Tips & Tricks Archives

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...

Getting the Most Out of Your Home’s Natural Light

June 28, 2022
By House Lift
In Inspiration, Renovation, Tips & Tricks

If you own a home, learning how to increase its natural light is likely on your wishlist. A home flooded with natural light is welcoming and makes us feel rejuvenated. Exposure to daylight has been linked to better moods and overall well-being. Increasing the natural light in a room makes colors more vibrant and décor more eye-catching. For many people, natural light is a “must-have” feature in a home, followed by a large garden and an open-plan kitchen or dining room. Poor natural lighting is often a reason why homeowners feel unhappy with their home’s appearance. Homebuyers also tend to find brighter homes more appealing than darker ones. When it comes to home design, we are always thinking of ways to boost natural light. If you are considering a dream home makeover, read on for the best ways to add more light. Update Your Flooring You’d be surprised how much of an impact the right flooring can have on your home’s natural light. Flooring can be transformed into light-friendly reflectors by choosing wood, ceramic or stone with a polished finish. Light wood floors, especially whitewash wood floors, have been around for centuries. Home renovation companies often suggest wood flooring because...

Spring Cleaning Tricks for a Modern Home

Are you looking for great spring cleaning tips? Look no further. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are getting warmer and the air is filled with fresh fragrance. This means one thing: it’s time for spring cleaning! Spring cleaning is deeply rooted in human history spanning every culture and country around the world. As winter turns to spring, we feel an energy of renewal that drives us to refresh and revive our homes. The dwellings we clean today, however, are quite different from those of our ancestors. Modern homes are larger, with more spaces and items to clean, including technology and appliances, making the task of spring cleaning a much larger undertaking. While doing a full-home spring spruce-up is a lot of work, the reward is spending those precious first warm days in a sparkling clean home. And with a few easy tricks, you can make the spring cleaning a lot more manageable. We know the value of feeling great about the home you’re in. Keep reading for our spring cleaning tips. 1. Start With a Game Plan Before you embark on your spring cleaning journey, you need to map out your path and make sure you have all of...

Sustainable or Green Remodeling, Explained

When you make your home more environmentally friendly through green design and construction, you reduce the cost of operating your home by conserving energy and water, while saving on energy systems and appliance maintenance. You also create a healthier environment for your family and your pets. Sustainable home construction involves more than choosing greener building materials. For homeowners who wish to reduce their carbon footprints, here is a brief look at what you can expect as you start the green building process. What is a green home? A green home is designed, constructed, and operated in ways that reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts. A green home can even have a positive effect on the climate and natural environment. Green buildings preserve natural resources and improve the quality of our lives. Building green is a commitment to the five pillars of green building: energy, health, materials, water, and place. What are the attributes of a green home? Green home design considers the quality of life of the home’s occupants in the construction, and operation of the home. In a green home, energy, water, and other utilities and resources are used to maximum efficiency. Green homes often use renewable energy sources,...

Planning Ahead for Your Home Remodel Project

November 1, 2021
By House Lift
In Home Value, Informational, Tips & Tricks

Embarking on a home remodeling project is a big decision, whether you’re updating your bathroom or expanding your home with an addition. No matter the size or financial investment of your project, you want to work with a reputable contractor who will provide you with an accurate estimate for the work to be done. At House Lift, we take the time to fully explain the remodeling process, including the timeline, an estimate of costs, and any potential obstacles we may encounter. We know that the more thorough we are in the initial stages, the smoother the project will go. Here are the first steps you should take to get your home remodeling project off the ground. Initiate Your Home Remodeling Project The work on your renovation begins before you pick up the phone to schedule a contractor visit. Before your first meeting with House Lift, you should understand what you want and need out of your project. You’ll also want to have an idea of what you are able to comfortably and reasonably spend. We suggest that you write down your list of needs and wants and the budget you’re comfortable with so you can refer to it when speaking...

