Turn Your Home Into A More Comfortable Space

Many homes lose energy because they are not insulated to the latest standards. Because of this, they can be uncomfortable and require higher costs for heat in winter or to keep cool in summer. With the energy-efficient technology available today, homeowners who properly insulate their homes can save up to 70% of the energy used to heat or cool them by reducing living costs, creating a more pleasant living space, even by increasing the value of their property.

Where do we start?

As the heat rises, the best starting point is the roof insulation. Often, this is the easiest space to insulate because the materials can be placed on the floor of a bridge or an attic space. If your home has a basement or an auxiliary space below ground level, it is very beneficial to insulate there, either at the top of the floor or under it.

Then check your walls. Some homes will be built with hollow walls, originally designed to protect against moisture. Newly built homes are often insulated, but many cavity walls remain uninsulated and this is an excellent opportunity to improve energy efficiency: insulation materials are simply inserted into the cavity. Otherwise, if you have solid walls, exterior or interior cladding will improve the energy performance of your home and can be very cost effective as part of a renovation or repair project.

Then fill in the blanks. This assumes that windows and doors are well insulated and that any gaps in the building envelope (for example, around pipes, cables and lighting fixtures) are airtight. Even small gaps can increase heating and cooling costs and can lead to damage due to humidity or discomfort.

Finally, as part of any insulation project, it is important to provide protection against condensation caused by the “cold deck”, which can happen when there are colder surfaces in a newly insulated interior. It is also essential to ensure good ventilation, either by using windows and window frames or by mechanical heat recovery systems, so that the interior space is as comfortable as possible.

If you live in a house that may have improved insulation, this is a great opportunity to make a home that is more comfortable and cost effective.

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5 Myths About The Improvements You Can Make To A Home To Increase Its Value

Many homeowners who want to sell their home fall into the trap of improvements that should increase the value of the property, but instead make them spend a lot of money in vain.

When you want to do various renovation or modernization works, it is good to think twice before investing significant amounts in the hope that you will increase the price of the property, otherwise you will waste time and money. Remember that many buyers are still interested in arranging their new home according to their own preferences.

Here are 5 myths you hear most often when you are preparing to sell a home and want to make it more attractive to buyers.

Any improvement adds value to the home.

This is one of the most common mistakes made by homeowners. Some improvements are not welcomed by prospective buyers or may decrease the value of the property from their point of view. A concrete example would be the transformation of two smaller bedrooms into a more spacious one.

Another example would be the complete renovation of the kitchen. It can be considered by many as a necessary step to add value to the home before the sale. But it is not true most of the time because such a project is very expensive and you will end up paying more money than you will get in the end for all the work done. In addition, you do not know if the improvements will be to the liking of potential buyers.

But there are some improvements that are not very expensive and that will definitely help you make your home more attractive:

  • you can change the kitchen countertop if it is scratched or worn. If you have a larger budget dedicated to these improvements, try using a granite countertop. This is always a popular choice;
  • you can replace the faucet in the kitchen or bathroom sink with a more modern one;
  • you can replace the toilet bowl in the bathroom with a new one or the sink, especially if it is chipped or has traces of dirt or limescale that you can’t get rid of. If you have enough space you can replace it with a double sink;
  • you can change the bathroom mirror if it is broken;
  • you can paint the walls, but also the exterior if you want to sell a house. But be careful when choosing colors. It is good to opt for neutral colors and avoid strong ones.
  • you can get rid of old carpets or you can replace an old carpet with a new one, not necessarily very expensive.

If you use the best materials you will surely attract more buyers.

Wrong. Buyers who have a fixed budget or do their homework well before coming to watch will not be impressed by such improvements if they know that they can opt for a similar home, more affordable and located in the same neighborhood.

In addition, many who are looking for a new apartment or want to buy a house are already making plans for the renovation or modernization works they want to turn the house into their dream home.

It is better, if you have space, to add a bedroom than a bathroom.

If, for example, you have a two-bedroom home and a space available that you could turn into a new room, it would be better to add a bathroom than to make a smaller bedroom and the future owner to have three bedrooms. and one bathroom.

Washable paint hides wall defects.

This is not true, especially if they have serious problems such as mold.

The time it takes to find a buyer can be quite long, and the problem can recur. In addition, how would you feel if you bought a house and in a month you saw that the walls are full of mold and that you were lied to by the seller?

Make the improvements yourself and spend less.

It is much better to call a professional to deal with these improvements. In many cases you need special equipment for them and, if you have never done something similar, things will not be as simple as you would expect.

In addition, it is possible to make mistakes and spend more money because you will eventually have to call a specialist to solve them.

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