Home Improvement Blog

Tips to Help You Choose the Perfect Countertop for Your Kitchen

April 2, 20150

Consider your countertops in kitchen remodeling.

Kitchen countertops are a critical element for kitchen remodeling.

The countertops are one of the most important features in your kitchen. Not only are they the place where you will prepare your food and store your kitchen appliances, but they are also one of the major contributing factors to the overall style and feel of your kitchen. Before you begin kitchen remodeling in North Attleboro, you need a home improvement contractor who can help you determine the best option for your kitchen.

Granite

Granite can be a great option for your new kitchen addition in MA for a number of reasons. It is available in various colors and is one of the hardest options available. This means it is extremely durable and will stand up to the rigors of regular use. However, if it isn’t sealed properly, it can absorb spills due to its porous nature.

Marble

Marble is an elegant choice for those going through kitchen remodeling in North Attleboro. This material holds up well to the heat, which makes it the ideal surface for baking. Unfortunately, it is easy to stain, even when properly sealed, and may scratch or chip.

Talk to your home improvement contractor about your countertops.

Your home improvement contractor can help you choose the right countertops.

Tile

A lower cost alternative to more expensive natural stones, tile can be made from ceramic or porcelain, both of which are durable materials that will hold up well under typical kitchen use. These tiles will not stain or scratch and withstand heat well. If one or several chip or break, they can easily be replaced. The primary downside is the uneven surface, which can make some cooking processes, as well as cleaning, more difficult.

Laminate

If you’re looking for a budget option, ask your home improvement contractor about using laminate countertops in your kitchen. These counter surfaces are available in a vast array of colors and styles, many of them easily replicating more expensive counter materials. However, this material is prone to burns, stains and scratching, as well as peeling if moisture gets below the surface.

Wood

For those who want a rustic look and aren’t concerned with damage, wood can be a great option for your kitchen countertops. If your kitchen addition is in a log cabin or other rustic home, these countertops will look great and complement the rest of the home. One benefit of wood countertops is the ability to easily restore them by sanding and refinishing instead of having to replace them entirely.

There are many options for countertops when you are going through kitchen remodeling in North Attleboro. Your home improvement contractor can work with you to determine what you need from your kitchen. With this information, they can help you make the right choice to best suit your needs.

If you’re looking for the ideal option for your kitchen countertops, contact us. Our Massachusetts home improvement contractors provide the guidance you need to create the kitchen of your dreams.

Transform a Room in Your Home into Your Hobby Oasis

March 31, 20150

Create a hobby room with design build plans.

Design build plans can help you create a hobby room.

Taking up a hobby can be a great way to stay busy and meet new people. However, many hobbies are best done with a dedicated space so you have plenty of room to spread out and store all of your supplies. Whether you consider renovating an existing room or creating home additions in MA, design build plans can help you create a dedicated space for your hobby needs.

Consider Your Needs

Before you begin home remodeling in Dover, MA, it’s important to evaluate exactly how much space you need for your hobby. How much storage space is necessary to make sure you have access to everything you need? How much actual space do you need to work? Do you need electricity to operate anything? Is natural light a necessity? What kinds of things will you need to store? The answer to all of these questions will help your contractor create the right design build plans to meet your specifications.

Choose Your Space

The basement can be a great place to set up a model railroad, a sewing room or a scrapbooking area. However, you likely need to have a finished space to make the most of your hobby. Home remodeling in Dover, MA, can transform your basement into the ideal place to work. If your basement isn’t suitable or you prefer space on your main floor, consider using an empty bedroom or possibly home additions in MA. One of the biggest decisions is whether you will use existing space or if you will need a new room.

Create the Plan

It’s always best to do your research and work with a design build contractor before you begin your project. They can help you determine the appropriate layout for the room to make the most of the space and provide you with the ideal area for working on your favorite hobby. If your contractor uses computer technology, you can even see what the room will look like when it’s complete before the project even begins.

Home remodeling can create a hobby room.

If you need a hobby room, home remodeling may be required.

