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Last month we examined some options around renovating your exiting home or relocating to a new address. There were some tears, there were some laughs, and maybe you have since decided to pack your bags, sever your losses and pursue other dwellingships. If that is the case, we wish you only the most sincere happiness. If, however, you have decided to sweat it out and renovate your exiting home so that it becomes all that you have ever wanted and more, then this article is for YOU. Welcome to, Making That List. For the purpose of this article, we will look at the following hypothetical wish-list as an example:

New kitchen
Mud-room closets/cubbies/tile flooring
New deck
New roof
Painting the living room and all trim

There are a number of considerations when prioritizing your home reno wish-list. The first, as you may have guessed, is budget. It will be with reasonable certainty that a kitchen reno will be the most costly one you will ever do (short of that indoor basketball court or tiered water-fountain). Mainly this is due to the cost of finishes and appliances and the fact that your kitchen is a pretty major showpiece and not a space where you want to skimp. On the other hand, in terms of bang for your buck, the kitchen always comes through. A new kitchen increases your home’s value, your own enjoyment of cooking and entertaining, and let’s face it, gets plenty of envy from the friends and family. So if you have the money and the time (Between 5-10 weeks and any number of dollars over a few thousand), then it’s pretty safe to assume a kitchen reno will not be regretted[1]. However, as life often dictates, sometimes we have to think in terms of domino effect and the dreaded future; enter necessary renovations for consideration. Has your roof been replaced in the past 15 years? Are you finding little scraps of asphalt shingles in your lawn? If the answer is a reluctant yes, then you may have to consider spending your money on your roof. No, it will not be the envy of your friends, and no, you won’t even really see the work once it’s done, but left undone can quickly amount to tens of thousands of dollars in repairs in the long run. The same applies to any points of entry in your home; windows, doors etc… Are they drafty or damp? Does the floor in your entry always seems wet? Do you feel cold just sitting next to the window? Again, if the answer is yes, you may have to spend your money on less-fun things like windows and doors, new insulation, or entry-way flooring[2]. Nothing worthy of a big reveal, but much like the leaking roof, damp walls and floors can result in costly, extensive damage to your home’s structure and your family’s health. Finally making the priority list, and easiest on the wallet as well as the nerves, are the smaller projects such as painting or staining. While few people actually enjoy the painting process, there is no denying that there is little else that gives as much return on investment as a 60-dollar gallon of paint. And what better time than these rainy, in-between season days than to finally take care of those tired walls and beat-up baseboards?[3] The only thing left to decide, is what color? Which brings us to next month’s article, Why Hire a Designer? Stay Tuned!

[1] Assuming you have implemented a fluid, attractive, and efficient design J
[2] Main Renovations uses a variety of industry-recognised spray-foam, and injected cellullose applications for both older and newer homes that is non-invasive and requires minimal mess and destruction to your existing walls.
[3] On the other hand, if you are terrible at it, or just know you’ll never get around to it, then feel free to allow Main Renovations to tackle this work for you. […]