Calgary Tips For Green Remodeling
Making the choice to “go green” when remodeling a home is a responsible thing to do. A green home is healthier, more comfortable and more cost effective to run. It uses less energy and water, and goes a long way to protect the environment.
Buildings consume nearly 40% of all the energy used worldwide and accounts for nearly 40% of the building material used. Remodeling gives us an opportunity to reduce the impact that buildings have on our environment.
Green practices must start from the day the decision is made to remodel. Listed are some areas to consider when choosing to “Go Green”.
1. Choose a remodeling company that s certified to be using green products and green technology.
2. Get an energy audit to get an understanding of what you will need for your project. Most energy companies offer these for free.
3. Take into consideration the location of the home, and how remodeling can take the best advantage of natural wind currents, the sun, shade and the existing landscaping.
4. Using native plants properly, adding shade trees, and adding rain sensors to sprinkling equipment will all save energy and water.
5. Choose building materials that are made of recycled material, or reuse lumber from the existing home. Consider the use of salvaged materials if available in you area.
6. Choose appliances that have an ENERGY STAR® rating can save you hundreds of dollars a year by reducing energy usage.
7. Get a highly efficient heating and cooling system.
8. Replace lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLS) to save as much as 75% of the energy used over conventional bulbs. Use of natural lighting and solar tubes helps even more.
9. Washing machines, dishwashers, faucets, toilets, and landscaping equipment that are energy efficient can also reduce your electric and water bills.
10. Avoid the use of carpeting which can harbor allergens mold and dust. Nontoxic carpet is available.
11. Use nontoxic paints and caulking.
12. Use recycled materials for cabinet’s countertops and floors. (cork, bamboo, spruce, eucalyptus, and wheatboard are common sustainable products). Take your old kitchen cabinets and install them in the garage or utility room.
13. Use solar (photovoltaic) panels for hot water heaters and power generation.
14. Use programmable thermostats and fans to lower air conditioning costs.
15. Install energy efficient windows and doors and be sure they are properly caulked.
16. Proper wall and attic insulation using green technology is a huge energy saving choice.
17. The use of locally manufactured products help eliminates the environmental impact that transportation adds to a product.
18. Choices made in roofing materials can help protect the environment and your pocketbook.
19. Before disposing of any building materials, be sure no one wants them. List them on Craigslist or FreeCycle chances are someone wants them.
20. Choose furniture that is made of recycled sustainable material.
The list of green options goes on and on. Making a list of available products and prioritizing them will help the homeowner make the best choices when deciding to remodel.
Becoming a knowledgeable consumer is the first step to take when deciding to do a green remodel. The choices available give the homeowner flexibility in how much they want to spend on a project.
Whatever choices are made, going green helps the environment and the pocketbook. Tax credits and rebates may also be available for even more savings.
Calgary Masonry Restoration Is Needed, When?
There are a number of visual symptoms that can be seen when brick and stone masonry structures need restoration.
Restoration of an existing stone or brick structure may only call for replacing a few masonry units that have been damaged by accidental blunt force impacts that require grinding out the mortar surrounding the damaged units, removing the damaged units and re-pointing them back into place with a matching mortar.
Then there are times when more serious restoration processes need to be undertaken, when portions of a masonry structure begin to show discoloration, brick face spalling (cracking and chipping), mortar cracks and crumbling. These are signs that the masonry structure is under siege from the elements from the inside and the material of the wall begins to break down. This type of damage is usually caused by moisture getting inside the brick or stone face structure and gets trapped there. Then when freezing and thawing takes place, the material expands and contracts at different rates, causing a breakdown in all of the material, brick and mortar alike. This cause of this kind of deterioration needs to be stopped by finding the source of the leaked moisture, whether it be a leaking wall flashing or wall cap etc… Once the moisture leak is found and stopped, then there are a number of ways to approach the repair or restoration depending on the extent of the damage. If the extent of the damage is large enough, some times you would be better served (cost and time wise) to just replace the entire wall or structure.
There are also instances when the foundation or the footer of the masonry wall is the cause of masonry wall failure.
