Home Additions and renovations in Dallas & Toronto

Karen Homes provides home additions and renovations in Dallas & Toronto

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Home Additions Create Immediate and Long-Term Value

Homeowners are always on the lookout for ways to add value to their home and property, whether it’s through landscaping, window replacement or a new roof. An article on globeandmail.com takes a look at another option, home additions, and offers some helpful advice for anyone considering this type of big ticket option.

An addition to your home can be a very good way to add value, depending on what your home may be lacking,” says (Todd) Senft, president of ReVision Home Custom Renovations Inc. in Vancouver.

Carefully considering the type of home additions that may be right for your situation can make a huge difference in the return you see. Just knocking out some walls and tacking on some all purpose square footage is not usually the way to go. As Mr. Senft points out:

If your home only has three bedrooms then adding a master bedroom and ensuite may be the best value addition you can add to your home. You have to keep in mind what types of buyers and renters live in your neighbourhood. Are they young couples looking to raise a family, people getting into a ‘step-up home,’ or is it investors? That information will have an impact on your decision.

Another thing to consider is your commitment to the property. That is, the amount you recoup is also dependent on how long you hold on to the property after any home additions are complete as well as circumstances largely out of your control like market forces. If a long period of time elapses it’s possible real estate values in your neighborhood may have increased significantly over that time providing a much more attractive return even when adjusted for inflation. Whereas if you flip the property immediately after the addition is completed your return could be less significant.

Lastly you’ll want to be sure you enlist the help of a contractor with an impeccable reputation and the necessary experience and expertise to do the job right. As a recent article on usnews.com states: “For most homeowners, the hardest part of any home renovation project isn’t the work itself, it’s finding a competent and reliable contractor to do the job.”

Warning signs that you may want to take a pass on a particular contractor include:

  • They pressure you to make a quick decision
  • They downplay the need for building permits
  • They try to sell you on using materials they have left over from previous jobs
  • They quote you a final price without ever visiting your property in person
  • They are unable to produce a contractor’s license and/or proof of full liability coverage

At Karen Homes we have more than 15 years of experience with renovations and additions in both the commercial and residential markets in the GTA and a long list of satisfied customers who will attest to the quality of our work and the competitive nature of our pricing. Regardless of the type of addition you choose Karen Homes can see it through from concept to completion.

Do Your Home Additions Homework and Stay Realistic

If there is a buzzword that should guide home additions today it’s this; “realistic”. As in, be realistic. Remember that it’s not 2006 and you’re not going to see a 10% increase in the value of your property overnight for no discernible reason. Today you simply need to be smart and realistic.

If you’re considering an addition to add short term resale value, research the market in your area and choose the type of addition that makes the most financial sense. Just don’t expect miraculous returns. If you don’t plan on moving out right away make sure the addition will satisfy your current lifestyle needs and not just stand unused while you wait for some future sell date.

Want to Know More About Home Additions? Contact Karen Homes Today

Once you’ve decided on the right addition for your home contact the building pros at Karen Homes. We’ll make sure any additions will add immediate lifestyle as well as resale value to your home and we’ll do it for a price that will make recouping your investment that much easier. Don’t be swayed by inexperienced contractors dangling bargain basement quotes in front of you. Make sure you hire the right team to handle your home additions. Make sure you hire the professionals at Karen Homes. Call us today on 416-661-6006 to find out more.

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8 Reasons Why You Should Commit to a Bathroom Renovation This Year

The standard home has many different rooms and there are many, many “moving parts” that make up the designs of these rooms. All of these items either suffer under the strain of everyday use and eventually need to be replaced or become outdated at some point in time. If you’re looking around your home, thinking “what should I tackle next,” we’re going to strongly recommend that you think about having a bathroom renovation done in the coming months if your bathroom hasn’t received any TLC in a while.

Why? Keep reading, as we’re going to provide you with eight good reasons why it’s one of the best home related investments that you can make.

