Renovation and Expansion of House

Renovation:
Introduction: Most properties have one or two drawbacks no place is ever perfect. They may be the result of previous constructions methods .It could be actual in-built design fault like an awkwardly shaped room, or room that is grooving impossible to furnish successfully, no matter how many times you change the plan. A room can be to tall or have a low or sloping ceiling .It can also be too narrow or box like , too dark and cold , too bare or too cluttered. There are some common semi- structural problems like uneven or rocky floorboards; poor false surfaces, etc. are some of the problems can be solved by renovating house. Most of the design problem can be solved with a clever choice of color and a depth use of design technique and texture. House renovation is truly tasking and timeconsuming. But, hey, its not like you renovate your house every so often. Home renovation can be fun try to explore your taste when picking out appliances, hardware, furniture, and accessories. Before actually diving into the project, at least have some fun with your shopping and planning. Definition: We can define the renovation of house is making house according to the needs and decoration trends to make comfort with in the existed constructed area of a house. Home Renovation Tips 1. Money How much are you willing to spend on house renovation? Money is important and so is our budget. Know the limits of your budget and how much you are willing to spend for your dream kitchen renovation project, for a better estimation of renovation plans and materials that would best suit your budget. 2. Time How much time are you willing to spend on the project will you still be able to go about on your work and other personal stuff. Create an attainable schedule which comfortable and beneficial to you and your project. 3. Design Do a research on designs and layout that you would like to incorporate on your house renovation project and work out a plan 4. Consultation Consult a Interior Designer to work out you ideas and design including the time and budget of the project. Money for Your Renovation Many things about home renovation are flexible. You can always change wall colors or nudge a wall another six inches. But one thing is certain: you need money. Not a single nail gets hammered into place without money. Cash and Liquid Assets: The most readily available money you can have: savings, checking, CD's and savings bonds near maturity.

Pros

No interest, no fees, no charges. You are not dependent on anyone else.

Cons Depletes any reserves you may have. Most people don't have a lot of cash available. Bottom Line: Cash and liquid assets are the best way to fund your projects--but only if you've got plenty to spare. Credit Card: A credit card that you pay off at the end of each month. Or a zerointerest that you don't have to pay off for six months or a year. Some homeowners pay off one zero-interest card with yet another zero-interest card, thereby creating a permanent, but risky, no-interest loan. Pros Cons Money available quickly. Lucrative points or rewards possible on some cards by charging large homerelated purchases.

Danger of high interest and fees. Give you false sense of security that you have more money than you actually have. Bottom Line: A tricky way to finance home renovations, and one that requires attention and maintenance. Home Equity Loan: A home equity loan is the classic way to finance home renovations. Take out a loan against the equity in your own house. Pros Cons Large amounts of money may be available for large projects like additions. Lower interest rates than personal loans and credit cards.

If you keep depleting your equity, you reduce the sum you will receive when you eventually sell the house. The large amounts available with this loan encourage spending on things unrelated to the renovation. Bottom Line: Target this loan only for specific projects. Sweat Equity: Got any willing friends and family? For the price of a six-pack and a takeout pizza, they may help you put some sweat equity into your renovation project. Pros Cons Labor is completely free. Satisfying to have 100% control of your project.

Only the labor is free; you still have to pay for materials.

If a learning curve is involved, still may be cheaper and faster to hire workers. Bottom Line: Some sweat equity is inevitable, and even can be fun, but don't stretch it if you're not sure of your abilities. Steps to be taken for Renovation: 1. Planning Whether it's a sketch on a cocktail napkin or full-blown architectural plans, some type of planning always comes first. Ensure that you have funding for your renovation. Draw up a simple "yes/no" list of do-it-yourself projects and projects you want professionals to do. Look for contractors and subcontractors for those jobs you do not want to do yourself. Apply for permits. 2. Secure the Roof, Foundation, Siding, and Windows Protect your future renovation work by making certain the house won't collapse on you (foundation, major structural problems) and that it will remain dry (roof, siding, windows). Secure the foundation. Make major structural repairs to areas such as weakened walls, joists, and carrying beams. Repair or replace roof. Replace seriously damaged windows that may threaten future remodeling work. If not seriously damaged, leave it for later in the process.

