Before you renovate, it’s important that you have your home properly appraised or have a qualified professional do it for you. They will look for any major underlying issues with your home that need to be addressed before or during your planned renovation project. This will help eliminate any additional costs and surprises that may come with renovating your home.
Some reasons why people decide to undergo home renovations are:
* Update or improve obsolete or deteriorated materials
* Replacing windows, outdated furnace, and old flooring and siding are common home improvements. Maintain and repair various weathered building materials.
* New roof shingles, repairing a cracked foundation, and repairing a driveway are all typical weather-worn materials that can be repaired with a renovation. Address your lifestyle wants and needs
* Converting unused attic space into new living space, building a sunroom, and adding a home office are common home renovations that can increase your current living spaces.
Getting home renovation ideas and evaluating your home with a comprehensive home inspection will help you assess the condition of your home. The best place to start your inspection is at the base. Many of your home’s problems start in the basement, and it can be a good indicator of problems originating in other areas of your home.
If your house doesn’t have a foundation, you can start with the foundation your house is built on. Depending on the size of your home renovation project, you may want to hire a qualified home inspector or professional general contractor to help you assess your building and develop a plan of action.
Foundations
* Are there cracks or damage to the concrete walls or floors?
* Are there damp spots, stains, efflorescence, or bubbling paint on the concrete walls?
* Does anyone notice bad odors or experience nausea or headaches when in the basement?
* Is there high humidity, any visible condensation or mold?
Possible problems if you don’t address these issues can range from mild to serious:
* Serious structural problems could cause further damage to the foundation and possibly collapse the structure
* Water pressure outside the foundation can cause structural problems and leaks in your foundation. One sign of this could be standing water in your driveway or excessive standing water on your lawn after a rain.
* Odors will remain unwelcome and can pose serious health concerns when associated with dangerous types of mold
* Unresolved water issues can cause any future renovations to deteriorate quickly, whether the water is coming from building leaks, plumbing leaks, or high humidity.
* Mold can grow on almost anything and be a source of serious indoor air quality problems.
Basement ceiling or main floor structure:
– Is there enough headroom?
– Is there rotted material, sagging floor joists, or crooked joists?
– Are there signs of water stains on the main floor structure or finished basement ceiling?
Possible problems if you do not address these issues can be:
* Unresolved structural issues or poorly planned changes to the structure may cause future settlement or possible collapse of existing foundations.
Mechanical and Electrical Systems
* Are your heating and air conditioning bills unusually high?
* Are your current mechanical systems capable of meeting your needs after planned renovations?
* Is your house too dry or too humid? Are there hot or cold spots in your home?
* Do you ever smell smoke or fuel?
* Is the electrical service and wiring capable of meeting your current and future needs?
* Do the fuses keep blowing or do the circuit breakers keep tripping?
* Do the lights ever dim or the plugs spark?
* Are there leaky pipes, faucets or toilets? Does the water heater work well?
Finished base ideas to consider:
* Without regular service to your heating and cooling systems, they can gradually deteriorate, leading to serious health and safety issues.
* Problems can arise if the HVAC system cannot meet your needs. The heating supply must be sufficient for comfort. Adequate ventilation is needed to control excess moisture.
* Electrical service, wiring, and outlets may be unsafe or inadequate if you choose to increase loads on the electrical system
* Plumbing leaks will continue to damage the foundation and structure around the leaks. These leaks will also contribute to mold growth and IAQ problems.
Living rooms, floors and stairs in general
* Are the floors or stairs springy, sagging, warped, or squeaky?
* Are floor surfaces damaged or carpets moldy or deteriorating?
* Are handrails or railings loose?
What could happen if I don’t start to fix these problems?
* Damaged or uneven floors and stairs can be unsafe
*Moldy carpets are often a source of mold
* Loose handrails or railings can be a serious safety hazard in your home
kitchens and bathrooms
* Is there any water seepage around kitchen fixtures, condensation on windows, or constantly dripping faucets?
* Are the floors around the bathtub or showers damaged or soft?
These may be indicators of some underlying issues that need to be looked at during a kitchen renovation:
* Leaks will continue to cause damage and will only get worse over time, costing you more later on
* Excess moisture will continue to cause damage and may lead to mold growth, which could lead to serious health problems.
walls and ceilings
* Do your walls or ceiling have cracks, holes, bulges, water stains or peeling finishes?
* Are any of your doors or windows difficult to open and close?
* Are any of your windows drafty or broken?
* Is there moisture between the glass panels?
* Are there water stains or rot on the windows or walls?
Simply replacing windows and doors may not solve the problem and you may need to locate the source:
* If the sources of the problem are not fixed, cracks and stuck doors or windows will continue to occur even with new materials. You should repair the fountain before replacing any door binding or pesky cracks.
* Hiding moisture damage with new paint or wall finishes will only lead to continued deterioration and mold growth
* Defective windows will eventually result in more damage to the walls surrounding the window area. If the windows are leaking down the wall, the problem could result in a complete destruction of your home to remove moldy insulation and drywall.
penthouses
* Are there water stains on your ceilings or excess moisture in any area?
* Do you see black mold on any of the ceiling tiles or tiles?
* Does the attic have adequate ventilation?
* Are there air leaks in the ceilings of the rooms below the attic? Is the attic hatch sealed?
A well-maintained attic can save other areas of your home from problems and increase the efficiency of your home.
* Moisture damage will continue to deteriorate your home, without proper ventilation your attic will allow moisture to build up and cause serious damage.
* Air leaks in ceilings will reduce heating efficiency and can be sources of odors and pollutants.
ceilings
* Does the roof have cracked or rippled shingles, bare patches, leaks, moss, or damaged flashing?
* Do your eaves and downspouts direct water away from your foundation or do you have excess standing water around your house after a rain?
Roofing materials need to be monitored for deterioration; here are some things to consider:
* Most roofing materials deteriorate over time and should be replaced when this happens. Failure to replace roofing material when necessary can and often will result in more costly damage throughout the home.
*Surface water near your home and foundation will put undue pressure on the building’s foundation material and cause water ingress problems
Exterior Walls Something to keep in mind when walking around the exterior of your home:
* Does your home have blistering paint, rotted wood, sagging siding, stained or deteriorated brick, or damaged stucco on exterior walls?
Keep the exterior protected to save your home from preventable repairs:
* Water penetration can cause more serious problems in siding, framing and interior finish.
* Exterior wall deterioration will also reduce the efficiency of your mechanical systems as well as the physical appearance of your home.
Keep your home up to date and in good repair and you’ll feel the rewards. Performing regular maintenance and repair projects, such as fixing structural flaws, leaks, and making sure all utilities are safe and adequate, will make your home safer and more durable for years to come. I like it. Once you have ensured the safety of the people who live in your home, other renovations can be done to make your home a more pleasant place to live and enjoy your lifestyle. Always remember to have a current contract in place before beginning any work when using a contractor.
