How to Renovate Your Home on a Budget

By Nathan Coyne

Anyone considering renovating their house will no doubt be keen to come up with a budget and stick to it, but this is often easier said than done.
There are a number of factors to take into consideration when embarking on a refurbishment project and a good place to begin could be getting a number of different estimates of how much the entire scheme will cost, accounting for materials, time and labour in the process.

When devising a budget, one point you really must bear in mind is that renovations can be quite tricky to bring to completion and the unexpected is sure to happen. As such, it is vital that you make a few contingency plans so you can manage easily should the worst happen.

So, when setting out your refurbishment budget, make sure you put aside some extra money so that if disaster does occur, you can cope and are more than covered for it.
If you're looking for a bit of advice before you begin, why not talk to your bank manager? He or she will be able to help you figure out how much you can realistically afford to spend on a project of this kind, as well as how much you can borrow.

You will need to take into account any interest rates you can get, how long you plan to live in your house and what you consider a reasonable monthly repayment to be.
Some parts of the house deliver a greater return on investment than others so, if you're doing up your home with a view to selling up and moving on, you may want to focus your attention on the bathroom, kitchen, attic bedroom conversions and additions to master suites.

Of course, if you intend to stay in the property, remodelling the kitchen and bathroom will also deliver great benefits, as people spend a lot of time in these living spaces. The kitchen is considered by many to be the hub of the home, so ensuring that it is aesthetically appealing as well as fit for practical use is sure to be a good idea.

Once your budget is decided upon, you will need to look at which tradesmen and contractors to hire. There are several ways to go about finding appropriate workers and one of the best ways to ensure you find a reliable service is to speak to colleagues and friends to get recommendations.

You can also use the internet to locate certain resources, as well as looking through magazines for any reputable companies. When hiring someone, make sure you ask if they are insured and licensed, as well as how long they have been in business.

One of the best ways to make sure you stick to your budget and save as much money as possible while making over your house is to do a lot of the work yourself.
Numerous jobs do not require much practical skill, such as spackling, painting and installing door handles, so you should certainly consider doing such tasks yourself, as this will help you keep costs down.

However, there are some jobs that you should perhaps leave to the professionals, such as rewiring and fine woodworking. Skimping on areas such as these could well prolong your renovation project and end up costing you more cash over the long term.

You may find that you can save most money at the beginning of a refurbishment project by doing as much of the demolition work as possible without the help of a professional. You can undertake sanding tasks, remove rubbish from the site and install insulation - and save on delivery costs by picking up any ordered goods yourself.

Install your own door handles to save money when renovating your home. Door Handles UK offers a range of fittings like Lydia door handles and ouvre door handles, all at competitive prices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_Coyne

What makes discount wood blinds the best?

One of the most functional decorations is wood blinds. So, making an investment in such blinds is definitely worthy it as they safeguard your house from direct light of the sun along with assisting you in slashing your electricity bills. With faux wooden blind you can add to your room a touch of elegance. A simple room can be made more charming with discount wood blinds. If you are looking for it then start your search online for decoration which will make the look of your home appealing. Discount wood blind are manufactured from various materials. Discount wood blind is available in various materials. They are an easy economical alternate for the people who have a tight budget. Century wood blinds The designers have offered a cost effective solution for assisting the people who want to give their homes a totally new look. These reasonable alternates are the best possible as they are available with similar quality features which can easily be easily found. Acquitting these items at reasonable prices is an easy task and you will not have to spend a huge amount in order to give your home a new improved look. You can access the Internet to avail all the necessary information regarding the discounts sales available. If still you are hunting for information then the only way out is to shop around in order to lay your hands on the best option available. The ultimate outcome will be fruitful in this case undoubtedly. Looking out for appropriate blinds for your place can prove to be a real challenge. But you will have to strike a balance if you are looking forward to give new dimensions to your place in terms of peace, comfort and looks. You can select a provider via internet who will assist you in looking out for appropriate blinds for your place. For this you will have to decide upon the exact money amount you are ready to shell out for the blinds and you will have to keep an eye on this budget when you look forward to purchase discount wood blinds. Shelling out money for decorations is no more a frustration but something people do willingly. The present market offers you with what you desire and that also at affordable prices. All you will have to do is take out some time from your daily routine and find out blinds which match your furniture. Making selection from a wide assortment of options is truly a difficult task, so, you will have do it very prudently else you will have to regret later. If you are looking forward to give your home a contemporary look then despite what you select you will have to keep in consideration that it should not be overtly expensive for you as well as your family. Do not spend worthlessly on blinds which do not offer you quality features. So, you can opt for discount wood blinds as they can give a warmer look to your place. If you are looking for extra shade and comfort then discount faux wood blinds will do the needful.

Author Resource:- Mike Lee is the author of this article on Discount Wood Blinds. Find more information about Discount Blinds here.

