Before renovating, it is important to properly evaluate your home or have a qualified professional do it for you. You will be looking for any major underlying issues with your home that need to be addressed before or during your planned renovation project. This will help eliminate additional costs and surprises that can come with renovating your home.
Some reasons people decide to undergo home renovations include:
* Update or improve obsolete or deteriorated materials
* Replacing windows, outdated furnace, and old flooring and siding are common home improvements. Maintain and repair various building materials damaged by the elements.
* New roof shingles, repairing a cracked base, and repairing a driveway are all typical weather-worn materials that can be repaired with a renovation. Address your lifestyle wants and needs
* Converting an unused attic to a new living space, building a sunroom, and adding a home office are common renovations that can increase your current living spaces.
Getting home renovation ideas and evaluating your home with a thorough inspection will help you assess the condition of your home. The best place to start your inspection is the basement. Many of your home’s problems start in the basement and it can be a good indicator of problems originating in other areas of your home.
If your home does not have a basement, you can start with the foundation your home is built on. Depending on the size of your home renovation project, you may want to hire a qualified home inspector or professional general contractor to help you evaluate your building and develop a plan of action.
Foundations
* Are there cracks or damage to the concrete walls or floors?
* Are there damp spots, stains, efflorescence or bubbling paint on the concrete walls?
* Does anyone notice bad odors or experience nausea or headaches when in the basement?
* Is there a lot of moisture, condensation, or visible mold?
Possible problems if these issues are not addressed can range from mild to severe:
* Serious structural problems could cause further damage to your foundation and possibly collapse the structure.
* Water pressure on the outside of the base can cause structural problems and base leaks. A sign of this could be standing water in your driveway or excessive standing water on your lawn after a rain.
* Odors will remain uncomfortable and can pose serious health problems when associated with dangerous types of mold.
* Unresolved water issues can cause future renovations to deteriorate rapidly, whether the water is coming from building leaks, plumbing leaks, or high humidity.
* Mold can grow on almost anything and be a source of serious indoor air quality problems.
Basement ceiling or main floor structure:
-Is there enough headroom?
-Is there rotten material, sagging floor joists, or crooked joists?
-Are there signs of water stains on the main floor structure or finished basement ceiling?
Possible issues if you don’t address these issues can be:
* Unresolved structural problems or poorly planned structure changes can cause future settlements or a possible collapse of your existing foundations.
Mechanical and electrical systems
* Are your heating and cooling bills unusually high?
* Are your current mechanical systems capable of meeting your needs after planned renovations?
* Is your house too dry or too humid? Are there hot or cold spots in your home?
* Do you ever smell smoke or fuel?
* Are electrical service and wiring capable of meeting your current and future needs?
* Do the fuses keep blowing or do the circuit breakers keep tripping?
* Do the lights ever dim or do the outputs come on?
* Are there leaking pipes, faucets or toilets? Is the water heater working well?
Ideas for finished basements to consider:
* Without regular service to your heating and air conditioning systems, they can gradually deteriorate, leading to serious health and safety problems.
* Problems can arise if the HVAC system cannot meet your needs. The heating supply must be sufficient for comfort. Adequate ventilation is needed to control excess humidity
* Electrical service, wiring, and plugs may be unsafe or inadequate if you choose to increase loads on the electrical system.
* Leaks in pipes will continue to damage the foundation and structure around the leaks. These leaks will also contribute to mold growth and IAQ problems.
General living areas, floors and stairs.
* Are floors or stairs elastic, sagging, warped, or squeaky?
* Are the floor surfaces damaged or the carpets moldy or deteriorated?
* Are the handrails or railings loose?
What could happen if I don’t start to fix these problems?
* Damaged or uneven floors and stairs may be unsafe
* Moldy carpets are often a source of mold
* Loose handrails or railings can pose a serious safety hazard in your home.
Kitchens and bathrooms
* Is there any water seepage around kitchen fixtures, condensation on windows, or constantly dripping faucets?
* Are the floors damaged or soft around the bathtub or shower?
These can be indicators of some underlying issues to be aware of during a kitchen renovation:
* Leaks will continue to cause damage and will only get worse over time, costing you more later.
* Excess moisture will continue to cause damage and can lead to mold growth which could lead to serious health problems.
Walls and ceilings
* Do your walls or ceiling have cracks, holes, bumps, water spots, or peeling finishes?
* Is it difficult to open and close any of your doors or windows?
* Are any of your windows drafty or broken?
* Is there moisture between the crystals?
* Are there water stains or rot on the windows or walls?
Simply replacing windows and doors may not solve the problem and you may need to locate the source:
* If the sources of the problem are not resolved, cracks and stuck doors or windows will continue to occur even with new materials. You need to repair the fountain before replacing the joining doors or the pesky cracks.
* Hiding moisture damage with new paint or wall finishes will only lead to continued deterioration and mold growth
* Defective windows will eventually result in further damage to the walls surrounding the window area.If the windows are leaking down the wall, the problem could result in a total gutting of your home to remove moldy insulation and drywall
Penthouses
* Are there water stains on the ceilings or excessive humidity in some areas?
* Do you see black mold on any of the ceiling frames or sheets?
* Does the attic have adequate ventilation?
* Are there air leaks in the ceilings of the rooms under the attic? Is the attic hatch sealed?
A well-kept attic can save other areas of your home from trouble and increase the efficiency of your home.
* Moisture damage will continue to deteriorate your home; Without proper ventilation, your attic will allow moisture to accumulate and cause serious damage.
* Air leaks from ceilings will reduce heating efficiency and can be sources of odors and pollutants.
Roofs
* Does the roof have cracked or curved tiles, bare patches, leaks, moss, or damaged flashing?
* Do eaves and downspouts divert water from the foundation or do you have excess standing water around your home after a rain shower?
Roofing materials must be monitored for decomposition; here are some things to consider:
* Most roofing material will deteriorate over time and should be replaced when this happens. Failure to replace your roofing material when necessary can, and often will, result in more costly damage to your entire home.
* Surface water near your home and foundation will put undue stress on the building foundation material and cause water ingress problems.
Exterior walls Something to keep in mind when walking around the exterior of your home:
* Does your home have blistered paint, rotten wood, warped siding, stained or deteriorated brick, or damaged stucco on exterior walls?
Keep the outside protected to save your home from avoidable repairs:
* Water penetration can cause more serious problems with the coating, structure and interior finish.
* Deterioration of exterior walls will also reduce the efficiency of your mechanical systems, as well as the physical appearance of your home.
Keep your home up-to-date and well-maintained and you will feel the rewards. Performing regular maintenance and repair projects, such as correcting structural failures, leaks, and making sure all services are safe and adequate, will make your home safe and more durable for years to come. years to come. Once you have ensured the safety of the people who live in your home, other renovations can be done to make your home a more pleasant place to live and enjoy your lifestyle. Always remember to have a contract in place before starting any work when using a contractor.
