Renovation Recommendations For Your Home Improvement Projects By Bill McCowen At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Whether you've just purchased a new home or are looking to upgrade your long-time family home, home improvements and renovations can be daunting. Because any remodeling project takes up so much time and money, it's important to have a clear plan before you start.

Keep reading for great ideas on simple-to-major home renovations. First up are the simple fix-its. These are easy solutions with a big "wow" factor that can be done in under a week, but can go a long way toward improving your home.

1. Tile and Bathtub Resurfacing

Getting your bathroom tiles and showers resurfaced or redone can make a huge difference and really update your bathroom, giving it a contemporary and modern look.

2. Upgrade Your Fixtures

Upgrading your sink faucets, light fixtures, door knobs and cabinet handles is a quick and easy way to spruce up a home. Start this simple home improvement project by taking down those decades-old frosted glass light fixtures and throwing up some hip and modern spotlights. Next, update your shower heads and sink faucets to make the bathroom shine.

Upgrading fixtures is also a great way to add value to a home that you're planning to sell. Not only do they modernize the look of a house, but they also give buyers a sense of value.

3. Paint

Painting can be done in a day. It may not be fun - although some people enjoy it - but this quick and easy fix will brighten a room right away, taking it from dull and lackluster to shiny and new. For a professional looking finish, be sure to spackle over and sand any holes in the walls.

4. New Carpet

Sometimes replacing that dingy, old carpet can be all you need to make a house feel new again. For a clean and modern finish, try wood laminate or hardwood floors.

Next are two major home improvement ideas that will take a few weeks to a few months for completion. These are significant undertakings that you'll want to seriously plan and budget for, but can have a major impact on the value and appeal of your home.

However, before you begin a larger home improvement project, especially one that's going to be done in stages, verify that all your pieces fit together. If you're updating the kitchen in a modern and contemporary style, for example, check whether it will fit with your country barn plans for the living room.

If you're stuck for ideas, one option is to hire an interior designer for a consulting session and ask that individual to come in for an hour or two to provide ideas about the best way to use your space. Interior designers are not normally cheap, but in the end their expertise is well worth the cost.

1. Make Your Home Energy Efficient

Give your home a complete energy overhaul by upgrading the windows, redoing the insulation (especially in the attic), revamping your venting and heating systems, installing water recycling systems and putting solar panels on your roof. Though these home upgrades can cost a lot up front, they'll save you tens of thousands in the long run.

2. Adding Space

Any time you build an addition to your house, you're taking on a major project. You'll need an architect, a qualified contractor and all the licenses and permits that your city requires. Take special care if you're adding an extra story, as most counties allow a certain time period for neighbor complaints.

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