The key to a successful remodeling project is establishing a good relationship with your contractor by educating yourself about your rights and theirs, and it varies by state. You’ll avoid a remodeling nightmare by finding the right person to oversee your project, but as the folks in the following examples will tell you, that’s easier said than done.

A remodel can turn into a big mess fast, especially when nobody’s around to supervise the project (photo courtesy of Charles & Hudson)

An MIA Contractor = a DIY Remodel

Steve Celander’s two-year basement remodel story was featured in The Chicago Tribune in February 2010. After more than a year of living amongst storage items and trying to chase down the contractor, Celander ending up doing much of the work himself and fixing the work of negligent sub-contractors.

Once Celander’s personal possessions were moved out of the basement, it became a storage area for the project’s materials. Subcontractors would come and go, but a lot of the work was done incorrectly because nobody was supervising the project. Once the electrical work was finished, the drywallers came in and plastered over the outlets after cutting all the electric and telephone wires.

With no electricity downstairs, the sump pump backed up during a rainstorm and flooded the basement. The wood for the floor and other project materials stored in the basement were ruined. The contractor had already been missing for weeks and continued to ignore the client’s phone calls.

Home remodel nightmare basement: don’t go down there – the contractor sure didn’t! (photo courtesy of The Red House Project)

Celander had to stain and varnish the new floorboards, fix custom woodwork on the staircase, carpet the stairs, and finish the drywall himself, in addition to paying the electrician to fix his ruined work and being stuck with bills from sub-contractors he had already paid. But finishing the project himself was easier and cheaper than getting the contractor to do it.

Jodie Costello: Contractors from Hell

Jodie Costello’s pages-long remodeling horror story of her master bedroom addition is described in detail on her website – Contractors from Hell – which she created in response to her family’s remodel nightmare, to help educate people about their remodeling rights and avoiding unscrupulous contractors.

The short of Costello’s story is that she signed a remodeling contract that provided protection to the contractor, but not to her. Her family spent a lot of time and money trying to get the contractor to finish the job he started, continually shelling out more money so the job could move forward, as per the contract they signed.

What Costello didn’t know before signing was that the contract itself was illegal according to California State law. The contractor she hired was also part of an advertising scheme that gets a building company far more jobs than it can handle responsibly. At the time they hired him, the contractor had already had multiple complaints filed against him by both clients and subcontractors.

The Costellos had to contend with a projected six-month project that took two years, a contractor who didn’t return phone calls for weeks at a time, sub-contractors walking off the job, repeated failed inspections, carbon monoxide poisoning, and plans that were so incomplete they couldn’t be used by another contractor. And that’s just an overview.

Imagine if your bedroom turned into a construction zone like this one for two years!

Jodie Costello learned that education is the key to protecting yourself from getting burned, so she started the Contractors from Hell website and her (Pre)modeling Boot Camp for Women (and the Men that Love Them), to help arm homeowners with valuable knowledge.

A Remodeling Nightmare on Elm Street Avoided

A customer came us on recommendation from a friend after all three of the contractors she interviewed caused her to put her kitchen remodel plans on hold. The first contractor quoted an extremely high price for the project after showing up two hours late to the initial appointment and talking down to to her in a condescending tone.

The second contractor wanted the entire cost of the remodel – almost $70k – upfront. She was very wise not to engage in this type of remodeling contract scheme. These contractors need your money to finish another project, and you’ll be forced to shell out more money for your own project when the funds run out mid-remodel.

The third contractor made her feel uncomfortable because he treated her like she didn’t really know what she wanted, repeatedly pushing her to remodel her kitchen the way he wanted it done. Fortunately, she didn’t feel good about hiring any of the contractors she met with.

There’s nothing scary about a dream kitchen by Reither Construction, LLC.

Finding a remodeling company that puts the client in control

When I met with this customer, she admitted that she hesitated to hire a remodeling company because she had read online to stay away from companies that draft their own plans and take on multiple projects. I wanted to address this issue first because she raises some good questions.

Just to make things clear, a remodeling company is a self-encompassing business that provides all the workers needed to make a project happen, from design and planning to construction and cleanup.

A contractor similarly oversees your project, but hires outside contractors – called sub-contractors – to perform all or most of the work. When problems arise with a job that’s overseen by a general contractor, getting to the bottom of things, and getting someone to take responsibility or fix the problems, can become a nightmare.