When an unstable foundation or a foundation failure is at fault, you will see the mortar on a brick or stone structure begin to pull away or separate from the brick or stone units, leaving gaps between the mortar and the masonry units in a horizontal stair step pattern. There can also be present, occasional vertical cracks in the mortar and sometimes even in the brick units themselves. The foundation will need to be repaired before any effective restoration can take place.
Another note: if you are planning to have new exterior hard-scape work done such as, free-standing masonry walls, fireplace, outside entertainment areas and retaining masonry walls, you must (must) have a properly poured, re-bar reinforced, concrete footer underneath the masonry structure, to have a sound, long-lasting masonry fixture.
7 Benefits For Calgary Kitchen Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Calgary Kitchen Renovation cost depends on a lot of factors. It depends on where you live, the age of your home, and is of course constrained on your budget. When decorating on a budget, it’s important to be creative with your purchases. The kitchen is the heart of house. It is the most versatile than any other room of the house. It is used to prepare meals, feed the family, store foods, and also used to store other household items. Kitchen is the centerpiece of the home. It is also known as the family gathering place. It’s is a major change that one takes to renovate a house.It may affect the manner in which the house looks. Therefore, it is important that every kitchen remodeling idea be taken into consideration. This is especially true when available space is limited, and kitchen remodeling cost is concern.
The process of a renovation is broken into several processes like:
- Planning
- Engineering
- Structural repair
- Rebuilding
- Finishes
There are three basic kitchen functions that we can consider while doing Kitchen Renovation: storage, food preparation, and clean-up. A well-thought out kitchen design will accommodate each of these three functions. It is also important to incorporate more than one work center so that more than one person can work efficiently in the kitchen at one time. In case, if kitchen space is very limited than an extra work area can be created by separating the microwave, oven and the stove.
There are lots of benefits of Renovating of kitchen like:
- The renovation cleans your house perfectly.
- It increases the appeal of your home.
- It restores the home to its actual style
- It adds room for different purposes such as offices.
- Renovation configures the home for superior living flow.
- It orientation to sun or/and views.
- It increase the value of your home
Kitchen renovation will ensure that the part of the house which is used the most is made comfortable and utility based. It increases the design, function and resale value of your Calgary home.
4 Great Designs For Calgary Bathroom Renovation Projects
Some of the great designs named in Calgary bathroom renovations that will give you an improved and better space are: the tub is the star, the cantilevered double sink, the bathroom wardrobe, and antique and traditional looks.
Renovating your bathroom brings out the best of your bathroom space. This will benefit not just the resale value of your home but also the experience of the people using the space daily. Renovating according to how you want your bathroom to look, will give you extra credit. Make use of the following bathroom designs to help keep your bathroom renovation project moving:
The tub is the star
The “tub is the star” design focuses more on the surroundings of the bathroom space. The bathroom is used as a utensil for sight seeing. This type of design makes use of the double-ended tub. It is a type of bath tub that enables you to lie on both sides. You can have a warm bath laying against or facing the window. It is mostly used in houses with a contemporary architectural design.
The cantilevered double sink
A “cantilevered double sink” design provides you the advantage of bigger bathroom space. It makes use of a deep-basin shaped sink. The double sink is placed on a cantilevered bathroom counter. Having two sinks in the bathroom will provide you and your partner the time to brush your teeth or wash your face together. This will also save you time. A cantilevered double sink is generally used in a modern home.
A bathroom wardrobe
The position of the tub in this design is placed in the center of the room with one end of it positioned on the wall. The bath tub will cover the pipe on the wall. However, the person will be facing the wall when he or she uses the bath tub. Place a mirror on the wall adjacent to the bath tub to fix this problem. Wardrobe storage is one of the main components in a bathroom wardrobe as well. This will save space in the other part of the house. It will also allow you to directly change or store clothes after taking a bath.
Antique and traditional look
Antique and traditional looks use a claw-foot tub that is placed diagonally in the bathroom for a more relaxing feeling and position. Use a wainscot wall treatment made of solid wood to help keep the wall dry and protected from moisture. An antique and traditional design is a common and practical bathroom design that is generally used in most homes today.
