Category: Bathroom Renovations

Basement Renovation Ideas

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
Basement Renovation Ideas

Basement Renovation Ideas

An unfinished basement offers a unique opportunity to expand the living space of your home.  In the past, the basement may have been a forgotten space for storage, laundry, or other utilitarian purposes, but today’s basements serve much more variable purposes.  From extra bedrooms to games rooms, suites, and everything in between, the following basement renovation ideas may give you an idea of how to make better use of your unfinished space.

Playrooms, Games’ Rooms, Home Theatres Galore!

Your basement renovation may be the perfect opportunity to create more space for entertainment.  Maybe you want a room where your kids can play and not mess up the main living area of your home, or maybe you want an adult games’ room where you can play darts or billiards.  There is even a growing trend to convert basements into home theatres.  Your imagination can really run wild when renovating your basement.

A kids’ playroom can be built with slides, climbing walls, and even monkey bars so that your children can be active even on a cold or rainy day.  Also, consider how to incorporate storage for toys and games to keep your home more organized.  If you build a home theatre, you can get a big screen TV or projector, rows of reclining chairs, and an impressive sound system. 

Add Liveable Rooms

A basement renovation is also a great opportunity to expand the living space of your home.  Added bedrooms or living rooms are a common choice.  If your family is growing, you want more room to relax, or you have regular houseguests and you want to make them comfortable, adding an extra bedroom or living room might be your ideal solution.  Even smaller basements can be renovated to add more living space.  For a bedroom, consider a Murphy bed and creative storage solutions.  For a living room addition, consider keeping the basement living room more casual with a more formal living room on your main level.

Health and Wellness…or Maybe a Place for Drinks!

You could convert your basement into a home gym, or you could make the real adult choice to create a bar or wine room.  A moderate to large sized basement is ideal for a home gym.  You’ll want to choose a durable flooring option to protect surfaces from heavier equipment; but, you don’t need to get too fancy with your gym either.  Some free-weights and other simple equipment combined with a TV to follow online workouts might be all you need.  On the other hand, if the gym isn’t your thing, you could renovate your basement into a bar with cabinets, countertops, stools, and even a keg tap.  For the “more sophisticated” alcohol connoisseur, the basement is often the perfect location for a wine cellar.  Temperatures tend to be cooler and you can install multiple wine racks and even wine fridges to display your favourite varieties.

As you can see, there is so much you can do with a basement renovation.  If you know what you want to do with the space, work with a professional contractor to ensure you create the space you want on a budget you can afford.

How to Pick Lighting for your Home?

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Planning a home renovation? Getting the right lighting for your home can have a huge impact not only on style but also function.  Depending on the room, your lighting is going to change – you’re not likely to use the same lighting solutions in your kitchen as your bedroom, for example.  Additionally, there are so many available lighting options today – from chandeliers and pot lights to LED lights and hanging lights, there are many factors to consider when choosing lighting for your home.  Let’s have a closer look at some of the most important considerations so you can learn how to pick lighting for your home.

Types of Lighting

First understand the basic types of lighting – ambient, task, and accent lighting.  Sometimes you’ll mix and match different types of lighting in a room.  Ambient lighting is your primary light source – two of the main examples in homes are overhead or recessed lighting fixtures.  You’ll want to consider how much light you’ll need in a room depending on its function.  Kitchens and bathrooms usually have more ambient light than bedrooms, for example.

As the name implies, task lighting provides adequate light for specific tasks.  When you’re watching TV, applying makeup, or reading a book, you’ll probably benefit from some task lighting.  Table lamps or a mirror lights are both examples of task lighting.  They can increase lighting in a specific area, but can be deactivated when they’re not needed.

Finally, accent lighting represents a style choice.  You may use accent lighting to highlight your favourite art or a specific feature of your home.  For example, accent lighting may be installed around a fireplace so you can accent pieces on the mantle.

Types of Fixtures

Next, it’s important to understand that there are many different lighting fixtures.  From sconces and flush mounts to lamps and chandeliers, different types of lighting fixtures will often serve different purposes.  Sconces are mounted to your wall and usually act as accent lights.  Flush and semi-flush mounts are usually installed in the ceiling and provide ambient lighting.  Chandeliers and lamps are usually design features that may provide both ambient light and accent lighting.  You can probably even remember using desk lamps as task lighting.

Lighting for Space

Finally, consider the space you are lighting when trying to pick the right lighting for your home.  Entryways generally benefit from brighter, ambient light mounted in the ceiling.  For more flexible design, living rooms are well-suited to ambient light from floor lamps and table lamps.  Consider installing a dimmer switch in the living room for more control over lighting.  Dining rooms should feature a balance of light – enough for eating and chatting but not offensively bright.  A chandelier or mounted fixture over the centre of the table is traditional.  In the kitchen, consider pairing ambient lighting with task lighting where you do most of your kitchen work.  For your bedroom, a softer, ambient light with a couple of lamps for task lighting are great ideas; but for the bathroom, you need a lot of light.  A variety of sources allows you to add more light as needed – and don’t forget task lighting for your grooming tasks.