If the siding is so damaged that it will allow water infiltration, repair or replace the siding. If not seriously damaged, leave it for later in the process Roof Replacement - What to Know

There is a category of home renovations which I call "Nice to Have, But Not Overly Exciting." Replacing your roof falls into this category - though I admit, it's much more than "Nice to Have." It's more like "Essential to Have." Replace Your Roof before Doing Anything Else Roofer at Work Within the home renovation workflow, roof replacement is job number one. Every single home remodeling task you undertake, from drywall installation on down to the most delicate swath of paint, will be ruined if you do not protect it properly with a roof - first.

When Not to Replace the Roof Only in a few instances, you may choose not to replace your roof before taking on a big home renovation project:

1. A complete, overall strip-it-and-rebuild-it. Even then, at some point, the 2.

roof will come before other remodeling jobs. You are tearing the entire house down.

Types of Roofing Materials to Use Your choice of roofing materials often depends on your locality, as much as on your own personal taste. Asphalt Composition Shingles: Cheap and easily obtainable, but less attractive than other options due to "flat" appearance. Wood Shake: a pricey, but attractive shingle. Metal Roofing: Metal roofing is still rare, and few roofers know how to install it; special companies are required for this job. Slate Roofing: highly attractive, and a high-end roofing option; extremely slippery to walk on. Rubber Slate or "Faux" Slate - Recycled post-industrial synthetics gaining in popularity.

Important Note: Roof pitch (angle) affects the kind of roofing shingles you can use! As an example, wood shake shingles can, and should, be used for steeper pitched roofs. Roof Replacement Cost and Terminology The cost to replace a roof, as you might imagine, varies. It varies according to your roofing materials (all the way from cheap 3-tab asphalt shingles up to architectural shingles or even slate), the roofing contractor, the pitch (or steepness) of your roof, the area to be covered, and a host of other factors. Generally, you're looking at costs of $5,000 or more. It is hard to imagine a whole-house roof replacement to cost less. Roofing contractors have a great deal of flexibility to negotiate on the cost, so you please feel that you have license to do so. There are a few words you will need to know. A "square" is a unit of measure equaling 100 square feet. A "vent" runs along the ridge of the roof to expel trapped vapor and heat, so that the roofing does not buckle and deteriorate over time. "Composition" is what is commonly referred to as asphalt shingles.

Is summer the Only Time to Replace a Roof?

No. Roofers are amazing - and this is why we pay them to do our roofs. I have seen roofers here in my very wet state - Washington State - expertly shoehorn in a roofing job between rains. No, the weather conditions do not have to be perfectly dry. However, any partially installed areas must be perfectly dry before any covering layers are installed. The trick behind "expertly shoehorning" in the roofing project is to have a large team of professional roofers who can knock out work phases in hours, instead of days. Yet another reason to perhaps think twice before doing your own roofing job. The Roofing Process Remarkably, a moderately-sized, professionally-installed roofing job might take only 3 or 4 days. Remove all existing shingles, deposit them in a roll-off, and remove. Make minor repairs on roof if in good condition. If not, replace bad wood with plywood or 1"x6" boards, whichever is applicable to your roof. Install ice dam protection, a barrier of synthetic materials to prevent backed up ice in the gutters which prevents ice-melt from draining away. The icemelt will permeate under the shingles and cause damage to the inside of your house. Lay down asphalt paper. Apply the shingles - starting at the eaves and working upward. Apply flashing around all areas where leaks might come into the house against the chimney, stack vents, etc. Install the ridge vent.

3. Demolition Depending on the scale of your renovations and the condition of the house, demolition might be the first step. Rent a large container for waste. Carefully demolish all or some of the areas of the house that will be renovated. Demolish as much as possible if you will not be living in the house. Exercise caution when demolishing surfaces coated with lead-based paint.

4. Structural Carpentry At this time, call in the carpenters for major carpentry projects. Things like: Moving walls. Constructing new walls. Significantly enlarging window openings. Adding beams to support a greater weight upstairs. Punching in new doors (or removing existing doors). Adding new construction windows.