Properly choose a fitting wall color that will give your Calgary bathroom a refreshing look. Make sure that you arrange the fixtures and furniture in a clear and organized way. This will allow you to enjoy every bath and will make you want to stay in the bath tub longer.
Calgary Basement Finishing For Upscale Basements
If you have invested in having a grand Calgary home, then I am sure keeping it looking nice is important to you. That is why you should only consider the best when looking for contractors for new construction and upgrades to your home. For example, if you are considering finishing your basement, you are entering a world of opportunities and upgrades for your home. Here are some luxuries your newly finished basement could enjoy. All of these are aspects that will increase your property value and standard of living.
Every successful business man likes to talk about his job, car, family, home, boats, and so forth. They may go on about their pool or Jacuzzi tubs. It’s time for you to take the mic and time for your home to see some additions. When finishing a basement, you have an open canvas to work with since all your necessities are in the main part of the home. A popular investment among fancy homeowners is their own home movie theater. The basement is the perfect place to set up shop and a professional basement renovations company will have an array of options for your personal needs. They will be able to install proper lighting, molding, flooring, and more. They will give you custom options for building in shelves to store your movies and games along with track lighting for subtle light and uninterrupted movies. It is advised not to have them install any windows in your new movie theater. Save windows for other areas in the basements. Movie theaters should be dark with crisp views of the large screen.
While movie theater’s are quite the extravagant feature, there are more things that catch a homeowner’s eye for Calgary basement finishing. This is your opportunity to escape from the kids and relax in a comforting environment. Let the kids let loose in the theater while you enjoy your own private bar or even wine cellar. Both upgrades are feasible and are sure to bring a new excitement to coming home or having guests over. A Calgary professional renovation company will have all the options you are looking for in your wine cellar such as built in wine racks and beautiful glass doors to walk into your private cellar. They will know exactly how to showcase your fine wine and in a classy and custom way. As far as for your bar (to sit and have your well deserved glass of wine), there are endless options for construction. You can have custom cabinets, full kitchen appliances, hand picked knobs and handles, and even things like custom shelving for your bottles and glasses. Special areas to hang your wine glasses from are always a nice extra touch.
When it comes to finishing your upscale Calgary basement, do not let any idea get in your way. If things like movie theaters, wine cellars, and bars are all easy upgrade options, then there are many more upgrades to follow. Start thinking about what extravagant feature you want in your basement and call the professionals today for your custom home basement additions.
Handy Practical Calgary Kitchen Renovation Ideas
We all want a Calgary kitchen that inspires the true chef in all of us plus make it the best family room and most of this can be achieved by using excellent kitchen ideas to make the most of what we have available to us. Of course delving into such a huge task can be taxing not only physically but also on our pockets so it helps to plan carefully and get loads of advice. Calgary kitchen renovation ideas can be found all over the net but often times you’ll find that many of these tips are re-hashed kitchen design ideas that are outdated so pay close attention and take notes.
The most frequent kitchen renovation ideas recommend that you focus on space, color, tranquility and a high level of multi-functionality among others. Here are some of the best kitchen ideas that you can implement into your home and also what to look at before we make any changes:
1. Space – How much do you have available to you? The shape of your kitchen also plays a huge part on practical kitchen design ideas. Space translates to layout and this is critical in the initial planning phase. The types of layouts are: A one wall kitchen, an L shaped, U shaped, island shape, a galley kitchen, a peninsula kitchen.
2. Color scheme – What colors do you have now and do you intend to paint your kitchen another color. It is recommended that never use a combination of more than three colors. More than this could result in a cluttered cramped feeling. Popular colors would be creams, pastels, as well as bright and light colors like green or blue that give the kitchen a refreshing feel to it.
3. Flooring – This makes a big difference. Darker color tiles make any kitchen feel small and cramped. Marbles and tiles in whites and light colors work best although it has been shown that people prefer cork flooring for warmth.
4. Clean Lines – The use of smooth clean lines make the world of difference by giving the kitchen an uncluttered look. It’s the illusion of smooth lines that make your kitchen appear bigger. The longer the lines the better, apply this to work tops, islands, drawers and cabinets.
5. Use of Lighting – The best lighting is natural lighting of course but sometimes we have to compromise for soft indoor lighting. Focus on indented or receded led lighting methods, and keep towards soft tones and upper cabinet fixtures.
