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5 Reasons to Do Your Home Improvement Project this Summer

kitchen with clean white details and tulips on the dining table

The grass is turning green, the trees are budding, birds are chirping – which means summertime is upon us. These are also signs that it’s time to take advantage of the warm weather and free time and get started on those home improvement projects that have been on your mind all year. Don’t rule out your home improvement project this summer because you think the summer season is too busy.  Summer is a great time to work on home renovations – especially for bathroom and kitchen renovation projects. Here are our top five reasons why we think summer might just be the perfect time to update your home!

1. Warm Weather

One of the most significant benefits of renovating during the summer is the warm weather. It makes work significantly easier for contractors and will likely mean fewer or no weather-related delays on your project. If you have a kitchen renovation project in mind, the warm weather gives you the option of cooking outside and BBQing while your kitchen is under construction.

2. Life Is Less Busy

For a lot of families, life slows down a little bit over the summer months. School is out, a lot of sports and activities take the summer off, and as a result, your family is likely a little less busy. Many families also travel for a week or so at a time – meaning they’ll be away from home during the renovation period. With your more relaxed summer schedule, you’ll likely have more time to consider and decide on the details of your home improvement project.

3. Save Money

As contractors typically charge based on the amount of time they are on the job – weather-related delays can cause project costs to increase. It is much easier and faster for contractors to work in better weather and your home remodelling and renovations are more likely to go on without delays.

4. Spend More Time Outdoors

When you have a crew working on a home improvement project at your house – you’re going to want to be out of your house as much as possible. During the summer, it’s a lot easier to find affordable and enjoyable ways to spend your time outside of the house while the project is completed. You can head to an outdoor pool, to a park or on a hike to enjoy the outdoors while your home improvement project is completed!

5. Longer Days

One of the best parts of Alberta summers is the long hours of daylight. Not only is this enjoyable for evening walks or family bike rides but the long days also give contractors more time to work. As the sun sets later and later, your home improvement crew has more time to put in on those days where things need to get done before the sun sets.

Summer is one of our favourite seasons here in Red Deer. We recommend that you take advantage of the warm weather, slower pace and long days and get started your home improvement project. You’ll love entering the next season with a new and improved home.

Check out some of our home improvement projects in our gallery.

Have a home improvement project in mind for this summer? Contact us!

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What Could Go Wrong in a Home Renovation?

man measuring floors for home renovation project

Top Home Renovation Mistakes

(And Tips to Avoid Them)

There are so many things to keep in mind when renovating your home. You have to juggle budgets, materials, labour, time and more. It’s no wonder that it can be easy to fall into tricky, costly and time-consuming mistakes. As a custom home carpentry company on Red Deer, we have seen a lot of these mistakes made by DIYers and less experienced contractors. We’ve compiled a list of the top mistakes we see, how we at Homestead avoid them in our renovation projects and how you can too. Keep reading to learn what you can do to keep your home renovation on-time, on budget and safe.

The Top 3 Home Renovation Mistakes

home renovation project materials

1. Setting an unrealistic budget & timeline

This is one is by far the most common renovation mistake we see homeowners make. Home renovations invariably cost more than expected and often unforeseen circumstances lead to a longer build time than you predicted.

How You Can Avoid this Mistake

We recommend padding your budget and timeline from the start. About a 20% buffer for unexpected costs and 2 weeks to account for any issues that may delay the work slightly should give you enough wiggle room.

Homestead’s Solution

From the very beginning, we are up-front about all foreseeable costs involved and will present you with a detailed and easily understandable budget for your project. This helps prevent unexpected future frustrations and cost overruns. Further, to avoid cost overruns, we set aside a reserve budget to handle unplanned contingencies alongside the budget. Proper planning and accurate projections are important from the beginning to schedule scope and scheduled baselines.

2. Choosing the cheapest contractor and materials

When you decide to bring in professional help, one of the first things you should do is collect estimates from a handful of reputable contractors. It can be tempting to try to save money and go with the lowest quote you receive. However, you truly do get what you pay for. By selecting your cheapest option, you may be cutting corners or missing out on some important services that are worth the extra expense.

How You Can Avoid this Mistake

From the beginning, make sure your contractor understands what you want. Ask lots of questions about materials, layout and the construction process. Don’t select based on price alone but on references and the feeling that you could work well with them.

Homestead’s Solution

Homestead Custom Carpentry is a member of the Canadian Home Builder’s Association and RenoMark and subscribes to the highest standards of professionalism in the renovation industry. In fact, The Canadian Home Builders Association of Central Alberta (CHBA-CA) presented Homestead with the Home Builder of the Year in 2012 and The Safety Leadership Award for Renovations. We are proud of our reputation for quality workmanship and for the high-quality materials we use. Alongside the manufacturer’s warranty on the products we offer, we back our work with a guarantee against all product and installation defects for our own work and that of our sub-trades. We seek to avoid the necessity of call-backs wherever possible.

