What better time to take on a new remodeling project than Spring? The weather is nice and mild, and it represents a time for renewal and change. Spring is the perfect time to get ready for the summer, and a remodel can help make the warm months even better. How do you go about taking on the Spring remodel project? Depending on the scale of the project, it may not be as simple a task. There needs to be a level of planning and organization when planning your remodel if you want things to go smoothly. Here’s a step-by-step look at how to plan your Spring remodel. 

Start Off with a Vision for Your Remodel

It’s crucial to know what you want from the get-go. What are your goals and expectations for your remodel project? Create a list of things that you want to include in your remodel, like “must haves” and “want”. Think of it as a wish list and be as detailed as possible. Do you want your new space to be cozy and intimate or open and airy? Think about color and fixtures and anything else that you’d like to include in remodeling your space. 

Prioritize Important Features of Your Remodel

Draw on your list of wants and needs prioritize to keep things on track. Like with many projects, you cannot accomplish all that you have in mind to do. Think of your budget and the amount of time that you have to complete it. Prioritize getting the features that are most important to you and work on those first. The less important features can be tackled further down the line. Is this a DIY project, or do you need a licensed contractor for the job? Prioritize, prioritize, and prioritize!

Set a Budget and Determine a Timeline

You have to think about your budget and timeline when planning your remodel project. If you are limited to a budget, you have to be careful about spending. You don’t want to put yourself in trouble by running out of money before your project is completed. How much time do you have to complete the project?

You may find that time and money are both limited and that you have to work a bit harder to stay within the boundary of what’s possible. If you find that you have to budget, accept that reality. You may have to be a bit creative in your approach to your project if you want it to be a success. 

Your activities reduce greatly in winter, making it the best time for you to remodel your home. Indeed the winter weather can be harsh, but it shouldn’t be an excuse not to get your home renovated. Since the distractive activities aren’t in view, you can adopt these DIY home remodeling ideas to keep yourself busy. The advantage of engaging in home remodeling projects in winter is you can do it at a relatively low cost.

Below are a few renovation projects suitable during freezing temperatures:

Remodel Key Spaces

It could be the living room, the kitchen, or the bathroom; you can maximize your time to change how they appear. The rooms aren’t the same size, so the remodeling costs depend on what you choose. For example, suppose you intend to remodel your bathroom. In that case, the budget will be relatively lower than what you will spend renovating your kitchen. Updating the hardware in this room can light out any of the rooms you decide to remodel.

Work on the Walls

Winter is the perfect moment for interior painting projects as opposed to summer and spring. The freshly painted room tends to dry faster during this period. Additionally, you can get a bucket of paint at a lesser price in winter. This implies you are getting more value while you are paying less. Changing wall colors occasionally brings a home to life.

Insulate the Rooms

The best time for winter-proofing projects is at that time when it is happening. You can determine your home insulation needs effectively because everything becomes glaring. Insulation projects prevent you from spending excessively on utility bills the whole season. Insulation types and materials determine the cost you will incur. The first step to get your home insulated is doing home energy audits. It helps to know your home insulation needs.

Adding more Rooms

It’s normal for families to grow. As this happens, the available rooms might not be enough for everyone. You can leverage the winter season to create more rooms with an addition if you have no intention to relocate.

Complete the Basement

Understandably, you have been busy during summer and spring, making it difficult to complete your basement. Winter offers you the time you need to give your basement the final touch. A well-designed basement adds value to a property. A home remodeling project in the basement is relatively easy to plan because it’s a typical blank space.

If you’re ready to remodel your home, our team at Tom Curren Companies is ready to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. 

Are you considering a bathroom remodel with a double vanity, but you’re unsure if it’s the best option for you? Sometimes they add more space to a bathroom but not always. Bathrooms need to fit your needs, but a great-looking bathroom is always a bonus. Let’s explore the factors to consider when deciding between more storage and an additional vanity.

Why Are You Remodeling Your Bathroom?

A bathroom remodel is a significant project that you should carefully consider before starting. Is your aim for this remodel to add more space for your growing family, is it to boost the resale value of your home, or for other reasons? If your bathroom already feels a bit cramped, consider expanding it if possible. 

Do You Have the Space for a Double Vanity?

If you bathroom already feels low on space, adding another vanity will likely only exasperate the problem. An additional sink only means that there will be less storage space on the counter, and there must be room for plumbing as well. With one sink & vanity, you can use the extra counter space for toothbrushes and other hygiene items that are used frequently. Typically, you want to have at least 72 inches width-wise to build a vanity properly and practically.

