Shall we Remodel or Redecorate our Home?

As part of our current dilemma process

we need to weigh up all the options to achieve a great outcome for everyone.

I suppose the first question we should be asking is do we remodel or redecorate…

Remodeling your home

Do we like the neighborhood but not the design?

Or…

Redecorating your home

Do we like the design but want a change?

So, if we decide to stay we now need to investigate the pro’s and con’s of remodeling or redecorating!

Remodeling your home – The Advantages

• Cost: Less expensive than rebuilding per sq meter. Generally speaking, it is cheaper to remodel, smart modifications add value. Keep your remodeling confined to current exterior structures. If you retain existing plumbing in similar locations and only move interior walls to change the configurations then this will definitely help with keeping costs in check.
• Customizable: Few people find their perfect home therefore remodeling allows you to add or alter exactly to your specifications and budget. Some people say “A home is like a husband, you don’t normally get a man with all the qualities you want but you can choose a man with most of them and keep working on him!”
• You achieve a better design for you and your family’s needs but maintain the stability of your comfort zone with some neighbors, schools & shops.

Remodeling your home – The Disadvantages

• Construction Hassles: Remodelling can take time and you are living amongst constant dust and mess. Builders are foot-stomping through your house and you seem to have constant rounds of morning & afternoon tea’s and regular “looks like this could cost a bit more” discussions.
• Impractical if you are needing to downsize.
• Difficult to finance: You need to have enough equity in the property to obtain approval from the bank for an extension on your mortgage.

Redecorating your home – The Advantages

• If you are handy with your hands then you can achieve a lot by doing it yourself.
• There will be minimal disruption to the everyday household routine as you can choose to complete one room at a time.
• You can make decisions based on cashflow so less stress with regard to finances.

Redecorating your home – The Disadvantages

• There aren’t too many disadvantages really except perhaps if you make an error in decorating it can end up being more expensive and time-consuming to put it right.
• If you do not feel confident making decorating decisions then it will cost more to get professional advice.

Basically at the end of the day when it comes to remodel or redecorate it all comes down to what you personally desire or need and budget.

Things to think about when remodeling:

Bathrooms & Kitchens make an impact (and sell houses). The budget for these areas must be carefully monitored as costs can spiral out of control once you have started.

You need to shop around for appliances and stick to your designs once decided and while it doesn’t seem much to ask your builder to make, what you think are small changes to the plan, it all costs extra.

Try to be innovative with your design

so that your plumbing is still relatively close to the existing pipes. Perhaps redesign a largish laundry to a very compact but functional pantry design then you may have enough room to add a master bedroom ensuite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe, if so, then go for it.

A 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house not only makes for easy daily family living but is a major plus for resale.

Indoor/Outdoor Flow

Do you want more indoor/outdoor flow which may entail building decks or pergolas? If done right this produces a very appealing and cost-effective result to create what appears to be a larger home with a fantastic lifestyle living particularly for a young family.

Beware of load-bearing walls because if your plan is to remove any of these to achieve an open plan look then it may be very costly.

A few other ideas that can really add pizzazz are:

• Ceiling Medallion Replica’s of traditional ornamentations in turn of the century homes can be easily sourced
• Install Crown Mouldings to allow the upper kitchen cabinet units to meet the ceiling giving a seamless look.
• Add curb appeal, your front door is a focal point so if it’s looking out of date and dingy then make a statement by replacing old hardware or just giving it a blast of color.
• Replace gutters and downpipes if your system is suffering from peeling paint, rust spots or any other problems that convey a sense of neglect.
• Dress up your driveway by cleaning the concrete or pavers and spraying the weeds that get between them.
• Spruce up your front fence with a fresh coat of paint. Repaint window and door trims. You could even give your yard a bit of spunk by adding water-resistant artwork, a unique water feature, metal sculpture or relaxing wind chimes.
• Low maintenance gardens with evergreen plants are a bonus as well.

Things to think about when redecorating:

A little wallpaper, paint or colorful accents can make such a huge difference to your home. Lacquer Paint or resurface kitchen benches and cabinetry.

Flooring

If you have beautiful wooden floors you could resand and repolish to bring them back to resplendent life, carpets can be steam cleaned with a hired machine or perhaps some wooden floors may look best with a whitewash paint.

Decor & Design

• Hang colorful, funky curtains to brighten windows.
• Try a statement cloth or runner on your dining room table or drape a bold-colored throw and fresh flowers to flip an otherwise tame color scheme on its head.
• Floating furniture creates a more intimate seating in your lounge. Achieve this by moving everything a few inches away from the wall, just shifting your lounge suite totally transforms the vibe in the room.
• Dress up the hallway with a luxurious Turkish carpet runner for instant style, recover tired soft furnishings or revitalize with new modern slipcovers or throws. Create a statement wall, maybe with Limoges or similar patterned and colored Chinese porcelain plates covering a section of the dining room wall to make a work of art.
• The kid’s bedrooms could have their current favorite themes with butterflies or trucks and diggers as a stenciled montage. Own two sheets and duvet sets and make regular bedding changes, Summer..light and fresh, Winter..warm and inviting. Paint half the wall…half the paint and half the time… contrast color is subtle, bright color is bold, both still stylish and very on-trend.
• Table and floor lamps create soft glows and a warm subdued atmosphere in your rooms.
• Create a tented bed in the master bedroom, a draped canopy gives the bed an intimate cocoon-like feel, throw a sheepskin rug on the ensuite bathroom floor for a touch of luxury between your toes. Remember a master bedroom should be a haven of relaxation and solace away from our frantic lives.

I think this is enough “food for thought”

Now we need to soak up all the information and weigh up the pro’s and con’s on whether we remodel or redecorate. A decision has to be made!

 

Stick around – you need to check out

Click to read: Should we sell the house or keep the house?

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