What is a Laneway House?

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What is a Laneway House?

Have you ever noticed the tiny homes located along ally-ways and back entrances to homes throughout Vancouver?  Rather than basic garages, homeowners are frequently building laneway homes behind their main residence.  Laneway homes are essentially a living space located over or beside a parking unit, and they provide added living space or a rental property to offset mortgage costs in Vancouver.  Laneway homes are increasingly popular not only as housing prices continue to rise in Vancouver, but also as the City seeks creative solutions to affordable housing.  Nevertheless, there are specific guidelines around building laneway homes and eligibility factors that must be met.  Let’s take a closer look.

Laneway House Specifications

As the name suggests, laneway homes are located next to the lane entrance for housing lots in Vancouver.  These small homes are always located at the back of the lot and should feature a liveable space as well as a parking accessory.  The size of laneway homes will vary depending on the size of the lot on which they are located – from 550 square feet up to a maximum of 940 square feet.  In generally, the sizing of laneway homes is calculated as 16% of the size of your lot, not including up to 40 square feet of storage.

Eligibility

Not all homes in Vancouver are eligible for a laneway house, but many single-family dwellings with rear lane access are eligible.  There are three main eligibility criteria that must be met – distance from the house to the laneway home, lot size, and lane access.  More specifically, you must allow for at least 16’ between the main house and the laneway house – a requirement that can usually be met with creative design.  Additionally, your lot must be at least 9.8m wide, though some laneway house builds have been approved on lots somewhat smaller (7.3m wide).  Finally, your lot must have access to an open lane – and this requirement can be interpreted in one of three ways:

  1. There is an open lane behind your home.
  2. Your lot is located on a corner that can access an open or dedicated lane.
  3. Your lot is located on a “double-fronted” site with street access in front of and behind your home.

Ultimately, laneway homes are a great addition, particularly if you are looking to collect rental income or to provide accommodate aging family members (parents and children alike).  These homes are popular for renters because they are detached buildings – renters don’t need to worry about noise from neighbours.  Even if you are looking to build a laneway home to provide more space for your family, it is a great investment that can have a significant impact on the resale value of your home.

Home Addition Ideas to Increase the Value of your Home

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Home additions can not only make a significant impact on the comfort and quality of your life, they can also have a significant impact on the value of your home.  Adding living space such as kitchens, bathrooms, or bedrooms or even making space for more storage are all investments that can increase the selling price of your home.  While you may already have some ideas of additions for your home, here are some home addition ideas to increase the value of your home.

A Home with a Story

Building a second story on your home is a big project, but one that brings a big payoff.  Story additions can almost double the living space in your home while also increasing your home’s value.  These additions are certainly costly – you should expect to spend somewhere upwards of $100,000 depending on many factors including the current size of your home, its structural integrity, and even your geographic location. 

Make sure you work with a qualified builder and architect so that the addition is done safely and to building code.  Not all home foundations can support an additional story, and some cities or neighbourhoods may have bylaws that prohibit these additions.

Make it Roomy

If adding a second story is a project that seems like you’d be biting off more than you can chew, consider adding a room or suite over your garage.  You can increase your square footage while potentially creating a revenue stream by building a suite you can rent out.  Homes with rental suites are highly attractive to buyers because they can help mitigate the cost of a mortgage. 
Or, if you are not interested in renting out to strangers, it makes a great space for guests.

Nowadays, modular additions are an attractive option for homeowners to add rooms, suites, and even stories.  These pre-fabricated living spaces are great for smaller homes or single-story homes because they are cheaper than custom additions and most of the construction occurs off-site thereby limiting the inconvenience associated with large and lengthy home addition projects.

Basement Bang for your Buck

Perhaps the most common and affordable of all home additions is a finished basement.  If you currently have a blank canvas of a basement, finishing that space can considerably expand your living space while also leaving a significant mark on the value of your home. 
Add a suite, a living room, or an entertainment space and you’re sure to see an excellent return on your investment.  In fact, many basements can be finished for under $20,000 (sometimes just a fraction of that cost) which will easily pay for itself when you consider the impact on the selling price of your home.

These are just 3 home addition ideas to increase the value of your home, but there are many other additions to consider – kitchen or bathroom additions and expansions, converting a porch to a sunroom, or adding outdoor living spaces…the options are only limited by your imagination.

