Edmonton Real Estate Blog

Have you ever watched those TV shows where some lucky homeowner gets a room redecorated by a professional? To have something similar done in your own home you would have to make a serious investment, or become a TV show guest!

However, there are ways to re-decorate a room and make it look great – even spectacular – on a budget.

Say, for example, you want a living room makeover. If your sofa is worn you can buy a fitted sofa cover that will make it look almost new. Table cloths on worn end-tables and other surfaces can have a similar affect.

Don’t forget the most economical redecorating trick of them all: Paint! A fresh coat of paint can bring a room to life!

Hanging a few new pictures can also have a dramatic impact on the look of a room. You don’t have to buy a Rembrandt. Attractive, simply framed pictures will also add interest and colour.

With a little imagination, it’s amazing how much you can improve a room on a little or even no budget.

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Enhance those long, leisurely evenings on the patio with the right lighting. From subtle landscape lighting and string lights that cast a soft glow to sconces, pendants and more, these ideas will help spark your imagination and plan that perfect patio.

1. String Lights

Nothing can beat the soft, glowing light of café-style lights strung overhead, and since they are so inexpensive, you can use them liberally without denting your budget.

Good to know: Be sure to choose outdoor-rated string lights. LED bulbs will last practically forever, but incandescent bulbs will give you that trademark soft glow. Solar string lights are a great option if you want to hang them far from an outlet.

A note on extra outlets. Having adequate exterior outlets is a must for hanging string lights, lanterns and more (unless they’re solar powered). Make the investment in exterior outlets instead of running cords through a cracked window — not only will your home be safer, but you’ll be able to choose exactly where you want the outlets to go.

Good to know: If you live in an older house, your exterior outlets might not have up-to-date safety features, so consider having them upgraded. All exterior electrical outlets should have a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and a weatherproof box cover to keep the outlet protected.

2. Sconces

Sconces are a great option when you want to cast a glow on an open patio.

Good to know: A lantern-style fixture will cast a larger glow than one mounted flush against the house, so think about going for something larger than you might use on, say, the front porch.

3. Landscape Lighting

Not just for the backyard, low-voltage landscape lighting can ramp up the ambience of your patio.

Good to know: Generally not enough to light up an outdoor room on its own, landscape lighting can work well in conjunction with sconces or string lights. Try a few low lights in bushes surrounding the patio or illuminating a pathway.

Because landscape lighting is low voltage, this is a relatively easy and safe DIY project, should you choose to give it a whirl.

4. Pendant Lights

Few things say outdoor room quite as elegantly as a well-placed pendant light.

Good to know: If you decide to replace an existing overhead fixture yourself, be sure the new fixture is similar in weight to the old one — if it’s much heavier, a pro may need to put in a new junction box that can take the additional weight.

5. Recessed Lighting

Simple and sleek, recessed lights would be perfect tucked into the covered patio of a contemporary or modern home.

Good to know: Dimmer switches allow you to adjust the lighting to perfectly suit the mood — and a dimmer is something you can do yourself.

Are your kitchen walls just getting in the way? See how these one-wall kitchens boost efficiency, share light and look amazing

Kitchens tend to be laid out with their counters, cabinets, appliances and fixtures in a few shapes; the layouts are typically U shapes, L shapes and galleys. Less popular, but no less functional, are single-wall kitchens, where the three elements of the semisacred work triangle — refrigerator, sink, stove — are aligned on one wall.

The efficiency of single-wall kitchens happens through the spacing and location of these three elements, the sizing and articulation of the countertops, and the use (if any) of a nearby kitchen table or island. The following examples illustrate these efficiencies, but also how the single-wall kitchen relates to the rest of the house, particularly the adjacent dining and living spaces.

Click here for full article and more pictures.

Source: Houzz.com

You’ve found a house that you like but it needs improvements. The Purchase Plus Improvement program will allow you to add the renovation cost to the purchase price, so you can benefit from a low mortgage interest rate and make only one payment.
Before, you go and make an offer, there are a few conditions that will help determine whether this program suits your needs. One of the first misunderstandings with Purchase Plus Improvement, is that most people do not realize that they will have to pay for the renovations themselves, until the work is completed. The lender will mandate that the solicitor “hold back” the additional cost added to the mortgage, that represents the improvement amount. Once the work has been completed, an appraiser will have to supply the lender with an inspection report, to verify the work has been completed as agreed. The lender will instruct the solicitor to release the funds from his trust account, to pay for the improvements. My advice in these circumstances, is to take advantage of family, or lines of credit to finance these costs until completion. Some renovation companies my not require payment until work is complete.
Secondly, CMHC and Genworth both have guidelines regarding maximum improvement allowance. The improvements cannot exceed 10% of improved value or $40,000.
Thirdly, before I can submit this type of transaction to the lending institution, you will need to supply me with a quote and/or a renovation contract. For self-renovations provide cost of supplies from Home Depot/ Rona. Note, lender will not pay for borrower’s own labor.

Please ensure to keep all invoices and receipts. All invoices and receipt must also be provided to the lender before instructions are sent to the lawyer to release funds. The cost of appraisal is the responsibility of the borrower.
Here is an example of a Purchase Plus Improvement mortgage. The house is priced at $300,000 but it needs another $20,000 in renovations. You can add in the renovations cost to the purchase price and CMHC or Genworth will lend against the total value (purchase price plus the renovation cost).
Purchase price $300,000
Renovations $20,000
Total cost $320,000
Lending value $320,000
Max. Mortgage $304,000 (95% of $320,000)
Min. down payment $ 16,000
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or require additional information.