6. Cabinets – Modern and contemporary cabinets are in and look great and are easy to maintain. Antique designs work best in large kitchens so choose smartly. Dark colors and finishes last longer but are bad for spaciousness. Focus on getting units that start from the floor all the way to the ceiling.
It’s important to point out here that investing in kitchen renovation ideas will greatly increase the overall value of your property and serve the potential to sell your home fast in the future but also make any current guests and friends feel right at home.
Home Remodeling to Increase Your Calgary Home Value
If you are planning to sell your Calgary home, remodeling your house can add value in the market. With no doubt you can make more money out of it. You need not reconstruct completely, instead you can work on the main areas that play an important role in adding value to your home. Kitchen remodeling and basement remodeling are few of them. The most attractive part is that you don’t have to spend much to remodel these areas since they are not very large in nature.
A few changes that can be made to remodel the kitchen is to start off with changing the cabinets. Cabinets are the ones that catch the attention of the one who enters the kitchen. Adding new appliances plays a significant role in kitchen remodeling. Replacing the older sinks with a new stainless steel sinks add beauty and appear fresh. Removing the old tiles or backsplash and sticking the new ones transforms the look. It would be a good idea to do some flooring work to match the above said changes. A fresh coat of paint can make your kitchen a brand new one and smells fresh too. New counter tops and replacement of furniture such as breakfast tables and chairs, island carts, etc will appear pleasing to the buyers.
In most houses, bathrooms will be much smaller. So it doesn’t cost you much as that of kitchen remodel. Only few areas can be concentrated such as replacing bathroom flooring and tile, replacing cabinets, countertops and vanities, sinks, and changing tubs and showers. You can also give a coat of paint if necessary. If you think remodeling your bathroom can add its real estate value, you can include more bathroom remodeling work.
Roofing plays a vital role in increasing the value of your house. A complete restoration of roofs becomes necessary if they are too old to bear any climatic changes. Likewise are the gutters, sidings, decks and patio covers. Even though it is not necessary to cover all these areas, any repairs on these can be solved to stay away from any of the troubles.
Even though it is not necessary to remodel your home, if it can benefit you in terms of tax, you can blindly carry out the work. Yes! When you sell your house, you will be charged tax on capital gain. It means, any money made over its value will be taxed. However, you can declare the proofs of improvements made to the hone such as kitchen remodeling, plumbing or wiring, exterior upgrades etc, to get tax benefits.
The above said may sound easy till you find the best and trustworthy remodeling company at your service. These changes can only attract the buyers with a good finishing work. So choosing the right remodeling company is a must.
Renovating Your Calgary Bathroom Within the Budget
Bathroom supplies make a crucial part for not only small apartments but also for huge mansions. The bathroom is a most used, yet the most neglected room in many houses. Since it is frequently used, it should be clean and checked for every part. Calgary bathrooms are actually the first thing you use in the early morning and the last thing before going to bed. In the modern era, everyone can get to have even a designer bathroom. In fact bathrooms can be dressed with elegant supplies and outfits that are available if you head for the market. Luckily, these supplies come in various styles, colors and materials.
If you are planning to create your luxury bathroom, plan well and act accordingly. The secret in decorating you dream bathroom is to pay special attention to minor details as well. Skilled hands and creativity can bring any old ugly bathroom to life. Hence that would mean that the right process is itself the key to success. So the next time, you are heading to the store for Calgary bathroom remodeling supplies, pay more and deeper attention to the bathroom supplies. In fact bathroom supplies can make or break your well built décor. You will find huge collection of them ranging with different colors and styles. No doubt a wise shopper will be the one who would take time to choose the right supply with the exact color and fashion.
A comfortable bathroom needs to have a touch of modernism and novelty. The most important element that can grab the attention of your guests are elegant tubs, graceful shower stalls, polished sinks and neat commodes. One cannot imagine the bathroom without these supplies. Calgary bathrooms are not only used to clean ones own self but to refresh from a hectic day’s routine. Hence it is really important that all the accessories need to match with the design of the bathroom.
