Energy Star rebates available when you purchase energy efficient appliances.