Why a Bathroom Renovation Should Be Near the Top of Your To-Do List

As homeowners, we’ve got so much going on every single week that it can be difficult to find the time to actually think about any changes or improvements that need to be made to our homes. There’s the kids to entertain, the yard to maintain and, of course, it’s imperative you find time to relax after work. However, that doesn’t mean looking after your home isn’t important; your home is likely the most valuable thing you’ll ever own and it’s therefore imperative that you look after it well. Here are a few reasons to seriously consider a bathroom renovation this year:

  • You Couldn’t Live Without It – Some home improvement projects seem to get put off forever, such as that shelf you keep meaning to put up in the garage, but there’s no real harm done as these areas of your home are probably not used all that much anyway. The same can’t be said for your bathroom; apart from the kitchen it’s the most heavily used room in the average household. Owing to its importance and the frequency with which you use it, a bathroom renovation to improve the room’s comfort and function is a great investment.
  • Great Cost to Value Ratio – As any general contractor will tell you, some home improvement projects offer you much better value for the money you have to part with. A bathroom renovation certainly offers you that, with Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost Vs. Value report finding that on average, a bathroom renovation retains 72.5 percent of its value once completed. When you compare this to other remodeling projects such as a home office remodel, which retains just 48.9 percent of its value, or a sunroom addition (51.7 percent), a bathroom renovation starts to look like a very attractive proposition.
  • Clear Mold & Mildew Out for Good – Warmth and dampness are two things that mold and mildew absolutely love and two types of conditions that can often be found in the average bathroom. For this reason, many homeowners in Toronto often face an ongoing battle with two types of less-than-friendly fungi (they can cause respiratory problems and some varieties give off toxic fumes!), finding them very difficult to eradicate once they establish a foothold. A bathroom renovation offers you the chance to address this issue, replacing any elements of the bathroom’s design that are contributing to the problem and get rid of it for good!
  • Upgrade an Inefficient Design – Many older bathrooms don’t make the most of the space that is available and as a result end up looking rather cluttered and don’t meet the homeowner’s requirements fully. A bathroom renovation offers the chance to start afresh, removing anything that is inefficient, impractical and outdated, before carefully planning the new design (the perspective of an experienced general contractor can really help with this!) and implementing modern solutions. The end result is a more cohesive design that offers better, more accessible storage, while retaining stunning aesthetics.
  • Energy Savings to be Had – If the fixtures and fittings that your current bathroom features are relatively old, they most likely use lots more water than is really needed. And guess what, that water isn’t free! Replacing old toilets, showers and faucets with more modern versions that possess water saving technology forms part of many bathroom remodeling projects and provides you with ongoing savings afterwards.
  • More Attractive to Homebuyers – If you’re planning to sell in the future, even if it’s not in the near future, you’ll be glad to know that a bathroom renovation will more often than not increase your chances of making the sale. One of the most carefully assessed rooms during home viewings is the bathroom, simply because of its importance in day to day life. And a property that has a modern bathroom design is certainly looked upon more favourably than one that has an old, beat-up bathroom that badly needs some money throwing at it.
  • Make Sure It’s Safe – Bathroom’s can easily become an unsafe environment if not properly looked after. A cracked tile and damp floor can make for a nasty combination and it’s in your best interests to ensure that every single feature in your bathroom is “up to scratch.” During a renovation, a bathroom remodeling pro will carefully assess all aspects of the current design, taking note of anything that does not meet modern safety standards. These issues will then be rectified during the renovation, lessening the chances of either you or one of your family members injuring themselves whilst using the room.
  • A Change of Direction – Having seen the interiors of many, many bathrooms in Toronto over the years, sometimes the best reason for having a bathroom renovation is simply because the space looks tired and detracts from your home’s overall aesthetic. A bathroom renovation is a little bit like having a blank canvas and allows you to take the appearance of the room in an entirely new direction if that’s what you want to do. Times change and so do your tastes and preferences!

Whether you need some help to address an obvious issue in your bathroom or you’re interested in a complete bathroom renovation, contact the team at Karen Homes today on 416-661-6006.

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Why a General Contractor is More Important to Your Project than You Think

If you’re about to embark upon a fairly large scale home renovation, whether it be a complete bathroom remodeling or a basement renovation, one thing you’re probably debating is whether to hire a general contractor or not. Of the homeowners that opt not to, many unfortunately make this decision based on very little knowledge of what a general contractor is actually capable of and a poor understanding of how hiring one would will benefit their project in a big way.

