Whether you increase the worth of your home by installing a 4 zone mini split system or tearing down a wall to create an open floor plan, remodeling can increase your home’s market value and make it a more enjoyable place to live. One of the most critical steps in a successful remodel is to make well-informed decisions early in the planning process. To do this, it is vital to assess your home’s existing features to determine how the remodel will impact your home’s aesthetics and functionality.
There are several must-have features to consider before remodeling your home, including the HVAC system, available space, your home’s flooring, and the layout of your home. To avoid complications, disruptions, and delays during the remodel, pay special attention to these features and incorporate them into your new plans.
Assess Your Current HVAC System
Your home’s HVAC system plays an important part in keeping your home at a comfortable, livable temperature. When planning the remodel, consider the existing HVAC system and whether it works with your remodel plans.
Central ducted systems cool your home by recirculating air as an evaporator coil in your furnace cools it. The cooled air travels through ducts and is dispersed throughout your house. To work properly, a traditional HVAC system needs an outdoor unit, a working furnace with an evaporator coil, and an intricate pathway of ducts to carry the air.
Before remodeling, assess your current HVAC system. If your remodeling plans include tearing down a portion of the ductwork, you might consider eliminating the centralized system for a brand new multi zone mini split AC. This will modernize your home, improve cooling efficiency, reduce your utility bills, and add a new, clean look to your remodeled space.
Consider the Home Layout
Before finalizing your remodeling plans, consider your home’s current layout. Most modern homes boast spacious, open layouts that create a sense of flow throughout the home. This design is most evident in the kitchen, dining, and living room areas. In addition, it creates multifunctional spaces that allow for better visibility and ease of movement as you go from one room to another.
Open floor plans are highly desirable features in a home and can raise your home’s value by about 7.4% per year. So, it’s a good idea to consider whether you’ll obstruct your current open plan with your new remodel or whether you can take the opportunity to create a more open space during the remodel if your house is older.
Another aspect of layout to consider when remodeling your home is the number of levels you have. Homes with more than one level are built with special load-bearing supports that hold the weight of the home’s upper levels, so it is vital to speak with an engineer or contractor who can assess where it is safe to remove walls and partitions to create an open floor plan.
If you have a one-story home and are ready to take on a bigger project, you might consider building up. Adding a second level to your home can increase property values and gives you more space without taking up more land.
Assess Available Space
When you begin to think about remodeling, it’s crucial to assess the available space in your home. What are your renovation goals, and do you have the space to accommodate those objectives? For example, if you want to remodel your master bedroom and add a full bath, it is vital to measure your space to see if it can hold a toilet, sink, shower, and bathtub, as well as any other features you want to include.
For smaller renovations, you can measure the space yourself. Take measurements of doorways, the height of the ceiling, the square footage of the space, and the width of the walls in the area. Then, measure the appliances and items you want to install in the space. You can use the measurements to create a rough layout of the remodel using a room planning app. This can give you an estimate of whether the remodel will work in the area.
Examine the Home Insulation
Older homes were typically built with less insulation than modern houses, so it’s important to consider this when remodeling an older property. Although quality insulation often lasts between 80 and 100 years, there may not be enough thickness or density, or it might not be fitted correctly. What’s more, insulation frequently starts to deteriorate and fall from fiberglass batts after 15 years, meaning your insulation set-up could be compromised and potentially harmful to your health.
Before starting the remodel, hire a professional technician to carry out an energy audit. This helps determine your home’s energy efficiency and what areas need to be sealed or better insulated. Once your energy audit is complete, use the results to inform how you proceed with your remodel.
Improved insulation helps maximize the efficiency of your AC unit. Besides creating a more comfortable home during summer and winter, a well-insulated structure can reduce heating and cooling costs. Consider using new, eco-friendly materials such as cellulose fiber, wool, rigid cork, or denim to insulate the renovated areas of your home.
Fix the Flooring
A must-have feature for newer homes is the flooring. Many homes from the past 50 years contain linoleum in outdated colors and patterns and undesirable shag carpet. While this type of flooring is cheap and relatively durable, it is a feature you’ll want to switch up during a home remodel. Replacing your worn linoleum or shag carpet with neutral-toned tiles or beautiful hardwood or laminate floors is a sure-fire way to increase the value of your home and give it a comfortable, modern feel.
Before you jump into remodeling your floors, take a few steps to analyze the flooring situation in your home. If you plan to remodel floors in the basement or bathrooms, consider the moisture levels in these rooms. Then, opt for tiles, laminate, or vinyl panels that work well with moisture.
Also, consider whether your current floors have layers of carpet or linoleum underneath or, as sometimes occurs, gorgeous hardwood hidden by carpet. Again, it is a good idea to seek the help of a professional installer to assess just what is under your current floor and how to remodel the area to your specifications.
Increase Your Comfort and Home Value
When you take the time to consider the must-have features of a home before remodeling, you are sure to end up with a newly renovated house that is not only more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing but also carries increased home value. Proper planning ensures that your home remodel goes smoothly, and the remodel results match your expectations.