Resale Value or Functionality?

The goal of your bathroom remodel matters here; are you remodeling the bathroom for yourself or to entice potential buyers down the road. Think about the habits of you and your family. Do you have multiple people getting ready at the same time, or are routines more spread out with some working or learning from home? If you don’t have people using the sink at the same time as one another, you probably don’t need a double vanity. 

On the other hand, if you’re remodeling your home with the intention to sell it, you can entice buyers with a clean and modern-looking double vanity without worrying about the impact on your daily routines. 

Keeping it Clean

When it comes to bathrooms, keeping things clean is important. You want to have a bathroom that is not only easy to keep clean but looks neat with all of your daily products within arms reach. More counter space and under sink storage will often benefit homeowners more than an additional sink and mirror will add.

Ultimately, whether or not to opt for a dual vanity bathroom is up to you. You may find it easy to keep clean and fit all of your essentials with limited counter space, but many need more storage. Contact Tom Curren Companies today for help with remodeling your bathroom. 

When remodeling your spaces like kitchen and bathroom, you can come across a variety of options. Choosing from these options becomes difficult, especially when you expect a good result while staying within budget. Many people are fussing about the practical and aesthetic benefits of installing marble for your bathroom and kitchen counterparts.

Considering the quality, designs, and other features, you can say that marble is irreplaceable. Surprisingly, over time, marble becomes darker due to the unique patina that develops on its surface. This darker color can give character and contrast to your contemporary home. Here are some quick advantages of adding marble in your bathroom: 

They are Easy to Clean

Cleaning marble doesn’t require any special cleaning products. Simply use a damp cloth with some hot water and dish soap. Do not use vinegar, lemon-based cleaners, or bleach on your countertop or flooring as it etches the marble. Numerous marble cleaners are available in the market, but you don’t need them. If you want to get rid of a stubborn stain, you need to get in touch with the manufacturer. The manufacturer will guide you on the best cleaning technique.

They are Affordable

Although it depends on the type of marble you are buying, it is a comparatively cheaper option. For instance, Carrara marble is the cheapest option available in the market. Because this marble is trending and readily available, these are the least expensive options for counterparts. Furthermore, marble is long-lasting, which can save a huge amount of money for remodeling.

They are Heat-Resistant

Marble counterparts are also heat-resistant, so you can enjoy the central icy air while baking in the middle of a heatwave. Specifically, installing heat-resistant marble in the kitchen would be a great option if you are fond of baking. Even though marble can withstand high temperatures, you shouldn’t leave a hot pot on its counterpart. Instead, use a potholder as there is a risk of burning or discoloring.

They Improve Your Home’s Value

Marble is the material that won’t go out of style anytime soon. Because of its durability and style, people even install it to increase the value of their homes. Many realtors suggest that people enjoy looking at the marbled styling in the kitchen and bathroom while purchasing a new house. They also go well with anything new that you or the new homeowner will add to the kitchen. If you are looking for a long-term investment, white marble-like Vanilla Sky or Carrara would be the perfect fit.

They are Translucent

Marble, as a translucent material, will give an amazing look to your counterparts when the lights hit their surface. Your counterparts will look different depending on the location, color, and source of the light. If you loathe stagnancy, then translucent marble would be an incredible option for your kitchen and bathroom.

Conclusion

If you want to remodel your kitchen and bathroom with marble material, you need to hire a reliable remodeler. Give us a call and learn how our skillful and knowledgeable team will help you renovate your kitchen. We guarantee expert installation, the best customer service, and speedy execution. Contact Tom Curren Companies now and discuss your remodeling needs with our experts for affordable solutions.

Remodeling projects can be very frustrating if the contractor keeps wasting your time by ordering materials on an on-demand basis, instead of having all the materials on-site before work begins. Delay and late arrival of materials can be a major setback and a huge waste of everyone’s time.  

Here are the top advantages of working with a contractor who pre-orders all the necessary materials ahead of time:

Saves Time

If your contractor does not have all the materials on-site, midway through your remodeling project, they will probably have to spend time ordering, and then waiting around for the rest of the materials to be delivered. Ordering materials in the middle of the project pushes timelines out and leads to unnecessary delays. Some contractors may even charge you “time & materials,” meaning the extra time it takes to stop and order the materials mid-way through is extra money coming out of your pocket.