Set It Up

Once your home additions or home remodeling in Dover, MA, is complete, you can start setting up your room. Some important additions to your hobby room can include:

A sturdy work table with plenty of light
Empty cans or other storage containers for smaller items
Magnetic strips to keep metal tools handy
Shelves for storing larger items
A comfortable chair

Your hobby room should be unique, just like your needs. If you don’t already have the ideal space to work on your hobbies, home remodeling or home additions in MA can provide the ideal space. You will have a hand in your design build plans so your room meets your needs and provides you with the relaxing space you want.

If you’re interested in creating a space for your hobbies in your home, contact us. Our Massachusetts contractors can help you design and build the ideal room to meet your unique needs.

The Benefits of Adding Skylights to Your Home

March 26, 20150

Brighten a room with skylight installation.

Skylight installation can let more natural light in.

Skylights were once seen as a luxury addition to homes, but today, skylight installation is considered an eco-friendly option for just about anyone. If you are considering this change to your home, it’s important to talk to a local home improvement contractor to determine whether they will work well in your home and what benefits they can offer.

Additional Light

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of skylight installation in your home is to provide additional natural light. To help reduce your electric bill, it’s best to tap into the natural light of the sun as much as possible. Because the sun is located in an overhead position, skylights typically let in more light than your average windows.

Heat in the Winter

One of the suggestions a home improvement contractor may make to heat up the interior of your home naturally is to open the shades on your windows. When the sun is shining, skylights make the perfect avenue to bring more of this heat into your home. Because skylights have excellent insulation, they won’t leak out your heated air like older windows can.

Your home improvement contractor may recommend skylights.

Talk to your home improvement contractor about skylights.

Premium Ventilation

Roof ventilation is important to the quality of your roof, as well as the energy efficiency of your home. Many homes don’t have the proper ventilation to protect these elements of your home. Adding skylights to your home can provide additional ventilation for your attic space, greatly increasing positive air flow through your home.

Cost Savings

When you first work with a local home improvement contractor, one of the initial things you will discuss is how much the project will cost. Skylight installation may seem like a major expense, but when you compare it to the savings you will experience in your heating and lighting bills, you will quickly see it is a wise investment for many homes.

Strategic Placement

If you want to make the most of your investment in skylights, it’s important to ensure they are placed in the appropriate locations. Your local home improvement contractor will inspect your home closely and help you determine which area is the best option to enhance natural lighting and heat transfer. You can indicate which room you would like the skylights in and the contractor will let you know which locations will provide the results you’re looking for.

Skylight installation is no longer something few people can afford. Instead, it has become a green option that gives homeowners a large number of benefits. These skylights can provide additional natural light to help reduce your electric bill, as well as provide natural heat transfer, which can decrease the cost of heating your home. Once you realize all the benefits you can experience, talking with your home improvement contractor should be your next step.

If you’re interested in skylight installation for your home, contact us. Colony Home Improvement provides Massachusetts homeowners with skylights to lighten and heat their homes.

How to Create a Safe and Efficient Bathroom

March 24, 20150

Learn to make the most of your bathroom addition.

A bathroom addition should be both safe and efficient.

Bathrooms are among the most used rooms in the home, but they can also be the most dangerous. With the presence of water and the use of electrical equipment, the dangers are many. When you’re considering a bathroom addition or bathroom remodeling in Quincy, MA, it’s important to take this matter into consideration. Your design build remodeling project will help you create a safe, efficient bathroom everyone in the family will love.

Accessibility Options

If you have a family member who has specific safety concerns, your bathroom addition or remodeling project should consider accessibility options. This may include a walk-in shower or another type of accessible bathtub. Some accessibility options are a good idea for any bathroom because you never know if you will suffer a debilitating injury that would require these accommodations. Talk to your design build remodeling contractor about the options that may be best for your home and unique family situation.