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Installing Vertical Blinds -video

How to Go about a Home Remodeling Task

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By : Bathroom Remodel Submitted 2011-09-11 23:48:13

Our homes are constantly in need of repairs. Could be the bathroom faucet is leaking, door hinges are loose, electric sockets dangling loosely or cracked pavement blocks on your driveway. Might be you are seeking for a complete home remodeling. Some minor repairs can be done without necessarily getting help from outside. However, for a professional touch and finish, you might need to hire a licensed contractor to do the job. Some simple repair tasks can be quickly fixed by a handyman. For complicated jobs, you are advised to hire a contractor more so a licensed contractor. Instead of engaging one person to do the home remodeling, a contractor would fare much better. Contractors employ workmen who are endowed with a wide range of experience and different areas of specialization. Take a home remodeling project for instance. If you bring in a licensed contractor on site, the work will be done in a very short time. These guys come fully loaded with electricians, plumbers, carpenters and painters. Your home is turned into a busy hub as the grinders hammers, drills and saws get into work. Contractors are very systematic. After the initial consultations, they will send over a handyman or several of them to your house. These will conduct a thorough check of the areas to be covered and note down on their work books. What’s more convincing is that most of the licensed contractors in your area do have a reputation for quality work. Take inventory of your home modeling task and decide how you want it done. Before selecting a licensed contractor, visit their website and pay special attention to their work portfolio. If the site has a feedback section, read through it for an insight of how past customers regard the contractor. Visit other sites of licensed contractors and compare each with the other. Make notes detailing what you like about the contractors as well as what does not please you. This information will come in handy when deciding who to grant the home remodeling task. Obtain their contacts and make several cold calls seeking for catalogues and price lists. If they can provide you with details of their charges via email, the better. Shortlist the contractors who seem to impress you based on their service portfolio, completion periods and feedback from clients. Focus more on licensed contractors. Check whether they specialize on home remodeling. Visit them and get a first impression. You can always tell a quack from a professional, their work premise easily gives them away. If possible you can request to be taken to the site where work is ongoing. Be very careful with contractors. Some are known to do shoddy work. Always go for licensed contractors. Home remodeling jobs are meant to give your house uplift. Hence it should be done properly. In case of shortcomings, you can ask that the work be repeated or opt for legal recourse. Now you can go ahead and engage the selected licensed contractor. Discuss the nature and scope of work and agree on the overall fee.

Author Resource:- Contractors is the author of this article on Home Remodeling. Find more information, about Granite Countertops here

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Ideas on Bringing Colour Into a Neutral Living Room

By Keredy Stott

House decoration trends come and go but neutral tones remain the safest option for most individuals and families, or if you're renting, it's probably safe to assume that your accommodation is painted white or off-white. Sometimes we all wish our homes could be a little more striking though and whether your tenancy won't allow a dramatic decoration change, you don't have a large budget to blow or you're not quite brave enough to move away from the magnolia just yet, here are some ideas to bring a touch of colour into your living room.

· Patterned wallpaper - wall coverings with bold patterns have been on-trend for a while and they aren't being replaced just yet. However, instead of making a feature out of the largest wall, as is usually done, try framing a window with a strip either side as well as above and below. Otherwise, why not hang just two or three strips in the centre of a wall, which looks particularly good if you place a sideboard type piece of furniture in front of it. These options will save you money on the paper and the pattern won't be too overwhelming.

· Cushions - choosing a mixture of coloured, patterned and textured cushions can really add extra dimensions to what may otherwise be a very plain room. If you're not very confident on where to start, find a patterned cushion with more than one colour in it that you like or to create a bespoke look, find the fabric your like and either get handy or get them made. Next match two plain ones to the two colours in your patterned cushion and, if possible purchase one that has an interesting texture; perhaps furry, woolly, leather, etc. Six cushions in total are ideal for a sofa and just the three for a chair.

· Accent furniture - depending on the space that is available to you, one eye-catching piece of coloured furniture will lift the atmosphere of any interior. This could be absolutely anything but choose a stand-out colour or be courageous when choosing a pattern; think about a coffee table, an armchair, a shelf unit or a sideboard. If you already have a piece of furniture that just needs livening up consider giving shelves a lick of paint, buy a big throw for a chair or cover the front of drawers with wallpaper.

· Accessories - it's not rocket science but if you're not ready for changes as big as those suggested above, go shopping for trimmings. Try a mixture of coloured candles, an attractive vase, a large print for the wall, one or more lamps or a feature ceiling light shade and interesting photograph frames of different sizes.

Adding colour to a room will almost certainly change the way you feel about the space and your mood can be positively affected. Carefully think about different colours you like, and very importantly the tones; there's no need to rush your decision so when you're in other houses, at work or in other places, like restaurants, try to remember how the colours in the space made you feel. Doing this should help make you feel a more brave about applying colour.

Keredy looks after the public relations for Lima Europe. As Lima's head office is located in mainland Europe, the successful design house that has recently launched in the UK, is competitively priced when compared to other London interior designers. Lima offers clients a full design service, from consultation to project management, architectural and decor planning to bespoke furniture manufacturing and final execution of the design concept.

Whether you are searching for domestic or commercial interior designers, visit http://www.limaeurope.co.uk or call 020 884 0504.

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