In fact, we would be willing to bet that if you did a survey amongst many homeowners in the Toronto area relating to the role and duties of a general contractor, many would reply stating that a general contractor is little more than a handyman and a jack-of-all-trades. But they can offer so much more than just all-round knowledge of various trades, overseeing the whole process, enlisting the help of the best and most trusted tradesmen around, and troubleshooting problems quickly as soon as they arise. To hire a general contractor or not isn’t really the question. Which general contractor you should hire is the real question here.

The Value of a General Contractor is Commonly Misunderstood: Here’s Why You Need One

As you’ve probably gathered by now, a general contractor doesn’t just have extensive knowledge of a number of different trades – plumbing, plastering, electrics, construction – they also play a key role in the organization and management of home remodeling projects, possessing the following attributes:

  • Great Time Management Skills – A general contractor can speed up a bathroom or kitchen renovation simply by ensuring that each part of the process is carried out as efficiently as possible. Before a tool is ever picked up, your general contractor will plan out the entire project, outlining exactly what needs to be done and in what order, ensuring absolutely no time is wasted. When trying to project manage yourself, it’s very easy to either have tasks completed in the wrong order or just lose track of what needs doing altogether, meaning the project takes longer to complete and causes a great deal of inconvenience to you and the rest of your family. Not only that, but if things are done before they need to be, it may affect other parts of the project and they may need to be re-done at additional cost later on.
  • Delivery On or Under Budget – Time is not the only currency that a general contractor can help you to save; their experience can be extremely useful in terms of saving you money too. Budget is one of the most important considerations for any home improvement project, yet inexperience will almost always result in higher than expected costs, as you don’t have the foresight to be able to avoid potential problems and you aren’t aware of how to achieve the end result you desire even when spending a lesser amount of money. A general contractor can do that. They’ve completed hundreds, if not thousands of renovations before and know every trick in the book in terms of getting great value for any money spent.
  • All Hiring & No Firing – If your project requires the skills and experience of several different types of tradesmen, you’re going to have to invest a considerable amount of time to select the tradesmen you want to work with on your project. The trouble is, no matter how much research you do and how many candidates you interview, you don’t know for sure that they are going to be able carry out the work to the standards you demand, nor do you know how their style of communication and personality will fit with your own, meaning it’s highly likely that you might have to fire a tradesman or two during the project or alternatively put up with tradesmen that are less than perfect. When working with a general contractor, this simply isn’t an issue. With years of experience, they have built up their own trusted network of tradesmen that they have collaborated with on numerous occasions and can personally vouch for their credentials.
  • Stopping Problems in Their Tracks – Problems are inevitable; it’s very rare that a home renovation will be all “plain sailing,” even if it is well planned out. Sometimes situations arise that simply couldn’t have been predicted, maybe due to the weather or a third party that didn’t come through on a promise, and at times like these it’s great to have a general contractor in your corner. They are great problem solvers and can think very clearly and concisely on their feet. Whereas you might only see problems, they see solutions! Not only does this to help avoid added costs, but this ability often helps to prevent lengthy delays too (extremely handy if you’re having to use your neighbour’s bathroom while yours is being remodeled).
  • Acting as a Mediator – A large project can involve multiple different contractors, each with their personality, and it’s not uncommon for some of the parties involved to clash, particularly if a problem arises and one feels that the other’s work has led to the situation. This kind of tension could de-rail your project if not quickly resolved and that’s another role of a general contractor – mediator. They are known as the leader or “the boss” and should a conflict arise, a general contractor will typically get everything smoothed over very quickly and attention will be re-directed back to the tasks that need to be done.
  • Taking Care of the Paperwork – Even though your house is your own, that doesn’t mean you have the right to do whatever you want to it. Certain types of work first has to be approved by local building authorities; permits must be acquired and inspections must be organized. If you don’t know what you’re doing this process can take a lot longer than it really ought to, but a general contractor can get all of this “boring” (but necessary) stuff sorted out very quickly. They have extensive knowledge of local building codes and know exactly what can and can’t be done.

If you would like to speak to a general contractor in Toronto about your remodeling project, don’t hesitate to contact Karen Homes on 416-661-6006.