• Unfortunately, there are a lot of builders out there that can’t oversee your project correctly because they’ve taken on too many in an attempt to make a lot of money in a short period of time.
• Just as many contractors make it a regular practice to use your payments to fund someone else’s remodel project.
• Many contractors fail to hold subs accountable for shoddy construction, leaving the homeowner to deal with the problem and the extra cost.

It’s true that some remodeling companies will only work off the set of blueprints created by their own architects. But it’s also possible to find a remodeling company that puts the client in control. It’s your money, so you should decide how it’s used and whom it’s used to pay.

In addition to researching any contractor or remodeling company you’re considering hiring according to the advice outlined below, keep in mind the following advantages to hiring a remodeling company:

• Companies and corporations are overseen by multiple people that may include stockholders and boards of directors, providing a system of checks and balances that ensures high standards of craftsmanship and prevents money-making schemes.
• Companies who work with the same sub-contractors and in-house staff regularly provide consistency and a reliable team of experts working together to complete your project.
• If the person overseeing your project fails to live up to his contract, there’s always someone higher up on the chain of command that’s accountable.
• Remodeling-specific companies may provide free education and remodeling seminars where you can meet industry workers in a no-commitment, profit-free capacity.
• Remodeling-specific companies only do remodels and additions, while general contractors work on a variety of new construction and renovation projects.

Don’t become the victim of another home remodeling nightmare

This customer did some things right. She began her remodel by interviewing multiple contractors before choosing one. She decided to get better educated when she was unhappy with her choices. She also listened to her gut feeling about the contractors she decided not to go with. A lot of it comes down to common sense, which can fall to the wayside when you’re excited about your remodel.

A responsible contractor protects your home like his own.

Research the contractor: You don’t even need to move onto the interview stage if your initial search gives you a bad feeling.

• Type their name or business into your favorite search engine and see what comes up. Also try entering their name plus a term like “complaints” or “lawsuits” to see if it returns anything.
• Use a reliable feedback from previous customers to obtain real reviews about the contractor from other homeowners.
• Look into any suits filed against the contractor in small claims court, in addition to any mechanics liens filed against them or their clients. These are public records that you can gain access to through your city or county courthouse.

Listen to friends, not ads. Definitely listen to your friends’ remodel stories and start looking for a contractor based on their recommendations.

• Be wary of signs along the road or cheap forms of solicitation.
• Reliable contractors generate the bulk of their business from recommendations of clients and subcontractors.
• Of course, you will still follow up on any contractor you’re using with some of the above research techniques.

Interview contractors and ask questions. Whether you’re considering a private contractor or a remodeling company to oversee your project, there are some basic questions to ask before you write a check or sign a contract. If the contractor can’t give you specific answers or lacks communication skills, it’s a sign to keep looking.

• How long will my project take? What do you do when a project falls behind schedule?
• How much money am I required to put down and what will the payment schedule be during the project?
• Do you have insurance?
• How will workers and subs clean up the jobsite at the end of the day, and how will you hold them accountable?
• What is your knowledge of local building codes? How do you address issues if a project fails inspection?
• What are your working days and hours? How often can I expect to see you on the jobsite? Do you hold regular/daily/weekly meetings with your clients to ensure their satisfaction?
• Can I add clauses to our contract before we both sign it?
• Can you provide me with a portfolio of completed projects and references?

This last one is particularly important, because it’s like asking a potential employee for a resume and employment history. If they can’t provide a substantial list, they may not have the experience necessary for a successful remodel.

How clean will your contractor’s crew leave your home at the end of each day?

Your contract should protect both you and the contractor. Your contract should explain very clearly what work will be performed when and how, and also what work will not be performed.

• The contract should outline clear project beginning and end dates, the total cost, the payment schedule for the project, and any penalty for canceling the contract.
• The project should come with a warranty that covers craftsmanship and materials for at least one year. The warranty should specify who is liable (either the contractor, sub, or manufacturer) for each part of the project that’s covered.
• Require liens releases from subcontractors and suppliers directly in your contract to protect yourself from negligent contractors. Liens are discussed below in more detail.
• Request an affidavit of final release. This document legally releases you from liability for your contractor’s agreements with subs and suppliers at the time of your final payment for the project.

Requesting liens releases in your contract. One of the biggest horror stories imaginable is when subcontractors and suppliers start hunting you down for payments that you already made to your contractor, who is responsible for hiring and paying subcontractors and suppliers.

The bad news is that when your contractor fails to pay his subs, you become legally responsible for the money they’re owed for their work. If you don’t pay, a mechanics lien can be placed on your home. Liens can cause a foreclosure on your home, limit your ability to borrow money against it, or can come back to haunt you if it’s sold.