New Construction Window

Definition: Windows for additions or other new structures. These windows may also be used if existing house involves such major renovations that walls are being stripped down to the studs. These windows come in set sizes only and are widely available off the rack at home improvement stores. They come in vinyl or wood. The new construction window is not to be confused with the replacement window. 5. HVAC Ductwork, Electrical, and Plumbing With the walls and ceiling open, it's time for the HVAC company to install ductwork for central heating and air conditioning. Also with the walls accessible, run new electrical and plumbing systems. Electrical and plumbing inspectors will visit at this time, too. Definition: An acronym for "heating, ventilation, and air conditioning." These three functions are combined into a single, central unit that services the entire house. 6. Insulation Last thing to do with the walls open: install fiberglass batty insulation in the walls and attic. Insulation goes fast, so give your dry Waller a call and let him know he's next up. 7. Drywall A second inspection from the electrical inspector (and perhaps the plumbing inspector) will give you the go-ahead to close up the walls. Drywalls hang sheets of drywall, apply drywall compound, and let the compound dry. After drying, they sand it smooth. Sometimes, they will repeat the process until they achieve a seamless surface.

8. Flooring Installing the flooring later in the renovation process saves your flooring surface from significant damage. 9. Windows The Process of Installing Replacement Windows

The process of substituting all or most of your old windows with new replacement windows is one that few homeowners go through more than once in their lifetime. Thank goodness for that! Replacing all of the windows in your house is extremely expensive. And when the installers come, they turn your house upside-down for a couple of days. But what do the window installers do exactly? More importantly, what should you do? Let's walk through the replacement window installation process, as done by pros. Day Before Installers Arrive Touch bases with the salesperson or scheduler and confirm installation date and time. Put Post-It Notes on the wall next to the windows to be replaced, specifying exactly which window is to go there and any special instructions. For example: 'double-hung, 30"x48", vinyl (please save old window).'

Day One--Remove Old Windows and Begin Replacement Touch bases with the job foreman and walk through house, going over each window. This is your chance to catch any errors the window company may have made in ordering your windows. If this is a multi-person crew, one set of installers will bring in windows as another set of installers removes windows. Walk through house on your own to ensure that installers have put down drop cloths inside. Optional: drop cloths outside if you have flowerbeds that you wish to preserve. Inside, dust barriers might be set up, but this is not really necessary as window installation does not create much dust. Let the installers do their job. My motto on managing work crews in your house: be within calling distance if they have questions, but don't hover. As removal continues, installation proceeds. Ropes for the window sash weights (if you have newer windows, you may not have these) are cut. Weights drop to bottom of window pocket. New windows are set in place and leveled with shims. With window level, it is nailed into place. Installers periodically move old windows outside; the stack of old windows grows (the window company should include disposal as part of the contract). The installers are now in a groove of removing and replacing. There should be little need for supervision, but it's always a good idea to touch bases with the foreman. Depending on the size of your job, by the end of the day you might expect up to 10 windows to be done. You do not want any windows to be boarded over. Insist that each window space either be covered with a new or old window. No tools should be left in your house. Rooms are broom-clean. Old windows outside are removed. Removal/Replacement; Begin Exterior

Days Two and Three--Finish Cladding of Windows

Installers arrive bright and early and continue removing and installing. When the removal team is finished, they begin installing aluminum exterior trim on your windows. This exterior trim, or cladding, provides a tight seal against the weather. However, depending on your contract, this service may be optional. In most average-sized houses, Day Two concludes the window installation process. House is broom-cleaned and windows tested. Work may extend into a third day in order to finish the process of installing the exterior cladding. You will not need to be present for exterior work, though if you have the time available, it's always a good idea to be around.

10. Fine Carpentry Here's where you introduce carpentry that doesn't involve structural issues. Install baseboards, molding, trim around windows and doors, built-in elements (bookcases, breakfast nooks, etc.).

11. Interior Painting, Wallpaper, and Other Surface Finishes Painting interior walls, hanging wallpaper, painting molding and trim, staining and sealing trim: all of these detail-oriented surface finishes should be the last items you do indoors. 12. Siding, Gutters With the house mostly finished, it's safe to put on siding. You don't want to do this earlier (unless absolutely necessary) because doors and windows may get punched out, ruining the siding. 13. Major Auxiliary Building Last, do major auxiliary building projects like Additions Sunrooms Swimming pools

Large building projects like additions should come last. My view is that you do this last so you don't deplete all of your money and energy on projects not related to renovating the house itself. However, an alternate view is that you may want to build an addition very early in the process so that you don't ruin any work you do in the main part of the house.