Interestingly, you will not have to spend a fortune to rebuild your old bathroom into a stunning one. With the right bathroom supplies, you can turn your bathroom and dramatically give it a new advanced look. To relocate your bathroom into a new one with bathroom supplies, you need to have a little imagination and a hint of creativity. You will also need to consider the fixtures and hardware supplies of the bathroom to give it a magical look. Something as minor as the bathroom hinges can make a huge difference in the overall look of your bathroom renovation.
As you shop around of your bathroom supplies, consider different options and use your aesthetic sense to set for the best. The list will go on but have fun with your chore and choose the bathroom supplies that fit best and can highlight the overall theme of your bathroom.
Three Great Calgary Bathroom Storage Ideas
Whether a person is building a house or remodeling a house, Calgary bathroom remodeling is going to be one of the hardest projects to do. This is because the bathroom is much smaller than most of the other rooms in the house, but there are a lot of things that go into a bathroom. A toilet, vanity and sink, and a bathtub or shower will usually go in most bathrooms. However, the decisions aren’t over after those products have been selected. One must also think about what kind of storage products will be placed in the bathroom. This article will present three great bathroom storage ideas.
As stated before, the bathroom is usually one of the smallest rooms in the house, but a lot of big items go into a bathroom. Also, towels need to be stored as well as other toiletries. Finding space wherever possible is definitely necessary to do. One way to create more bathroom storage area in a bathroom is to use the back of the bathroom door. Many different hooks and bars can be mounted on the door, and then all sorts of different things can be hung on the door. Hanging things on a door could help clean up that cluttered vanity!
Most big businesses don’t build their buildings very wide; instead, they build their buildings high into the air. This same idea can be brought to the bathroom. Since the most space in a house is usually up towards the ceiling, it’s a great idea to take advantage of this space. Finding bathroom storage furniture that goes straight up is a great way to store a lot of items and save space in the bathroom. This is often referred to as linear storage.
A third bathroom storage tip is to use the corners throughout the bathroom. People often buy storage furniture that is square, so it can be put against any wall. However, a lot of space is just wasting away in every corner of the bathroom. This space should be taken advantage of, and this can be done by buying storage furniture that fits directly into the corner of a room.
Install a Walk in Bath Your Calgary Home
Calgary bathroom renovations are wonderful opportunities to enable those who are deprived of this simple pleasure to experience again a refreshing bath. Bathroom renovations can be fun and exciting but challenging as well especially if you have small bathrooms.
If you want to address the issue of compact bathrooms and the needs of people with mobility problems, consider installing walk in baths as part of your Calgary bathroom renovation. Also known as handicap tubs, walk in bathtubs are great in optimizing space of small bathrooms. They take up less room, with the longest side of the tub measuring five feet or shorter, but still allow a full-grown man to submerge his whole body in the water.
Walk in baths are normally situated on a pedestal-the bottom of the tub is placed inside the pedestal all the way through the floor. This allows the bathers to enter and exit the walk in tubs with ease while still giving the impression that you are entering a Jacuzzi. What makes a walk in bath disabled-friendly is the hinged door with a lock. Bathers enter and exit the tub through the door. This ease of entry and exit lessens the probability of falling or slipping in the tub. You just need to have lots of patience to use this tub because you must be inside the tub before filling it with water. Opening the door will cause the water to spill. The same is true after bathing.
Different designs of walk in tubs are available to complement your small bathroom. Since most walk in baths are plain colored, you have to use bright colors like yellow or orange in your bathroom. Interior designers recommend bright colors in small rooms because vivid colors draw light, disperse them throughout the room, and give the feeling of a larger room than the actual one. It also adds sunny atmosphere in your bathroom, making it more inviting to the eye.
Finally, for your Calgary bathroom fixtures, choose pieces that have smaller size to complement your space. Larger fixtures take up precious space and make your room look awkward. Keep your bathroom essentials in the cabinets and remove as much clutter as possible. Having clutter in your bathroom makes it chaotic and look smaller. If your cabinets cannot accommodate everything, think about hanging some items to keep them out of the way.
When everything is finished, show the new room to your elders. Encourage them to pamper their body in a comforting warm bath.