5 Creative Chore Chart Ideas for Families

Everyone enjoys a clean house, but the word “chore” doesn’t exactly elicit warm feelings from even the tidiest among us. Families often squabble about who’s doing the most, or the least, amount of cleaning, and kids often feel like any amount of help is some sort of indentured servitude. The family home is a space everyone shares, so we should all share responsibility in keeping it clean. By organizing chores on a chore chart, you can fairly share the responsibility of cleaning, and with these creative ideas, you may actually have a little bit of fun. Work For the Weekend A lot of people use incentives to get their families on board with chores. In this model, the incentive is a fun Saturday activity. Using a dry erase board, make a chart with days of the week across the top (Sunday – Friday) and rooms in your house down the side. Write down what needs to be done in each room on each day. Using magnets for each family member, assign each person one room per day. Some rooms require more daily upkeep than others, so make sure those are allocated fairly throughout the family. Every completed chore is given a...

Boost Your Kids’ Grades with a DIY “Homework Haven.”

After school, kids need a break from work to relax, play, and eat a nutritious (or not-so-nutritious) snack. Eventually, though, it’s time for homework. With some American students being sent home with upwards of 18 hours of homework each week, it’s easy to understand why some kids struggle to complete their assignments. Studies show that students, from kindergarten through college, benefit tremendously from having a designated homework space. By turning a nook, corner, or room in your home into a dedicated schoolwork zone, you give your students a leg up in their education. Keep reading for tips on how to create a perfect “homework haven.” 1. Create a Space That Fits Your Child Just like adults, kids stay more alert and focused when working at a desk. Working at a desk that isn’t a comfortable fit, though, can be just as detrimental as working in bed or on the couch. When creating your homework haven, make sure to outfit it with a comfortable desk and chair that works ergonomically for your child’s size. Because kids grow so much each year, consider an adjustable desk that can grow with them. 2. Shine a Light on the Subject When it comes to...

Why Building Costs Are Rising in 2021

It’s true that building costs have gone up over the last year and are continuing to rise. If there’s one thing real estate and construction experts agree on, it’s that no one can predict if and when prices will return to pre-2020 levels. If you’re a homeowner who’s been waiting for construction costs to fall before starting a remodeling project, take a moment to understand the current market and discover why it may pay off to get started on your project sooner rather than later. Why are costs going up? There are many factors that contribute to the price of building materials, all of which stem from two fundamental economic concepts: supply and demand. When the pandemic hit last spring, it threw previously efficient national and global supply chains into chaos. Production in the mills and factories that supplied the construction industry with everything from lumber to light fixtures ground to a halt as staff stayed home. Similarly, the logistics companies that delivered products to wholesalers and retailers slowed or stopped their operations. The construction industry has been dealing with the fallout ever since. Add to this the current labor shortage and rising labor costs, and the supply of construction...

Why Building Costs Are Rising in 2021

As the Twin Cities get back to some sort of normal post-pandemic, there is one aspect of everyday life that might not be the “normal” as we understood it to be for quite some time. That change is the cost of materials used to build new homes and renovate older houses.

How to Start a Garden

Your home is more than just your physical house. Adding and maintaining a garden can be a lovely addition to the exterior of your home, gracefully adding to the ambience and color of your environment. In addition to any flowers that might speckle your outdoor space, growing fresh fruits and vegetables can also help you cook healthier, tastier meals. Here are the basic steps to starting your garden. Decide What You’d Like to Grow It’s important to give this step some dedicated thought. After all, what you decide to plant will shape your gardening experience. Would you like some fresh vegetables or colorful flowers? How much work are you envisioning each week? Once you’ve got a firm idea of your vision, you can move towards implementing it. Plan Your Space Your garden will be the main focus and fixture of this area of the property – make sure you take the time to map out what shape and location you are envisioning. Keep in mind how much space your plants will need to grow, especially if they have deep root systems or bloom into large vegetables. Invest in the Right Tools Your local gardening outlet or cooperative will be an...

Get Access to Our Twin Cities Experts