Tag: home renovations

How to Choose Flooring for your Home

Posted on by Canadoo Admin

How to Choose Flooring for your Home

When it comes to home renovations, there are so many options available that it can be a daunting task to find the right flooring for your home.  Depending on your material and style preferences as well as function and budget, selecting the best flooring is more complicated than simply finding a look that you like.  With that in mind, this guide will address many of the key considerations you need to make so you don’t have to guess about how to choose flooring for your home. 

Budget

Not all flooring is priced the same.  On the cheaper end of the flooring spectrum, laminate options are the go-to.  You can choose styles that look like hardwood at a fraction of the cost – you can even find bargains where you’ll pay less than $2 per square foot.  Engineered wood flooring gets a bit more expensive, particularly as you look at more exotic woods, but these options are still affordable and range between $2 and $5 per square foot.  High quality laminates and vinyl tiles will also land you closer to the $4 or $5 per square foot price.  The most expensive flooring options tend to be exotic hardwood floors made from mahogany or Brazilian cherry, as well as premium laminate or vinyl floorings.  Ultimately, if you know your budget, you can focus your search on systems that fall in your price range.

Function

Next, think about the room or rooms where the flooring will be installed.  Is it a high-moisture space?  Is it a high traffic area?  What about pets or children?  When flooring rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom or areas in the basement, you want to choose a flooring system that can stand up to moisture.  Concrete, ceramic, or porcelain or vinyl tile floorings are great options for high moisture areas.  If moisture isn’t a consideration, most types of flooring will be suitable – but there are still some questions to be answered.

If you want a floor that will stand up to high traffic, pet stains, or the whims of children, more durable flooring systems such as ceramic or porcelain tile are also great.  If you want durability as well as versatile style options, laminate and plank vinyl flooring are also great options.  Also, you may shy away from carpet because of potential stains, but if you’re less concerned about spills and accidents, carpet flooring is long lasting.

Maintenance

Finally, remember that all flooring systems require regular care and attention.  Vinyl flooring and laminate flooring tend to require the least maintenance – regular sweeping and occasional damp mopping will usually suffice.  On the other hand, hardwood floors are more susceptible to scratches and may need to be refinished from time-to-time.  Regardless of the type of flooring system you install, remember to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning and maintenance to ensure the longevity of your floors.

Now that you have a sense of some of the most common factors to consider when choosing flooring for your  home, you can easily focus your search to find the right style for any room.

Budgeting Patio Renovations

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
Budgeting Patio Renovations

Home improvement projects are exciting and sometimes stressful at the same time.  No matter the project or intentions, it is easy for renovations to get out of hand and over budget.  So, if you are planning a patio renovation and you have a budget in mind, how can you keep yourself focused and on budget?  The following tips will help you keep your patio renovations on track with respect to both schedules and finances.

Planning, Planning, and More Planning

Planning and prioritizing every aspect of your patio renovation is the cornerstone to keeping the project on track and on budget.  From the earliest planning stages including setting timelines, finding contractors, and getting your permits to the final touches of the decorative process, careful planning can make a huge difference when it comes to budget.  Your planning must include project schematics that will allow you to break down costs according to various project stages from demolition (if required) and construction to finishing and decoration.  The more detail that goes into planning your patio renovation, the more likely you will be to keep the project within your spending limits.  If you are new to outdoor renovations, consider working with a professional contractor who can help you understand all the nuances of your project and how to budget effectively.

Research Supports Planning

We really cannot overestimate the importance of planning at every stage of your renovation and this should include careful research into material and labour costs, local permitting requirements, design trends and more.  It is always helpful to check out similar patio renovation projects in your neighbourhood or even through online research.  You can even research creative ways to repurpose your current outdoor facilities.  For example, if you have a flower bed constructed from re-useable brick, can you transform it into a walk way?  Knowing what you have, what you need, and how to use your resources effectively will help you spend your money efficiently.

Allocating Funds

It can often be helpful to break down your patio renovation into smaller chunks or milestones and then allocate funds.  Say that you want to remove an old deck before building a new one – you can break down your project into two different stages and research funding requirements for each.  Then you can allocate your budget accordingly.  Likewise, your renovation project might be broken down into various categories such as

  • Labour,
  • Materials,
  • Furniture, and
  • Accessories

Each of these categories can receive their own budget.  If you go under or over budget in one area, you might find you have funds to move around.   Another trick is to purchase gift cards or project cards from home renovation depots and allocate these cards to different aspects of your project.  This will allow you to effectively monitor your spending.

Contingencies

Finally, it is always important to set aside at least 15% of your total budget for unexpected costs.  Taxes, cleaning materials, or unanticipated challenges can and likely will impact your budget.  Setting some money aside to cover the costs of these contingencies is always recommended for renovation projects, including patio renovations.