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Common Home Additions Problems That You Must Avoid

Home additions are a big home related project in every sense of the word. They can change your property in a considerable way, transforming not only the size and function of the interior, but also the appearance of the exterior. There is a lot of planning and work to be done on such a project, not to mention a commitment to investing a sizeable amount. When all of these factors are weighed together, it becomes apparent that the stakes are particularly high with home additions and that there’s little margin for error. In light of this, it’s especially important to avoid making what we would consider to be fairly basic mistakes during the design and construction processes, as even slight errors can set you back thousands and seriously push back the completion date.

We’ve been involved in numerous projects in Toronto involving home additions over the years and have often been called in to resolve issues caused by other contractors’ poor work and decisions. We’re going to share some of the main mistakes you need to avoid during this post.

Benefit From Our Experience With Home Additions By Avoiding the Following Mistakes

A home addition often interests a homeowner as their property is no longer able to satisfactorily meet their requirements, but they aren’t too keen on the idea of moving. In essence, home additions offer the best of both worlds – providing you with the facilities you require in the location that you love. However, the following mistakes can often turn what should be a dream project into a nightmare.

  • Hiring the Wrong Contractor – Home additions are certainly not a project you can attempt on your own; even the most skilled DIYer in the world will need “backup” in the form of a general contractor or experienced home addition experts. While the vast majority of homeowners recognize this need, many aren’t thorough enough during the hiring process and end up collaborating with a contractor that doesn’t have the skills, resources or experience to turn the vision the homeowner has into a reality. Some important tips that you must follow during this process include interviewing multiple contractors, utilizing multiple checks to qualify a contractor (not just price or availability!), consulting several individuals that have worked with the contractor on a similar project and actually seeing the contractor in action.
  • Exceeding Your Budget – Budgets exist for a reason. We set a financial limit on how much we’re willing to spend on a project as that’s the most that we can comfortably afford to spend. However, too often, maybe due to poor planning, a homeowner will exceed the budget they initially established for the work they want doing. This can be very, very dangerous with home additions, as last minute changes can end up costing thousands extra and we’ve heard horror stories where homeowners have had to take out second mortgages and even sell possessions such as cars to be able to afford the extra costs. The contractors at Karen Homes will always work with the budget you have available, making you aware of what can be achieved with the financial resources you have and providing you with accurate estimates for all materials and labour before you even hire us. Whichever contractor you end up working with, make sure that they do the same!
  • Uncoordinated Design – We always advise any homeowner that approaches us with a request relating to home additions to keep the appearance, style and layout of the existing part of their property at the forefront of their minds when planning the addition. Ideally the new part of your home should blend in effortlessly with what’s already there, but sometimes homeowners think that a contrasting design might work well. However, at least in our experience of working in Toronto for many years, it rarely does. Using contrasting designs for the two parts of the home typically creates a fragmented, uncoordinated look that is likely to make your home less appealing to others (which could be an issue if you ever decide to sell) and could gain your property a reputation as the “neighbourhood eyesore.”
  • Making the Home Addition Too Big – We know that we said that home additions are a big project, but we didn’t necessarily mean literally! Your home addition only needs to be big enough to meet your requirements. If the addition is built to be larger than the original building, especially if the same style isn’t maintained, the whole structure can look a little, well, ridiculous. Furthermore, you shouldn’t underestimate the value and usefulness of having a good sized yard and you don’t want to eat into that space unnecessarily.
  • Falling Victim to a Costly Scam – Again, this mistake has to do with a lack of research and can end up being very, very costly. One of the most common ways contractors scam unsuspecting homeowners interested in home additions is to demand a very sizeable fee upfront. If the contractor you consult with sets these conditions, there’s only one thing you need to do: Run. That’s what they will likely do once your cash is safely in their possession. Any reputable contractor won’t typically ask for a down payment that exceeds 10 – 20 percent of the project total. This is because they will likely already have many of the resources required to start work and , if you think about it, paying a large proportion of the total upfront really provides little incentive for the contractor to work as efficiently as they possibly can. Also make sure you have a written contract and an agreed upon payment schedule before any work is done.

If you’ve never undertaken a project on the scale of a home addition before, the entire process can be very overwhelming and we’re here to make it a little less daunting for you. Contact us today for help, advice or to arrange a consultation. We are also capable of handling basement remodeling, bathroom remodeling and kitchen remodeling projects.

Call us to build your Toronto home addition today!

