Home Remodeling

Home remodeling can be daunting. How do you start planning your new design?Here are some tips and ideas to help boost your home’s wow factor.

Pop into Porch

This new entry into the field of online home design and remodel resources brings design ideas together on the same site as contractor recommendations. You can check out permit histories for specific projects, get the specifics on how a home project progressed, and maybe hire the same professionals for your house if you take a liking to what a local has done. And of course, update your share-worthy home remodel once your pride and joy is finished.

Try Design Software

Will your dream built-ins accommodate your big-screen TV? Will puce curtains work with tan brick? Is there a way to make your mother’s old gold mirror modern? Design software lets you map out furniture and design options, so you can check which furnishings will fit and play with colors. Some software is free. The highly rated Home Designer suite costs $99. Before you buy any package, make sure it meets your needs. If you’re reworking exteriors too, you’ll want software that does the same.

Look at Magazines

Tried and true glossy magazines offer photo details that some websites might miss. You’ll learn about the latest trends. Plus, you can tear out pages that inspire, create your own look-book or bulletin board, and easily compare physical images that may not have made it onto Pinterest yet.

Ask Your Friends

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Know someone who recently remodeled their kitchen? Ask them about nifty things they installed and they might tip you off to the wonders of knee-triggered faucets or spring-loaded cabinet shelving. They might also offer an unexpected source that lowered their costs, improved usage or otherwise eased a sometimes difficult process. Be sure to ask if they have recommendations for local architects and contractors. And don’t forget to find out the things they wished they had used, or the problems they encountered.

Ask the Right Questions

We like HouseLogic‘s notes about being specific when you look for inspiration. Doorknobs have thousands of options—can you narrow down the search by color, or by the style of your house? Otherwise you could lose yourself in hours’ worth of options, or even worse, fail to find anything that strikes your fancy. The same goes for the folks working on your remodel, especially if you have an older home. You’ll want someone who can bring plumbing into the modern era, or work with the overall house aesthetic. Don’t hesitate to get specific.

Be Open-Minded

You’ve got your vision, you’ve hired some great people, but it turns out that: 1) The corner hot tub idea may not work after all; 2) You can’t move a wall without the roof buckling; and 3) The oven of your dreams remains on a three-year back order.

Don’t fire the contractor. Accept the fact that you may have to change your plans. And budget accordingly, so that a few missed milestones along the way won’t keep you from reaching your dream.