3. Underestimating the safety risks

Neglecting your own safety will not only impede your project, but it can also cause you serious physical harm. We see this a lot with DIY projects. Home renovations can be expensive  – it’s no surprise that many think that going DIY is the solution. However, it’s only the right choice if you have the proper skills and experience. If you’re going mainly on guesswork, you could end up causing major problems to the structure of your home and to your own safety.

How You Can Avoid this Mistake

Before deciding to make your home renovation a DIY project ask yourself: Have I done any large-scale home maintenance projects before? Do I have the specialized knowledge required to tackle tasks like electrical work and plumbing? If you answered no to any of those questions, you should probably bring in the professionals. If you feel confident in your DIY abilities – always wear protective clothing such as work boots, safety goggles, hearing protection and gloves when working.

Homestead’s Solution

Homestead follows a strict adherence to Red Deer home builder safety guidelines. We are fully insured, to protect our employees, sub-trades, and your home and family. Our employees attend safety certification courses and are committed to maintaining a safe and organized job-site.

A well-thought-out home renovation should give you the aesthetic and space you’re after. We hope this list of mistakes to avoid will help you achieve a safe and successful renovation – before you start swinging hammers and tearing out drywall.

Check out some of our projects in our gallery.
Considering a home renovation project? Contact us!

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How to Spruce Up Your Living Room

renovated open concept living with large windows

Your living room is one of the areas in your home that your family spends the most time in. For a lot of us, it’s where we host friends, have our morning coffee or play games and watch movies on family nights. If your current living room isn’t designed for how your use – maybe it’s time to consider a living room remodel.

As it is such an important room in your home – this can seem like a daunting task, but don’t worry! At Homestead, we’ve seen a lot of living room remodels in Red Deer. With everything we’ve seen we’ve compiled a few tips to help you spruce up your living room and design a space perfect for your whole family.

Before You Begin Your Living Room Remodel

First things first, to ensure the final product is just how you want it, take these three things into account before you begin your living room remodel.

Research and plan

One key step in a successful renovation is doing the research so you know what you want and what you need to do to get it. This is especially important if your remodel includes structural changes to the room. Look online, get inspiration and make a plan!

Consider your lifestyle

As you create your living room remodel plan, consider your lifestyle. Do you enjoy hosting large parties? Would you rather have a small intimate group over? Or, is your living room mainly just for relaxing as a family? Also, consider the stage of life you’re in and the one to come. What you need from the room may change in a few years. If you can plan with your future needs in mind – you can save yourself future expenses!

Consult a professional

Once you have an idea of what you want and a rough plan, talk to a professional. Talking to a custom finisher or renovation company like Homestead about your Red Deer living room remodel can help you gather lots of important information. You will get a clearer idea of a timeline, what you need to budget and what you will need to hire a professional for.

Once You Start – Living Room Remodel Ideas

Once you know what you want and how to get there – here are some ideas to ensure you get the most of our your space.

Expand

Create more space with an open floor plan. If there is an adjoining room you don’t need or don’t use often – remove an interior non-load-bearing wall and take over the area!

New  Windows

Living rooms are where the action happens with your family and guests. Brighten and liven it up by replacing your old windows with new ones to let more light into the room.

Can’t expand? Create the illusion of more space.

  • Paint the ceiling white to make it seem higher.
  • Place a large area rug with 10 to 20 inches of bare floor space between the edges of the rug and walls. If the rug is any smaller it will make the room feel less big than it is.
  • Mount shelves high up on your walls to pull the eye upward.
  • Add a statement piece! A large statement piece like a chandelier captures the eye and makes a room feel larger.

A living room is often one of the most used areas in the house because of all of is uses. It’s where we entertain guests, relax, play games and socialize. Some living rooms are also used for watching television, eating and homework. We hope our tips and tricks have offered you some insight as to how to spruce up your own living room and make it perfectly suited for whatever you need.

Check out some of our home renovation projects and services

In need of a living room remodel in Red Deer? Contact us!

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4 Fresh Layouts for your Fall Kitchen Remodel

4 Fresh Layouts for your Fall Kitchen Remodel | Homestead Custom Carpentry

4 Fresh Layouts for Your Fall Kitchen Remodel When planning a kitchen renovation or home project it can be hard to know where to start. The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s a place where you drink a cup of coffee in the quiet of the morning. Where you make meals for your […]

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