Old Home Remodeling Tips

Examine the Structure

• You really need to know about the home's infrastructure. A qualified home inspector can go into the attic and crawl space to look at deeper issues. Face all facts about plumbing or electrical upgrades needed, along with a ballpark figure for the budget needed for these improvements. Check out sub-flooring, insulation or the lack thereof, and any shifting in the home's foundation. The inspector will have a host of details on his checklist.

Divide the Work into Phases

• If you design an interior and exterior remodel that you love, plan to approach the project in stages. For example, you may want to fix walls and woodwork first in each room, while saving flooring for last. By knowing your end objectives, you can ask for advice from professionals concerning which repairs or upgrades should come first. Any home, for example, will be in better shape if you fix all roofing and foundational problems before investing in kitchen appliances or cabinets.

Preserve House Details

• Go room by room to save great features. For instance, don't toss out old cabinets in a dining room if they can be incorporated into the home remodel. While you might need to remove them for refinishing or painting, try to use them in a laundry room or kitchen pantry area. If the house has solid interior columns between a living room and dining room, don't move these. Plan the remodel around them. If possible, join an organization of home preservationists to get ideas for your home.

Incorporate Upscale Materials

• Upscale materials are sensible when installed in small amounts. You might add oak flooring to a front porch or marble tiles in an entrance foyer. If you can't afford to build a wall of mahogany cabinets, add five or six shelves constructed of mahogany. Tile work costs more than vinyl flooring, but you can outline a kitchen floor space with high-quality ceramic porcelain tile and use vinyl squares to fill in. Use, for example, a border of hunter green tiles and finish the center of the floor with green and white vinyl tiles.

Focus on the Curb Appeal

• The curbside view should have a high-end look. Even if your old home is a simple cottage, build a stacked-stone wall along the curb and add brass post lanterns. Add brass lighting to the porch and brass house numbers. Build a sidewalk of brick pavers laid over concrete with landscaping on each side of the walkway.