Slip-Resistant Materials

The most common accident in the bathroom is slips and falls due to wet surfaces, particularly after or during a bath or shower. During bathroom remodeling, it’s important to make sure your contractors are using slip-resistant materials to ensure your safety. These materials are a must in bathtubs and showers, but they should also be used in other areas of the bathroom as well.

Increase safety with bathroom remodeling.

Bathroom remodeling can make the room safer.

Other Possible Features

In addition to using slip-resistant materials and implementing accessibility options for those who need them, there are other features you may want to consider for your bathroom addition or remodeling project. Some of the features you should consider including are:

Grab bars to prevent falls, particularly if you have elderly family members living with you.
Storage at multiple heights so every family member can easily reach what they need.
Countertops that can be reached from standing or sitting positions.
Zero clearance doorways that measure 36 inches wide.

The Overall Design

When it comes to design build remodeling, it’s important to consider the overall design of your bathroom for safety and efficiency. Bathroom remodeling in Quincy, MA, can help you make any changes to elements you find difficult to use or inconvenient. Your contractor will help you evaluate the amount of space you have available, whether you are adding a bathroom or renovating an existing one, and help you determine the best configuration so everyone can get the most out of your bathroom.

Bathroom additions and remodeling can be a great way to improve the safety of the room and enhancing its functionality. Because the bathroom is such a busy space, it’s important to make sure it works best for all of your family members. Hiring experienced contractors will ensure your bathroom is safe and works the way it was intended.

If you’re looking for design build contractors to help with your bathroom remodeling, contact us. Colony Home Improvement provides quality bathroom remodeling in Quincy, MA, and the surrounding areas.

Where Is the Best Place to Put the Laundry Room?

March 19, 20150

Your home plans should include a laundry room.

Where does your laundry room fit into your home plans?

All home plans provide a laundry space where you will keep your washer and dryer and may even fold your clothing. Over time, the location of these laundry rooms has moved to various positions within the home, depending on the design of the house. When it comes to the placement of your laundry room in home remodeling in Wellesley, these tips will help you choose the right option.

In the Basement

Years ago, the basement was considered the ideal place for the laundry room. It keeps things out of the way and provides more space than other areas on your main floors may provide. This is why you will find laundry rooms in the basement in many older home plans. However, many people dislike the idea of having to go downstairs to do the laundry, which leads them to seek home improvement in MA to move the location of their laundry space.

In a Closet

If you’re looking for an out-of-the-way place for your laundry room, home remodeling in Wellesley can help you transform a large closet into a hidden laundry room. You will be able to keep your machines out of sight, yet convenient enough to use while you go about the rest of your day. Unfortunately, this means you will have to give up a closet, which may not be the ideal option if you are already lacking storage space.

Home remodeling can relocate your laundry room.

When home remodeling, you can move your laundry room.

Near Bedrooms

A vast majority of your laundry is generated from the bedroom or nearby bathrooms where you change clothes. Having your laundry room near your bedrooms may make doing laundry less of a chore. Remember some of your laundry will still come from bathrooms further away from the bedrooms, as well as the kitchen. Your contractors can help you determine the ideal location in proximity to the bedrooms.

In the Garage

Some individuals are looking to put their laundry machines somewhere the noise won’t bother them or others in their family. This can make the garage the ideal location. If you don’t already have the appropriate connections here, you will need home remodeling in Wellesley to create the right space. One of the most significant issues with this location is it can be difficult to find the time to go out to do laundry, especially during the winter months.

In the Bathroom

The bathroom is another major generator of laundry. For this reason, some individuals include a laundry room in the bathroom in their home plans. This location is often out of the way and makes it easy to put a load in whenever you need to. Bathrooms tend to be small, however, so it’s important to consider the pros and cons of this location carefully.

If you are building a home or want to complete home improvement in MA, you will need to determine the best place for your laundry room. To determine the ideal location, consider the layout of your home, as well as your family’s unique needs. Each area has its own list of pros and cons, requiring careful consideration before you make a final decision.

If you need help with home remodeling in Wellesley, contact us. At Colony Home Improvement, we can help you choose the best place for your laundry room.