The good news is that you can take the liability off yourself with a contract clause that requires liens releases from all subcontractors and suppliers. A liens release “releases” your liability for work you’ve already paid for and puts it back on the contractor, whose job, in part, is to hire and pay subcontractors and suppliers for your remodel.

At 4YourHomeServices we can help design and create the perfect remodeling experience for you.

For more information on remodeling projects contact your Denver Remodeling Contractor:

Reither Construction, LLC. ~ 4YourHomeServices at 303-912-2364

Options for using vacant spaces include creating guest suites, relaxation rooms, hobby and art studios, home offices, and specialty rooms. Even if you don’t do a major remodel, home improvement projects such as fresh paint, replacing old, worn out furniture, and redoing floors in high-traffic areas can help make your home look new again and give it some much-needed updates.

This renovation turned an unused dining room into a craft room that provides space for the homeowner to organize materials and work on projects in the company of friends.

Staying Put versus Downsizing

Most couples don’t retire as soon as their last kid moves out, but many are at least seriously planning ahead to survive on a reduced or fixed income. For many couples, this means selling their current home and dividing the profits between retirement plans and a smaller living space.

Your initial home improvement and remodeling decisions should be based on whether you plan to stay in the home long-term or improve it for resale value. If you’re planning to sell your current home in the next five to ten years, focus your remodeling efforts and budget on the kitchen and bathrooms first, since they provide the biggest return-on-investment and are a huge selling point for buyers.

If you’re planning to stay in your home indefinitely, you’ll probably also want to update your kitchen and bathrooms if you haven’t already. But today we’ll be focusing on what to do with those vacant children’s bedrooms and other unused spaces.

Don’t Destroy Your Bedrooms

You may be dreaming of that home office or craft room, but don’t make any major changes until the empty nest syndrome sets in. You will, of course, have kids coming home to visit, and they may be bringing friends, significant others, and one day, their own kids. And since Grandma’s sewing room probably won’t be child friendly, you’ll need a comfortable place for family members to sleep, play, and relax.

This design sleeps four and fits inside a room no bigger than a walk-in closet. The large storage drawers built into the beds hold guest towels and extra blankets.

This is where the idea of a master guest suite comes in. The guest suite is like a combined family room and hotel room right inside your home. It provides your kids and grandkids their own space to retreat to. It also leaves you with more of your own personal space when guests are in town. When small children are around, the guest suite can provide a quite place for naps and a safe place to play, without childproofing your entire home.

This master guest suite features a queen-sized bed, reading chair, and veranda for extra guests.

You may be wondering where this magical guest suite is coming from. Of course, a basement or attic space is already the perfect size, but not always available or an option. In homes with extra rooms and the right layout, a guest suite can still be created without doing an addition. All you need is two or more adjacent bedrooms and a nearby bathroom. By taking out a few walls and expanding a smaller bathroom or powder room, you can create a sizeable guest suite out of your vacant bedrooms.

This floor plan converted two small, adjacent bedrooms into a larger suite with a bathroom, and the closet was removed to create a balcony. An additional family room or sleeping room could be added in the storage room with access to the main guest suite through the bathroom.

The furniture and decor of a guest suite may change as your children go through the various ages and stages of their adult lives. For sleeping arrangements, a king or queen sized bed, a futon or sofa that doubles as a couch and bed, and a convertible crib should all be considered. Other items may include a flatscreen TV; a computer desk with a device-charging console; a sitting area; and a small refrigerator.

This roomy guest suite is complete with a king bed, work table, full bathroom, and a huge loft with extra beds and a plenty of room.

While the decor of the master suite is easy to change over the years, in the bathroom, you’ll want to create a more long-term solution. The room should include a bathtub for kids with a separate shower for adults if the space allows it. Also nice, but not a necessity, are dual sinks for adults and kids. Consider creating a shorter vanity for kids, or install a wall-mounted sink at child level.

Wall mounted sinks take up very little room and can be installed at any height, making them perfect for the grandkids.

Just Say “No” to Hoarding

I think a home remodeling project is a great way to combat empty nest syndrome and make your living space more enjoyable, but it can also help take care of another problem for people with too much extra room in the home: junk collecting. I know there’s a big difference between hoarding and simply failing to get rid of stuff you no longer need, but the problem is that one can lead to the other.