Avoids Unplanned Expenses or Changes

If your contractor does not have all the essential materials ready on-site, someone in their team will have to go to confirm that the right materials are dispatched from the supplier, quickly. If that item isn’t typically held in stock, it may take a longer time to ship out, or more money to get it to you in a timely manner. Prices will fluctuate depending on the availability, so although you saw an item at a reasonable price early on, waiting to order until you need it runs the risk of the price being significantly higher, or worse – out of stock!

Ensures Correct Materials Are Used

Taking the time to ensure all materials are there, correct, and undamaged is important! Early material delivery ensures contractors do the crucial stocktaking activity before the project starts. Otherwise, they will pause the project every time materials arrive to verify and ascertain their quality and quantity.  Especially for those contractors that are running a one-person show, it’s time-consuming to double-check all incoming deliveries for any imperfections. 

Prepares for Accidents

As you start off your project, it is essential to ensure your contractor has both the right materials and backup materials on site. In construction processes, accidents often occur, causing some parts or components to chip, tear or break. Having extra materials on-site cushions the contractor from running around looking for replacement materials mid-project. This provides you and the contractor peace of mind, knowing that should anything happen, you have the necessary tools and materials on site.

There is really no downside to having all the materials on-site before starting your remodeling project – unless you don’t have a great place to store it all! At TCC, we store all of your remodeling materials in our warehouse, to keep your job site clean each day. We’ll order the materials upfront, and begin the job once we have all of the necessary items to get going. Remember, it is better to delay the start of a project than to stop midway to retake stock of materials. Always go for contractors who deliver their materials to save your time and money as well as avoid unnecessary delays. 

Living in a metropolitan area usually means you are living in a condominium building, an apartment, or a multi-family house. Most people rent, others may buy, and some actually do both! What the majority of people don’t realize is that just because you live in a condominium or an apartment complex, doesn’t mean you can’t make enhancements to your unit! Although it’s not as straightforward as making updates in your own house, transforming your condo or apartment into a space you love is not impossible.

Here are a few extra precautions to keep in mind when doing a home improvement project in an apartment building or condo:

Keeping Your Neighbors Happy

Every building is set up differently, but keep in mind that when you are performing work in a building with common areas, all of the other tenants are essentially living through the same construction. There will be some level of disruption in the building, so it’s important to be respectful, and do what you can to keep the project from dragging on. Plan ahead and be diligent about sticking to the rules so you can complete the work in the allotted time frame, keeping your neighbors at ease.

Planning Ahead On-Site

If you plan to hire any outside help, it’s crucial to meet on the job site before starting construction, to review the details of the project plan. At TCC, we schedule a job preview, where the Production Manager, Salesperson, and Lead Carpenter will meet with the client to look at the space, and review any additional building regulations that the production team deems important. This time is also used to answer any outstanding questions the client, or building manager, may have for our team.

Deliveries & Trash Disposal

While working in a building like this, it’s important to know where exactly the unit is located and come up with a plan of action when delivering materials, and disposing of any trash.  If the elevator is needed to access your unit, the elevator will have to be completely protected with padded blankets to avoid any damage.  There are certain guidelines you must first follow regarding deliveries & disposal of materials, and building managers are serious about enforcing them.

Protecting Common Spaces

Much like the elevators, if there will be heavy traffic through any common areas or hallways, those areas will also need to be protected. We’ve learned that it is imperative to speak with the building manager before any production begins, to fully understand the building’s do’s and don’ts. There are a multitude of building rules and regulations including limited work hours, parking restrictions, noise volume, protection of common areas, that need to be discussed ahead of time.

Permitting

Doing any home-improvement project in a living complex requires a city permit, but in condos, apartments, or townhomes, there may be additional permits that need to be pulled. It’s important to contact the city to obtain a permit for any home project, which could be as small as the removal of a few wooden boards! Do not skip this step – there are many downsides to not pulling a permit. When you work with us, we’ll take care of the permitting for you.

Additional Insurance Coverage

Depending on the building’s guidelines, they may also require extra insurance for the people that will be completing the work. Be sure not to skimp out when it comes to having correct insurance coverage for a project in a commercial building, you don’t want to overlook this piece either. That’s one major upside of working with a professional, licensed, and insured contractor…you won’t have to worry about it!

As you can see, there are a few additional variables to keep in mind when it comes to making updates to your apartment or condo. While there aren’t any crazy hoops you’ll need to jump through to do construction in your unit, there are certainly a few extra steps you want to be sure you don’t miss. At Tom Curren Companies, we’ve worked in a variety of living complexes, so we know how to professionally handle the areas of the project that will require extra attention. If you’re looking to make updates in your unit, give us a call 617-969-4900!