Yearly: 2016

These kitchen remodel ideas can improve functionality.
home additions, kitchen remodeling

Experts Weigh in on the Best Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

The kitchen is the heart and soul of most homes. It’s a gathering place and ground zero for creating amazing culinary masterpieces. Even if your most coveted kitchen appliance is your microwave, you undoubtedly want your kitchen to be inviting and appealing. Whether you are looking for a remodeling contractor in Massachusetts or you want to create your own one-of-a-kind kitchen remodel in Norwood, read on for a few tips from the pros.

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Add value to your home with a bathroom remodel.
bathroom remodeling, home additions

Increase Your Home Value by Remodeling or Adding a Bathroom

Homeowners decide to remodel or add on to their homes for many reasons. Sometimes, they want to make their home more functional and comfortable for themselves and their families. Other times, they want to increase the value of their home in preparation for putting on the market in the near future. Regardless of why you want to improve your home, the good news is a bathroom remodel in Massachusetts will help you achieve both of those goals!

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Any time of year is good for remodeling services.
home additions, home renovations

The Best Time for a Remodel Depends on What the Project Entails

Most remodeling services in Needham will wholeheartedly agree scheduling a renovation that involves extensive work outside is dicey during late fall and winter. Weather in Massachusetts and throughout the mid-Atlantic states is notoriously unpredictable. Winter is not the ideal time to construct an outdoor living area or add a second story to your home. It certainly can be done (and has been done). It just requires an abundance of flexibility. Other projects, such as a bathroom or kitchen remodel, however, can easily be carried out regardless of what the weather is like. In fact, because most  ome remodeling in Massachusetts takes place in spring and summer, you may find scheduling interior remodels during the off-season works out better from a customer service standpoint. Contractors who aren’t as busy will have more scheduling options for you to choose from. Additionally, you can have home remodeling in Needham drawn up any time of year!

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basement remodeling, home additions

Five Critical Basement Renovation Mistakes You Want to Avoid

If you were to ask anyHingham home improvement contractor to name the top three hottest Massachusetts home improvement projects, most would probably include basement renovations on that list. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense to incorporate a basement renovation into your Hingham home addition.  Most basements are dreary and unfinished, yet quite large. Skilled home addition contractors in MA can transform an unused space into a new living space. The caveat? Make sure you avoid the following common basement renovation mistakes.

Mistake 1: Creating Too Many Rooms

In many homes, the square footage of the basement is similar to the square footage of the living space above. Do not try to duplicate what you have above ground down below. The best way to make a basement inviting is to pursue an open concept. Chopping up the space with too many walls has the opposite effect. A couple of rooms is fine, but don’t go beyond that.

Mistake 2: Failing to Soundproof

Most of your home’s critical mechanical systems are located in the basement. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Make sure your contractor pays special attention to soundproofing. Otherwise, your new basement sanctuary may not be peaceful at all.

Finish your basement in place of a home addition.

Instead of a home addition, consider a basement finishing project.

Mistake 3: Failing to Plan for an Emergency

The fact basements exist partially or completely underground means if a fire breaks out down there, you need to have a clear and easy way to escape. All home additions in MA need to be conducted with a focus on safety. Make certain your basement remodel has an egress route. Typically, this involves adding one or more windows in the early stage of construction. It may be expensive, but it could save your life or the lives of your loved ones.

Mistake 4: Not Addressing Moisture Issues

One reason so many people don’t bother finishing their basement is because basements are damp spaces since they are underground. They don’t have to be. To keep moisture at bay, make sure any cracks and crevices are patched with a heavy-duty compound, concrete surfaces are sealed, a dehumidifier is in use at all times and waterproof paint is used. It is uncomfortable to hang out in a moist, humid environment. Humidity also causes rust, stains and degradation.

Mistake 5: Using the Wrong Type of Flooring

Yes, hardwood floors are beautiful. They are also prone to warping and buckling when exposed to moisture. Despite taking steps to remove moisture from your updated basement, you will never succeed 100 percent. Laminate, tile and stained concrete are the best flooring options. Even carpet can mold or mildew over time so avoid that flooring option too.

If you are interested in adding living space to your home, a basement remodel can be a smart way to achieve that. Due to the fact a basement is underground, it’s critical to choose a skilled contractor with the expertise to know the pitfalls to avoid. Colony Home Improvement has remodeled many local basements with beautiful results. We would love to prove to you why we should be your Hingham home improvement contractor. Contact us for a consultation!

Consider bedroom flooring for your home improvement.
home additions, home renovations, master bedroom remodeling

How to Choose the Best Flooring for Your Master Bedroom

There is nothing as inviting as a warm, cozy, beautiful master bedroom. After a long day, you deserve to retire to a room that is an oasis from the stresses of the outside world. Your boudoir not only is the place you sleep, but it is where you recharge your batteries, connect with your partner and go retire to enjoy peace and quiet. Remodeling your bedroom is gift to yourself. Find a home improvement contractor in Duxbury you trust to do justice to this important room, and pay attention to details. Case in point: do your research before you choose your flooring!

Is It Comfortable?

One of the main reasons people decide to invest in home improvement in Duxbury or any other city is to make their home more comfortable. Your home is your sanctuary. Your bedroom is your private refuge. If you have children or share your home with parents, in-laws or roommates, your bedroom is the one place you’ll feel comfortable closing the door and embracing privacy. Rule number one when choosing flooring for this space is to ensure it is comfortable. Our winters are cold. Carpeting ensures your feet won’t freeze as you step out of bed. Carpeting also provides cozy cushioning. However, so does a throw rug over tile or laminate, as well as an option like cork.

Talk to your home addition contractors about flooring options.

Home addition contractors can help you make the best decisions.

Is It Durable?

Carpet may reign supreme for comfort, but is it practical for your situation? Carpet is one of the hardest to clean flooring options. It is prone to staining and wear and tear. Many savvy home addition contractors in MA try to steer clients with large families away from carpeting. They know the more foot traffic carpeting receives, the more quickly it will become worn and need to be replaced. Tile, laminate, natural stone and even stained concrete flooring top the list for attractive, yet durable, flooring options. Carpet is comfortable, but one spilled glass of merlot or doggy disaster can be disastrous to this flooring option.

Is It Attractive?

Most people decide to pursue home additions in MA for one of two reasons: They want to add value to their home or they want to make their home more attractive for themselves and their families. Actually, many people pursue home additions in MA because they want to achieve both of these goals! If you plan to live in your home for a while, you want to love the way your bedroom looks. You want to choose flooring that makes you love to look at it. Taste is entirely subjective. What look do you love? It could be the plush look of carpet, the modern look of polished marble, the eco-friendly look of bamboo or cork or the color and shine of tile. What look do you gravitate toward?

There is no one-size-fits-all best master bedroom flooring solution. Consider your lifestyle and be honest. How likely are you to track in dirt on your shoes? How frequently do you clean? Do you have small kids who are likely to spill juice or milk on your bedroom floor? Do you have pets who sleep in your bedroom? What about your spouse? Does he or she have a messy streak? Are you a stark minimalist? Nature lover? Eclectic soul? Look within, be honest and then choose. Your bedroom: Your call!

You’re in the driver’s seat 100 percent when you decide to remodel. Advice and guidance from skilled pros never hurts, though. That’s our focus at Colony Home Improvement. We absolutely encourage our customers to call the shots, but we give them insight so they can make smart choices. Ready to renovate? Contact us!