Remodeling or redecorating your vacant rooms really helps households get rid of stuff they don’t need anymore. Many of these items belonged to your kids, but at some point they have to go too. You can offer to put certain items aside for each child (packed away in storage), or ask them to clean out their old rooms themselves. And it’s always fun to put some of their favorite childhood decor back into the renovated rooms for nostalgia and comfort.

Personal Spaces and Man Caves

The concept of the man cave is nothing new, but more men are putting time into creating and decorating a space of their own outside the garage or tool shed. But men like their caves to be out of the way, so a vacant bedroom may not be sufficient. A man cave simply gives the man of the house a place to get away and relax where he can have free range with his own style of interior decor.

This basement is now fun for friends and family at any age!

Here is the same room from the other side.

A finished or unfinished basement or attic space can be easily remodeled into a man cave by adding a wall with a door to section off one end of the space. And completely remodeling either space can create extra rooms to be used for specific hobbies or interests, even if that interest is simply having a peaceful retreat. If not used for a man cave, a basement or attic space is another great option for a master guest suite, because guests enjoy some much-needed private space too.

In larger homes with basements, attics, and vacant bedrooms, there are clearly a lot of options to work with: master guest suites, additional guest bedrooms, an office room, craft or hobby room, art studio, and man cave can easily be integrated into a sizeable home once the kids have moved out.

Attics provide great natural light and stay warmer than the rest of the house, making them perfect for a finished office or extra bedrooms.

People only continue to get more creative with their spaces. In the last few years we’ve seen an attic transformed into a hot yoga studio; a basement turned into a model train room; an old bedroom made into a stained glass studio; and a gift wrapping room inside a converted closet.

Whatever your creative interest, guest quarters, or personal space needs may be, an empty nest gives you the chance to pursue the home of your dreams, one remodeling project at a time.

At 4YourHomeServices we can help design and create the perfect remodeling experience for you. 

For more information on remodeling projects contact your Denver Remodeling Contractor, 4YourHomeServices

Jody’s Testimonial:

Several years ago, we needed a new bathtub & tile for our bathroom.  The place we bought the bath recommended John Reither to install & retile our bathing area.  So, I called him when we were able to remodel our 1970′s kitchen.  It is almost unbelievable the difference a 2012 kitchen makes.  I love everything about my new kitchen!  John is, very much, a professional and honorable contractor.  If I ever need remodeling again,  John Reither will be the first person I call.  I would highly recommend John Reither to all of my friends for any type of remodeling needs.
Sincerely,
Jody Morgan

At 4YourHomeServices we can help design and create the perfect remodeling experience for you. 

For more information on remodeling projects contact your Denver Remodeling Contractor, 4YourHomeServices

This was a townhome bathroom remodel in Denver.  The floor is porcelain tile with glass inlay, solid surface countertops and a jetted tub.  Lucy wanted to keep the same footprint of the bathroom.

Lucy’s Testimonial:

Recently I used Reither Construction to remodel my master bathroom. From the beginning, they demonstrated excellence in workmanship and professionalism with their business transactions. I received an understandable, itemized price quote with exact details about the work to be performed that matched the resulting invoice. John Reither and his team arrived at my house exactly on time per our jointly decided schedule. They worked diligently and with minimum disruption to my house. They cleaned up their work areas after they completed the project. The remodel work met and exceeded my expectations. The master bathroom looked outstanding when they were done. I would use Reither construction again and would recommended John Reither and his team to my family members and friends.

Lucy Vento   Denver, CO

At 4YourHomeServices we can help design and create the perfect remodeling experience for you. 

For more information on remodeling projects contact your Denver Remodeling Contractor, 4YourHomeServices, The Bath Masters… We make you want to go to the bathroom!  And Love It…

That post only addressed the advantages of great rooms, so in today’s related post we are discussing open floor plans and the advantages and disadvantages of having one. This post may inspire you to create an open floor plan during your home remodel, or to make an existing open floor plan into several separate rooms, depending on your household’s needs.

This design has the bedroom open to the rest of the living space and separates it from the kitchen with a glass wall that allows sunlight to permeate throughout the home.

What is an open floor plan?

Just as the name suggests, a home with this type of layout has one or more large, open rooms that function as multiple rooms within a single living space. The most common open floor plan is a “great room” that combines the kitchen, dining room, and living room in one shared space.

Open floor plans usually work extremely well in homes with less square footage – sometimes out of necessity – while larger homes have more leeway to work with when integrating great rooms into a floor plan.

This remodel of a smaller home’s main level created a great room by removing most of the wall that separated the kitchen and living room. The columns and half wall retain the home’s structural integrity and provide a dividing line between the two rooms.

