Discover The Latest In Home Renovation Trends with House Lift Inc.

The Steps to a Home Remodeling Project

September 5, 2023
By House Lift
In Home Value, Renovation, Tips & Tricks

Embarking on a home remodeling project? The process may seem daunting, but with some step-by-step planning in place, you can create a smooth transformation for your home. Here’s how to plan your home makeover. Define Your Project Scope Make a list of the things you want to change or update in your home. Be as specific as possible, detailing the changes for each room and the materials you envision. Remember to consider the practical aspects, such as plumbing and electrical work, along with the aesthetic ones. Your defined project scope will serve as a blueprint guiding your decisions and actions throughout the remodeling process. Hire a Remodeling Contractor Choose a dedicated remodeling contractor who is licensed, insured and has a strong portfolio. Schedule a consultation to share your desired project scope and give them a chance to walk through your space. Then you’ll be ready to work out key details and a plan of attack for your project. Develop a Detailed Plan and Timeline When you and your contractor begin to map out the plans for your home remodeling project, make sure to bring your planner with you. Start by identifying key milestones based on your project’s scope. These might...

How To Orchestrate the Perfect Kitchen Remodel

Here in the Midwest, you’d be hard-pressed to find a family who doesn’t consider the kitchen to be the heart of the home. So, when the kitchen is looking and feeling outdated, the whole house feels off. A successful kitchen remodel may seem like an overwhelming task, but with the right approach, you can pull it off beautifully. Make Your Wish List Identify the parts of your kitchen that aren’t cutting it for you, which you would like to change or upgrade: cabinets, appliances, flooring, lighting fixtures, counters, etc. Then prioritize them based on the most important to least important. As you’re making your wishlist, make sure to think about the kitchen layout and flow of traffic as well. Choose a Design Style Find some inspirational photos that show exactly what you’re looking for in the design of your new kitchen. From overall-theme pictures to specific elements (such as faucets or counter finishes), these photos will be an invaluable tool for you and your contractor. Ask your contractor for design visualizations, material samples and product cutsheets to envision the finished kitchen before work begins. Measure Once, Twice, Three Times Providing prospective contractors with precise schematics will give them a clear...

What You Need to Know About Home Remodeling Shows

Home remodeling shows have been a popular TV staple for decades, captivating audiences with the transformations of homes from drab and outdated to stunning and modern. Shows like Fixer Uppers and Property Brothers have become media franchises in their own right, making bona fide celebrities out of their hosts, like Chip and Joanna Gaines, and Drew and Jonathan Scott, reiterating the popularity and power that home renovation shows have with audiences nationwide. But what exactly is it about remodeling shows that people find so appealing? And what can we learn from them when it comes to renovating our own homes? They Provide a Sense of Escapism Viewers of Hometown or Property Brothers can watch as a team of experts transforms a home to exceed the homeowner’s wildest dreams and expectations, momentarily casting them and their newly minted house in the national viewing spotlight. For homeowners considering a renovation, it can provide a vicarious experience, prompting them to prioritize the remodel they may have been putting off. And for homeowners already in mid-renovation, they will get a sense of what to expect when the finished product of their own house gets the big reveal. They’re Inspirational (and Aspirational) If you’ve thought...

7 Myths About Home Improvement

The perfect home renovations are the stuff a homeowner’s dream house is made of. Upgrading your home can improve its value, make it more comfortable, and save you money in the long run. However, despite their many benefits, there are still many misconceptions about home improvement that can lead to costly mistakes. But before embarking on such a major investment, let’s debunk some of the most common home improvement myths and seek the truth behind them. Myth #1: More Expensive Means Better Quality Many people believe that when it comes to home improvement, you get what you pay for. This is simply not true. While it’s true that high-end materials and appliances are generally better quality, you can still find affordable products that are durable and long-lasting. You should do your research and compare prices, materials and brands before making a purchase. Myth #2: You Need To Replace Everything at Once Another common myth is that you need to replace everything at once when making home improvements. This is not only unnecessary but also wasteful. It’s much better to prioritize the most important upgrades and make them first, then work your way down the list. This way, you can save...

Everything You Wanted to Know About Luxury Home Remodeling

Beauty, personality and functionality are ideally just some of the reasons to purchase a luxury home. So when it comes to enhancing those characteristics, a remodel becomes an exciting endeavor to upgrade your living space, whether it’s adding a new room, renovating a bathroom, revamping a kitchen or a full reinvention of the entire house. A remodel can be a complex process, however. Here’s a step-by-step on everything you need to know about luxury home remodeling, from start to finish. Planning Crucial to the success of any home remodeling project (especially a luxury home remodel), you need a blueprint of which direction to go in. Start by outlining your goals and objectives for the project. Do you want to create more living space? Upgrade your appliances? Modernize your home’s design? Add a new wing, or reinvent existing rooms into something else? Once you’ve defined your goals, determine the scope of the project and the projected timeline. Keep in mind that a proper renovation will need to include materials, labor and permits (particularly if it involves expanding past your property line). You’ll need to work closely with a contractor to ensure all your goals are feasibly met. Selecting a Contractor Look...