House Expansion:
Introduction:

When a home becomes too small for a familys needs, an obvious choice is to move to a bigger house. But it is often more sensible and indeed cheaper to extend the existing property simply by building on additional rooms. More and more people these days are abandoning the idea of moving to a bigger home when they run out of space, choosing instead to build on to their current property. Of course, peoples needs vary-some want two-story extensions or an ambitious loft conversion, while others need only an extra living room to give them some much-needed breathing space. But whatever the requirements, a home extensions is a big project, and needs some careful planning. Factors to be considered in expansion of a house: 1. Space requirements. As well as providing more room for yourself, you may feel that inanimate objects need a bit more space too. A garage for a second car or a boat, for instance, or a room devoted entirely to storage could ease the pressure elsewhere in and around the house. You may be able to solve some of your space problems quite simply by rezoning a room for different purpose, even if this is part of your plans to extend the house at the same time. A classic example of reusing space in this way is to convert an integral garage to a ground floor living room, building a new garage alongside or elsewhere on the plot. 2. Siting and structure. With some idea in your mind about the sort of extra room you need, you can then start thinking about where to build and what type of structure you would like. You will need to consider such factors as planning restriction, access from the existing house and site geography when it comes to choosing a site for the extension and you must check with your local authority before making any plans. One aspect worth remembering is that it can be very difficult to blend the lines of it can be very difficult to blend the lines of an extension in with the existing structure , so it is often folly to try. The most ambitious home extensions are those on two storeys, providing extra rooms on both the ground and first floors. But unlike the typical sun lounge extension, where access is easily provided through existing windows or French doors, a two-storey extension requires access through existing rooms .Therefore you will need to think about rearranging those rooms to take account of this , perhaps

even to the extent of constructing lobbies doors. 3. Blending old with new .

and passageways leading to the new

Matching rendering styles is often easier, and even if the front and sides of your house are of facing brickwork, it may be worth having the rear wall and the new extension rendered to make the new work look part of the original. Roofs, too, raise the problems of matching tile patterns and colours. Try to match windows and doors fro the extension as closely as possible with existing ones. Avoid mixing materials aluminium frames in an extension look very uneasy beside small paned sliding sashes in the rest of house. By choosing the same style of doors for new openings off landings and halls, and by running carpet of the same colour or pattern through into the rooms, the feeling of continuity can maintained. When you are planning and building your new extension, do not miss the opportunity to include the sort of features you wished you had in the rest of the house such as wall insulation, double grazing, labour saving ideas like plastic fittings that do not need painting, ceilings with concealed lighting, plenty of power points, even a fireplace as the focal point of a new living room or washbasins in new bedrooms. All can be easily incorporated during the construction, but at the least can be a nuisance to add later. Should You Build a House Expansion? When interest rates drop and home equity loans become affordable, an orchestra of hammers and saws arises across America. This is the sound of home owners frantically building additions. An addition is the biggest home remodeling purchase you will ever make. Advantages of Building an Addition 1. High Cost-Value Ratio Studies show that nearly all of the cost of a mid-range two-story addition may be recovered at time of sale. 2. Less Expensive than Purchasing New House While this might seem like a "no-brainer," it needs to be mentioned. It is typically cheaper to build an addition than to buy a new home that equals the space of your existing house plus addition. At the very least, the closing costs involved with selling your old house and buying the new house would push this option over the top.

3. Addition is 100% Your Creation You may have an old house, but the addition is space that you can claim as your own. It's like designing a whole new house without the expense of a whole new house. Fire up your design software and go for it! 4. Smartest Way to Add Space to House When you objectively look at the various ways to add space to your house, addition-building clearly comes out ahead of other methods, such as basement or attic remodeling or adding a sun porch. Disadvantages of Building an Addition 1. You May Still Lose Money When You Sell Even through additions have better cost-value ratios than other renovation projects; you still may not recover the full cost of the addition. 2. Emotional Cost of Addition-Building It's a thrill at first, those workers energetically digging and sawing to give you more space in house. Then one Saturday you wake at 6am to the roar of a gas generator five feet from your bedroom window and realize that your romance with building an addition has hit the rocks. Many causes contribute to this, some of which are: having work crews in your house six days a week, noise, dust, and constantly dealing with the contractor. 3. Addition Brings Increased Costs More space means higher heating and cooling costs, more windows to wash and gutters to clean, increased property taxes, and more space house to clean. 4. Additions Eat Up Your Yard Unless you are adding a second story, you will lose yard space and this is space that can never be recovered.