Now that it’s summer time, I’m sure many of you are looking for a summer project.. and renovations are the perfect excuse to exercise some creativity, improve your living space and add value to your home before looking to sell in September! Renovations can be a big project if you choose to make it so, but you can also make it easy on yourself by hiring a good team of people and coming in with an idea of what you’re looking for. You’ll want some experience on your side to give you an idea of where to spend and where to save your money, what’s timeless and what’s too trendy, what materials work and what don’t. Contractors, interior designers and even realtors (us!) can give you an idea of how to bring your vision from an idea to reality.
Preparing for a Renovation
Consider joining Houzz.com to get some ideas saved so when you do meet with a contractor, you know the general direction and look you want to achieve. Pintrest will have some great ideas, and Youtube will have some great video’s for DIY-ers who want to focus on weekend projects or smaller fixed.
Remember, if you live in a condo in East Van, you’ll have to apply for Strata permission to change the floors, fixtures, plumbing, electrical, walls, etc. Anything that would be noisy or affects the building as a whole needs permission. The strata doesn’t have any right to refuse you unless you aren’t following city permits or strata bylaws.
Renovation Blogs
If you’re looking to hiring a contractor or interior designer, take a look at a couple of our blog posts on what you need to know before a renovation:
Renovating Your Condo or House in East Van: Some information on the basic renovation process, whether or not you should hire a project manager
Questions to Ask a Contractor before a Renovation: Helping to ensure you’re doing your due diligence before choosing a contractor. You’ll want to know this person’s experience, reviews,
Renovation Costs: Giving you an idea of what some reno’s may cost.
Otherwise, contact us! If you’re renovating in order to sell your property, we’re happy to walk through the space with you to talk about what looks good in photos and in person, what Buyers value in a renovation, what’s the latest in modern renovations and some interesting ideas to think about before jumping into your reno so you can make good decisions from the start. We’ve all had experience on some level with regards to renovations (everything from simple condo renovations to big scale home renos), and we’re happy to help.
