| If your home is aging like many homes across | | | | taste in architecture. Your new home could make a |
| America are, you're no doubt paying higher than | | | | huge adjustment in how others see you. |
| expected heating and cooling costs, living with floor | | | | Old homes were often built as a collection of small |
| layouts that don't add to your quality of life, and | | | | rooms, but today these small isolated rooms lead to |
| having to look everyday at walls, trim, ceilings, door | | | | a feeling of isolation in family members. Windows |
| and windows that just make your life seem drab. | | | | were small and often wouldn't even open because of |
| Some home buyers avoid considering old homes at all | | | | paint and wood expansion problems. The |
| for purchase, even despite a significantly lower price | | | | overwhelming trend today in home building is toward |
| and being in an established neighbourhood with trees. | | | | open concept designs that allow more interaction |
| The fact is, many old homes are dreary, yet they | | | | between household members. People's busy lifestyles |
| can be remodelled and renovated to improve the | | | | mean they're not spending as much time with one |
| living space, and incorporate many desirable features | | | | another and this leads to social and emotional |
| of new homes. The home renovation industry is | | | | problems. Walls can be knocked out to make new |
| booming right now as people take out small second | | | | rooms that are bigger and open allowing better |
| mortgages to upgrade their homes. Should you do | | | | positioning of furniture. Kitchens, living rooms and |
| the same? Why not? You've been working hard year | | | | dining rooms are connected. The end result is more |
| after year and it's time to make your life more | | | | usability and a less closed, stuffy atmosphere. The |
| creative and relaxing. | | | | new designs encourage communication, shared |
| You're in your house a lot. Most people spend 3 to 6 | | | | experiences, and more imaginative living. |
| hours a day on average in their homes along with 6 | | | | Increase Your Living Space |
| to 8 hours of sleeping in bedrooms. One of the | | | | On the topic of increased living space, and old house |
| reasons people move and go through the expense | | | | can certainly benefit from having an outside deck or |
| and turmoil of moving into a new home is to escape | | | | patio. Deck materials, designs, and construction are |
| what they see as an unattractive, dysfunctional living | | | | much improved today as opposed to 50 years ago. |
| space. Other homeowners just grin and bare living in | | | | Composite decking boards can last decades without |
| a deteriorating house and only make renovations and | | | | much deterioration, and they look great. Deck |
| improvements in emergency situations. Given the | | | | designs today take the indoor living space outside |
| psychological effect your home has on you, your | | | | where people can enjoy fresh air and nature. |
| family and friends who visit, why not consider ways | | | | Whether surrounding the pool or just being a place |
| you can upgrade? From decreasing heating and air | | | | where you can relax in the shade and feel a nice cool |
| conditioning costs, to improving safety, to increasing | | | | breeze on a hot sunny day, decks can lift your spirit. |
| the useable living space, a renovation can create the | | | | They're also often cheaper than an interior home |
| environment that will make you feel better. | | | | renovation. For those living in northern climates such |
| Let's start with costs and risks. Old houses can be | | | | as the New England area, more time is spent indoors, |
| very expensive. Roofs wear out to the point where | | | | so interior improvements might provide more |
| rain and moisture are leaking through causing nasty | | | | enjoyment. Three season rooms can be built onto |
| rot of house framing and even ruining walls, attic | | | | your home if you prefer to have an outdoorsy place |
| insulation, and the carpeting in upper floors. There are | | | | to sit and relax. |
| those who will leave their roof problems until it's too | | | | If your kitchen is looking like a war zone with old |
| late. That's when more than shingling has to be done. | | | | plywood cabinets, plasterboard walls with vinyl |
| Old electrical wiring can be a big hazard and leave you | | | | wallpaper and barely any space to prepare and cook |
| with little confidence about its safety. | | | | meals, then a kitchen renovation is in order. Stairways |
| Old walls have lead-based paint that can leak out | | | | with old worn carpet could use a makeover too. How |
| slowly into the surrounding dusty air and it represents | | | | about new stair railings to spruce up your |
| a health risk to growing children. Plumbing could be | | | | passageways? |
| plugged with years of calcium build up so that water | | | | Before you set sail on your new home adventure, |
| won't flow through, or the water is slightly | | | | take a look at some interior design possibilities. There |
| contaminated with lead particles. Bathrooms are often | | | | are plenty of styles from Victorian to Cape Cod |
| too small in older homes. By redesigning the layout | | | | cottages, to ultra modern condo lofts. There's real |
| you can expand your bathroom and include spa-like | | | | wood products made from cedar and hardwoods |
| features to make it a more relaxing place for you to | | | | that can lift your home's appearance and resale value. |
| enjoy. | | | | Your last task before going ahead with your home |
| Your house siding may not be doing the job it used | | | | renovation is to choose building materials and |
| to in protecting and insulating the house. The siding | | | | products including composite decking materials, |
| on your house is the first thing you or anyone else | | | | roofing and house siding products, exterior and |
| sees at your property. People do associate you with | | | | interior trim, flooring, railing systems and flooring. |
| the appearance of your home, every time they drive | | | | So don't give up on your old house just yet. Consider |
| by it. If it looks like a dump, that doesn't give them | | | | what it would look like if it was remodelled and |
| the warm fuzzies. New siding products are available | | | | retrofitted with a modern design. You can have a |
| that make your home look like a million dollars. And | | | | new home without the huge price and you'll still be |
| there's exterior trim products that can give a | | | | living in an established neighborhood with trees. |
| distinctive, elegant appearance that shows your good | | | | |