3 Creative Ways to Save on Remodel/Build Projects

I was approached to host this guest post for our blog.  Of course, before we accept a guest post, we research the company that is asking for the placement.  The post below provides some interesting ideas to consider before embarking on a Remodel or even a new Build of a home.  The writer supports a company that provides building plans for a set fee, versus hiring of an independent architect to create plans from scratch.  With these plans in hand, you MUST still build your local team of experts including the general contractor and an interior designer.

How to Save on Remodeling in Today’s Economy

Sometimes embarking on a remodel of your home is done not just because you need a change of scenery, sometimes it is out of sheer necessity. With families growing, more adults are keeping residence in their birth homes and people moving back in, the home that you’re in right now, may be bursting at the seams.

Also, because of an unfavorable job market due to a shaky economy, people are turning to self employment and setting up home offices or running businesses from their home.

Remodeling is now more than just a stylistic option because you want to change the look of a room, it has become somewhat mandatory since the home itself has become re-purposed. But what does this mean for you if you NEED to remodel your home but you can’t necessarily afford to? Chances are, you’ve already solicited a quote from a contractor and realized that remodeling price tags that read $60,000.00 are par for course. What’s even more daunting is that the average American makes significantly less than this per annum which means that for many of us, remodeling, while necessary, may be nothing more than a pipe dream.

Don’t worry! We can’t promise to cut your costs in half but we can provide you with a few tips that can help you achieve your remodeling goal based on your financial limitations. One example from inception is that you can save on house plans and floor plans by actually doing them yourself seeking the reduced-cost services of online vendors who specialize in these plans, solely. Here are a few others that you can use today!
1.      Ask you contractor to dip into his leftovers!

Contractors almost always have surplus building materials from jobs that they have completed and they may not always find a use for them. Ask your contractor if he has anything in stock that would be suitable for the remodeling you’re engaging in that he would be willing to utilize either gratis or at a reduced cost.
2.      Let go of the “‘Aint nothing like the real thing, baby!” mentality!

There are certain accent materials that look wonderful and will last a long time that you may want in your remodeled home – but they cost an arm and a leg. The material market now however has really met the needs of the consumer on a budget and has produced comparable, reasonable facsimiles that you can use instead of pricey originals. Solid oak flooring is very expensive, but you can use engineered oak flooring instead that is significantly cheaper and equally attractive and durable.

3.      Going once, going twice, SOLD!

Building supply auctions are a great opportunity for you to outfit your home with high-end materials, furnishings and appliances for much less than the retailers can ever dream of offering. Federal Government Surplus and Seized Property Sales are exciting avenues you can turn to to get the most bang for your buck. Do you research and you’ll come out a winner!

 

Christine Cooney loves learning about architecture, gardening, and cottage house plans. Her goal is to devise contemporary home plans for her own dream house.

A Design Intern’s Experience

I asked my design intern to write a blog post about her experience thus far… no, I did not bribe her to write these positive words!

My experience as an intern with Suzanne Lasky of S Interior Design has been an exciting and rewarding one. To see firsthand what happens in the design world and to work with someone with exceptional design skills such as Suzanne’s is a generous gift.

In my search for an internship it became apparent that an internship with some meant straightening the showroom and weeding out discontinued products. It was called an internship, but I would not be meeting actual clients or seeing how design work was done.

Not the case with Suzanne. From day one, nothing was off limits. She shared with me everything from the business side to the design side and everything in between including her clients, a true sign of Suzanne’s confidence in her work and her client’s loyalty. She welcomed questions, encouraged involvement, and shared tips, vendors and trade secrets, all with her endearing down-to-earth style. She gave me her time, wisdom, guidance and patience. Wow, Someone in the same field who actually wants to see you succeed and help you get there! It’s called giving in a big way.

It has been a great experience to see what goes into running an interior design business. The hours planning, programming, researching, interviewing, designing, phoning, scheduling, troubleshooting and running, running, running, not to mention the time and attention given to the tiniest detail, is worth the end result – the thrill and joy seen time and again expressed by the client!

What a great hands-on learning experience! I am so appreciative to be working with a talented designer and so lucky to have met a friend along the way. Thank you, Suzanne.

Jeanine Lyles

Design Inspiration From Nature

It never fails to amaze me.
Often nature is the best source of design inspiration.

From simple arrangements of fruit and vegetables to the majesty of the Grand Canyon, all one needs to do is open ones’ eyes wide to find great resources for design direction and inspiration.  I find this to be especially true regarding
color combinations.

These vibrant colors from nature all work beautifully together because they are of the same level of saturation and depth of color intensity.

I was fortunate enough to visit the Grand Canyon this month.  Here are a few pictures of the majestic Canyon lands that I am sure will inspire your design direction

Mixing different heights and textures will give you a more interesting result.  Imagine if the rock face was all smooth?  If it was all level?  The view would not be nearly as visually intriguing.  Apply the principles of varying heights and textures to your design in terms of furnishings and accessories is the lesson here!