Spruce Up Your House With These 3 Renovation Ideas

Spring is coming, and what better time than now to spruce up your abode? Taking the opportunity to renovate and reinvent comes with a host of benefits, like giving your home a fresh, new look with aesthetic appeal, and even increasing the value of your property. However, not every house renovation is created equal, and some can be more impactful than others. For inspiration, here are three renovation ideas that are functional and reflect your personal style and taste. Update Your Kitchen The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home, and for good reason, where people gather to cook, eat, socialize and make lasting memories. Kitchen updates can make a big difference in the overall look and feel of your home. Consider replacing your old appliances with new stainless steel models, and add a fresh coat of paint to the cabinets to give them a new look. You can also update the cabinetry and countertops with granite or quartz, and add new tile or hardwood flooring. For the kitchen, the amount of renovation ideas is endless. Add a Bathroom Refreshing a master or guest bathroom is a go-to option if you must pick one room in...

Popular Bathroom Designs for 2023 Remodeling

Because it serves so many functional purposes, the bathroom often tends to get overlooked when it comes to design in favor of other rooms in the house. But given that it’s an extension of them, shouldn’t it reflect the same unique, personalized decor you’ve inhabited those spaces with? Now that 2023 is here in full swing, make it a redesign resolution (We just coined that term!) to give the bathroom some love as a place where form meets aesthetics and utility meets beauty. Looking for the best bathroom remodel ideas? Here are some ideas we expect to continue trending this year. Terrific Terrazzo Terrazzo is making a comeback in a big way for popular bathroom designs thanks to the stone’s speckled, flecked appearance. Like fingerprints, no two are alike, lending a light, playful sensibility when it’s used as flooring or tiling for bathroom counters, shower walls or accented surfaces. Available in most colors (and a great complement to any marble/granite surfaces present in the bathroom), terrazzo is statement-making without overwhelming the space in its retro-yet-modern character. Unique Tubs (and Toilets, Too) No longer just mainstays that serve their purpose and no more, bathtubs and toilets are becoming as...

The Best Designs for a Kitchen Renovation in 2023

When it comes to renovating what’s (in)arguably the most important room in the house, there are kitchen remodel ideas, and then there are kitchen remodel ideas. It’s a bona fide make-it-or-break-it situation, since choosing the former could run the risk of sinking money into the wrong renovation effort (and maybe diminish the value of one’s abode). But choose the latter, and the most tastefully done kitchen renovation ideas can be statements combining artistics and aesthetics, a wise Investment — with a capital I — into your home for years to come. Should you switch out your seating? Restyle your wood? Yes, and yes. Which other directions should you take your kitchen to give it some modern-style upgrades that are beautiful, family friendly and make all the difference in giving it that “wow” factor? Thankfully, you don’t need to swap out everything including the kitchen sink (though you could do that, too), to give your space some new life. Read on for some renovation inspiration. The Best Kitchen Remodel Ideas for 2023 Prioritize your needs when thinking about a kitchen remodel, since some upgrades may be superfluous to your space. Does a certain upgrade serve a functional purpose? Does it make...

Creative Ways To Add Seating to Your Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of your home. It is where your family gathers to start their day. It’s where you prepare your meals and memories together. When you host family and friends — despite your best efforts — it seems to be where everybody wants to hang out. Depending on how your kitchen is laid out, there may not be any seating in your kitchen. Depending on your budget, you might consider a kitchen remodel or you may need to consider some creative ways to add seating to your kitchen. Regardless of if you’re in a position to take on residential construction or if you need some clever low cost ideas on how to add a few seats, read on for some ways to increase your kitchen seating. It’s Beautiful on the Island If you have the space, a center island can accomplish a lot with just a few square feet. If you don’t have a space to utilize for a table and chairs, an island can give you a space to enjoy your morning coffee while another member of your family fixes themselves breakfast. If your kitchen is on the smaller side, you can still use a center...

When Is Open Shelving the Right Design Choice?

Open shelving is seen by some as a passing trend. A way of storing your things to match your new open concept but not an ongoing viable way to keep your house in order. Some may see it that way, but we do not. We believe that open shelving can be an excellent way to both showcase and store, making it an excellent design choice for your home. Here we will discuss when we feel it is best to utilize open shelving and how it can help your home makeover. Open Shelving Adds a Breezy Feel to Your Interior The visual impact of open shelving to your space can be easily understated until you see it for yourself. What sounds like a simple change becomes one of the more important visual aspects of your home. When you make the design choice to switch to open shelving, you are truly taking advantage of your space. You are giving your walls the chance to breathe, which allows the color palette and lighting to stretch out across the space. This evokes the feeling you were hoping to get when you made those choices and now — with open shelving — you can be...

Get Access to Our Twin Cities Experts