The look of the kitchen is changing — already granite countertops and dark wood cabinets are starting to look a little late 90s. If you’re thinking of renovating or building a house (or just like looking!), here are five of the top trends for modern kitchens. And the best part? Some of these are things you can do right now, without spending much money at all.

For the complete article click on the following link http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-new-kitchen-5-top-trends-184706

Have you seen the television show where the host –an experienced contractor – comes to a home to fix a bad renovation? Episodes typically feature leaking bathroom showers, fallen decks, creaky flooring, and other examples of shoddy workmanship. For the homeowners, it’s a nightmare. That’s why it’s so important to select a reputable renovator – one who has the experience and track record to do the job right.

How do you do that? Here are a few tips:

Make sure the contractor can give you the full name, address and phone number of his company. If he only has a truck and a cell phone, that’s a red flag.

Ask him to provide you with the names of at least three customers he’s done work for in the area.
(Then phone those references!)

Some specialty contractors, such as kitchen and bath renovators, are certified or licensed by a professional trade association. Ask the contractor for credentials.

Beware of contractors who offer you a lower price if you pay cash. They’re probably trying to avoid taxes, which suggests that they’re not entirely honest.

Make sure the renovator has experience with your specific type of project.

Search for the company on Google.com. If there are any customer complaints online, you’ll find them in the search results.

Don’t hire the first contractor you meet, regardless of how impressed you are. Speak to at least three. Ask lots of questions. Take your time. Finally, use your common sense. If you don’t have a good feeling about the contractor or if they don’t give you clear answers to basic questions about pricing, schedule, and warranty, then move on.

Who doesn’t need more storage space in their home? From closets and attics to kitchens and laundry rooms, we’ll show you some innovative storage ideas that can help eliminate the clutter around your home. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get busy cleaning up that mess!

Closets

Closets are the first place to look when improving storage in your home. Replacing old hanging rods and shelves with adjustable metal shelving and wire baskets should be high on your priority list. It’s not that hard to do, and can make a great DIY project.

Here’s how to go about it:

• Start by cleaning everything out of the closet.
• Remove the old shelf and rod.
• Locate the wall studs and mark their position.
• Secure the horizontal track to the studs on the back wall near the top of the closet.
• Hang the vertical supports on the track and secure them to the wall.
• Cut the wire shelves to length with a hacksaw or reciprocating saw.
• Attach shelf supports to the vertical supports.
• Install hanging rods, shelves, and baskets.

Under Bed

A lot of good storage space can be found under your bed. To access the stored items, build one or more large open boxes that fit under your bed from plywood or medium density fiberboard (MDF).

 Install casters to the bottom of the box and a handle on the front to allow it to easily roll in and out.

Laundry Room

Your laundry room is another area of the house that can usually benefit from some serious organization. Some ideas for laundry room storage include:

• Add a store bought or built-in storage unit that has been sized to hold an individual laundry basket for each member of the family.
• Install shelving on your laundry room walls above the washer/dryer as well as along the area near the ceiling to store cleaning supplies and detergent, as well as tools and other items.
• A great DIY project that can make your laundry room more functional is to install a built-in ironing board, complete with an electrical outlet and storage for your iron, into the laundry room wall.

Attic

Attics are a great place to store items that aren’t damaged by extreme temperatures. To increase the storage space in your attic, consider building hanging shelves that are attached to the rafters.

Here’s how to go about it:

• Determine the pitch of your roof and the width you want your shelves.
• Using these measurements, build “L” shaped brackets cut from 2″x 4″ lumber to support the shelves.
• Use a chalk line to mark the position of the brackets on the rafters.
• Attach the brackets to the rafters with screws, making sure the shelf support is level.
• Slide 1″ thick shelving onto the brackets.

Kitchen

There are a number of ways, from lazy susans to sliding bins, to increase storage space in your kitchen. One simple way to free up a drawer and make the lids to your pots more accessible is to mount a bathroom towel rack to the inside of a cabinet door. Here’s how to go about it:

• Start by attaching one of the towel rack brackets to the cabinet door stile at the proper height.
• Next, hold the other bracket in place and measure the length of the towel rod.
• Cut the towel rod to length with a hacksaw.
• Insert the towel rod in the two brackets and screw the second bracket to door.
• Place lids on the towel rack with the handles facing out.

Bookcase

A DIY built-in bookcase in your living room or den makes the perfect place to store books or display memorabilia and photographs. Store bought models are also available.

To build a bookcase:

• Start by making a cutting list and cutting the stock (plywood, MDF, or solid wood) to size for the bookcase and shelves.
• Assemble the bookcase.
• Construct a separate recessed base below the bookcase.
• Assemble the bookcase and base.
• Attach a frame to the front of the bookcase.
• Prime and paint or stain and finish the bookcase and base.
• Install bookcase in room.

Bathroom

Bathrooms can always use some added storage space. There are a number of options available, including:

• Build or buy a shallow hanging cabinet to attach to the wall above the toilet for storing towels, soap, and toilet paper.
• Add a built-in window seat or a freestanding chest in your bathroom to serve as a place for clothes and to sit when dressing, as well as for storage space inside.
• Install a built-in, recessed medicine cabinet, such as Nutone’s locking bath cabinet on the wall above the sink in the space between two studs.

Charging Station

A recessed wall cabinet with an electrical outlet mounted inside is the perfect place to keep cell phones, iPods, and MP3 players while they’re charging. It also doubles as a convenient place to hang your keys.

 by Danny Lipford