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Keep Your Bathroom Remodeling Project Below Budget

As much as our firm, along with every other home improvement contractor in Toronto, stresses the importance of always paying that little bit extra for quality in high usage areas of the home, such as the bathroom or kitchen, the vast majority of people do have financial constraints and can only afford to spend so much. But that doesn’t automatically mean that your kitchen or bathroom remodeling project won’t live up to your expectations and you won’t be able to get the design that you really want; it just means that you have to be smart in terms of what your money is spent on.

That’s exactly the reason why you are always better off working with a general contractor on projects such as a bathroom renovation, as not only can they help you come up with ideas, but they can most probably suggest ways in which those ideas can be implemented regardless of your financial situation. If you’ve started looking into a bathroom renovation recently and have been taken aback by the costs involved, read about our top cost cutting tips below, as recommended by our bathroom remodeling pros.

Think You Can’t Afford a Bathroom Remodeling Project? Think Again!

Many people overspend or think they can’t afford most of the features they would like as part of their bathroom remodeling due to a lack of experience and know-how. Lucky for you then that we’ve been involved in our fair share of bathroom remodeling projects and that experience has taught us how to get more for less, and how to make the most of every cent of the budget allocated.

Here are our top money saving tips when completing a bathroom renovation:

  • Keep the Core Structure the Same – Bathroom remodeling can start to get really, really expensive when you want to make serious modifications to the room’s core structure. So if you’re thinking of moving the toilet to the other side of the room or moving the shower a few metres, those are changes that can seriously drive the price of the project up. Why? Well, anytime a feature that is connected to your home’s water supply is moved, the plumbing needs to be redone; we’re talking about labour intensive, very technical stuff here and that costs money! If you can avoid changes such as these, the overall cost will be significantly lower.
  • It’s Efficiency, Not Size, That Matters – Following on from the first point, don’t be tempted to knock down walls and expand your bathroom. Making a bathroom bigger is rarely essential and it’s far more cost effective to work with what you already have and implement space efficient solutions. Closely examine your current set-up in terms of storage and consider whether any of these elements are just hogging space without really doing much. Many old style bathroom vanities and cabinets don’t focus very heavily on function and end up cluttering the room as a whole. Have these replaced with modern solutions that utilize every single square inch. You almost certainly saved thousands by not knocking down that wall – congratulations!
  • If It’s Not Broken… – …Don’t fix it. That’s how the expression goes and it’s one that could actually save you money during a bathroom remodeling project. There’s little point in replacing a toilet, sink or a shower that work perfectly well, right?! You might be thinking to have these features replaced due to their appearance and because it detracts from the rest of the room. Well you simply have to address that point rather than rip the entire feature out and start again. Toilet cover, faucets and shower heads and enclosures can all be replaced to provide a cheap but visually pleasing update to these key features. Unless there’s a genuine reason to have a major feature replaced, stick with it and just spruce it up.
  • Limit the Use of Tile – With the average bathroom remodeling project creeping over $16,000 according to Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost Vs. Value report, you need to keep away from using expensive materials and they don’t come much more expensive than decorative tile. While it is aesthetically pleasing, reserve its use for a focal point in the room, such as in the shower or on the wall behind the vanity, and use paint to decorate the rest of the room, which is much more affordable.
  • Want Long Term Savings? – If you’re thinking past the initial costs for your bathroom remodeling project and want to know how your redesign can help you cut ongoing costs, you need to consider installing water saving technology. Older toilets, faucets and shower heads use tons more water than is really required and a specially designed shower head and low flow aerators for your faucets can curb this consumption and keep more money in your pocket.
  • Get Quotes From Several Contractors – We would advise you to do this anyway, as going with the first bathroom remodeling contractor that you get in touch with or the one that advertises a ridiculously low price is often a big mistake. By contacting several contractors you can “shop around” and compare quotes to get the best deal. As we just mentioned, watch out for low ballers though, as these contractors may not be qualified to carry out the services they advertise or may cut corners by using low grade materials. Also, by handling some of the simpler tasks yourself (such as painting), you can further reduce the quotes that you are provided with.

We’ve been helping Toronto homeowners make the most of their budgets for over 15 years and we are confident that we can help you achieve the bathroom of your dreams without breaking the bank. If you would like to arrange a free onsite consultation with our bathroom remodeling team, all you need to do is pick up the phone and dial 416-661-6006 today.