Bathroom Renovations on a Budget

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Bathroom Renovations on a Budget

Home renovations can be expensive, and bathroom updates are often among the most costly.  From bathtubs and sinks to tiles and plumbing, there are many ways to update your residential bathroom.  If you go all in, you could easily spend a small fortune on renovating your bathroom; but, it’s not necessary.  Indeed, bathroom renovations on a budget are possible – here are some tips to get you started.

Consider your Floor Plan

If you’re looking to save money on your bathroom renovation, keep your fixtures in their current configuration.  Installing or changing plumbing to accommodate a new bathroom layout can be very price, so installing sinks, tubs, toilets, and showers in their original location is a great way to keep costs down.

Prioritize your Renovation

Planning and prioritizing your bathroom renovation is another easy way to manage your budget.  Before you start your renovation, gather detailed information about the cost of materials and prioritize which renovation items are most important to you.  You can still make a big impression with your renovation by focusing your budget on a single feature such as the vanity or shower tile.  In other words, you can splurge in one area or another while saving in others.  Some examples:

  • Use high quality tiles for a feature mosaic in the bathtub, but use more affordable tiles otherwise. 
  • Install an expensive new sink, but save on the countertops or vice-versa.
  • Install affordable cabinets but highlight them with stunning handles or knobs.

Accentuate your Style

Style doesn’t need to be expensive and many bathroom renovations on a budget are successful because homeowners expressed their own, personal style.  For example, contrasting wall and floor tiles can be aesthetically impressive, but you needn’t go all out and buy the most expensive tiles.  Replacing your vanity to reflect your style preferences (whether contemporary or classic) can revitalize your bathroom.  You can even make a huge impact with a new coat of paint that includes a feature wall with attractive wallpaper or a contrasting colour.  Let your imagination take the lead!

Be Flexible

While it pays to plan ahead with your bathroom renovation, it also pays to be flexible when it comes to fixtures and features.  Sometimes you have your heart set on a nickel faucet, but you find a chrome alternative that is almost as attractive and considerably less expensive.  A bit of flexibility in your bathroom renovation can help you keep your budget in check.

Accessories

Finally, sometimes a bathroom renovation is all about the accessories.  A few inexpensive updates can be highlighted with economical accessories such as new towels, candles, and high-quality soap.  Even less expensive updates to mirrors, cabinet hardware, and towel bars can transform your bathroom without depleting your bank account. 

Bathroom Renovation Cost Vancouver

Posted on by Canadoo Admin

Your bathroom may be designed with function in mind or it could represent a relaxing oasis.  Depending on how you like to use your bathroom, you may be considering a bathroom renovation.  For some of us, we take a pragmatic approach to grooming and we are in and out of the bathroom in record time; for others, we prefer to rest and recoup in a warm bath at the end of the day and our bathroom design needs to reflect a calming environment.  Still, regardless of how you use your bathroom, bathroom renovations can help keep your bathroom looking and feeling fresh.  So, if your tiles are showing signs of age, your fixtures don’t function as they should, or you just want to update old décor, you probably want to know more about bathroom renovation costs in Vancouver.

A recent estimate of bathroom renovations suggests the minimum budget for a small bathroom with affordable fixtures and design elements will start around $10,000.  If you are renovating a large bathroom and you want to go all out with fixtures, cabinets, mirrors, and lighting, you can sometimes expect to spend four or five times that figure.  So then, how can you plan your budget given the variety of bathroom renovation costs?  It’s simple: plan, plan, and more planning.

The key to any successful renovation that finishes on time and on budget is planning.  Consider carefully how you envision your renovation to proceed from which components can be saved and reused to your final design and style elements.  For example, your plumbing and fixtures may be functional and well-maintained meaning they need not be replaced.  However, you may have already decided that you want all new features in your bathroom – so, pricing out these features in advance will give you a good idea of final costs.  That being said, one major factor that many homeowners overlook when planning a bathroom renovation is what they will do when their bathroom is out of commission.  If you have only one bathroom, also include the costs of arranging temporary bathroom solutions.

Ideally, to ensure a seamless bathroom renovation, it is always recommended to work with a professional contractor.  Unless you have experience managing renovations, or you are confident in your own renovation skills, a contractor can take the headache out of a renovation.  S/he will help you develop your budget and costs, will oversee every element of the project including hiring tradespeople, and the best contractors are highly effective at keeping bathroom renovation projects on budget.

Ultimately, there are many factors that go into a bathroom renovation, so you should take the time to plan and budget thoroughly before initiating your renovation.  Measure your space, consider the design and function of the bathroom, consider the costs for fixtures, features, flooring, paint, and lighting, and remember to factor a contingency plan into your budget in case things don’t go the way you imagined.