Traditionally, homes built pre-1990s were designed with lots of separate rooms in mind, even though many of these distinct rooms were really only separated by three-quarters of a wall and an open walkway – most often the kitchen, dining room, and living room.

The mindset was that the more rooms a house had, the more attractive, compartmentalized, and functional it was. But designers and homeowners alike started realizing that homes with open floor plan designs could fit more usable living space into the same amount of square footage.

The Advantages of Open Floor Plans

Fast forward 20 years, and open floor plans are more popular than ever.

More social time. The person cooking or cleaning in the kitchen can converse with people in other rooms.

Keep an eye on the kids. Great rooms allow parents to cook and do other household duties while their kids play in the same room.

Increase views and natural light. Open floor plans remove interior walls, allowing sunlight from windows in the exterior walls to permeate throughout the house.

This great room in the old basement around the home’s existing windows, allowing natural light into the home throughout the day.

Better for entertaining. When guests are over you can be part of the group while you cook and serve food at the same time.

The Advantages of Closed Floor Plans

Now that we’ve made open floor plans sound so attractive, you’re probably wondering who in their right mind would choose less functional living space over more. Closed floor plans offer a larger number of smaller sized rooms that can provide privacy and organization.

This closed living room designed to make use of a small, narrow space with plenty of seating, built-in shelves, and storage compartments.

More privacy. Many households have people contending with different ages and schedules, from babies to teenagers and grandparents or nannies that all live in the same home. An open floor plan may not work well in a house where everyone needs their space.

More walls for artwork. Open concept floor plans remove interior walls and the exterior ones are dominated by windows. If you have a lot of wall art to display, an open floor plan may not be for you.

Easier to clean/contain messes. You may prefer an enclosed playroom for kids or rooms with doors that can keep messes out of the main rooms, making you look and feel like a better housekeeper.

This remodel converted an open kitchen to a closed one, creating a larger living and dining area while making the kitchen easier to cook in because the space is more confined, putting all the amenities within arm’s reach.

Noise doesn’t travel as far. Open floor plan designs have more acoustics and cause noise to travel further, while extra walls can help contain and limit noise.

Specialty rooms. More rooms means more separate spaces dedicated to individual uses, such as home offices, art studios, craft rooms, workout rooms, and guest rooms.

Choosing the Right Floor Plan for You

A majority of modern homes have a combination of open and closed floor plans. It makes sense for most households to have an open floor plan on the main level and smaller, separate rooms in the second floor, basement, or attic.

It’s easy to see where part or all of the old walls were removed to create a single, unified room in this remodel. A compromise between open and closed floor plans with structural barriers retains some separation among spaces.

Open floor plans sometimes seem to benefit single people or couples without children the most. It’s a way to take advantage of more of the space in the home without having to contend with as many privacy issues.

And it’s not like your household needs to pick one or the other. Regardless of your home’s current floor plan, if the layout’s not working for you anymore – and maybe it never really did – it’s time to think about how you can make better use of the existing space.

Concepts for Homes with Open Floor Plans

If your existing open floor plan isn’t meeting your needs, think about where in the home it can be broken down into smaller rooms. Most homes have rooms with open floor plans in the basement, attic, and/or main level.

This design combines an open floor plan and plenty of natural light with the contrast of the white interior against dark wood floors to create a particularly light, open, airy feeling.

I recommend leaving a main level open floor plan – usually referred to as the “great room” – as is whenever possible.

• It doesn’t usually make sense to separate an open kitchen, living room, and dining room when there are other options available elsewhere in the home.
• If you need extra bedrooms, a home office, or a creative studio room, these can often be integrated into a finished basement or attic space by adding a couple of walls.
• Adding a bathroom to a house with an open floor plan can be as easy as borrowing some unused space from a great room or other larger room, although it helps a lot if that space happens to be adjacent to the existing plumbing.

Ideas for Homes with Closed Floor Plans

Doing remodels on homes with closed floor plans because it’s fun to play the room rearranging game. You can get lots of ideas for converting your space simply by doing the kind of walk-through that I do during a home remodel consultation.

• Start by making a prioritized list of the changes you’d like to make in your home.
• Visit each room in your home individually, making notes about the room’s location, adjacent rooms, natural light, and current uses.
• How can the room you’re standing in become a better room by combining it with the one next door?
• A lot of bathroom expansions begin with the realization that a current, cramped bathroom is right next to a small, seldomly used room or linen closet.
• Two adjacent bedrooms can be combined to create one larger bedroom or office.
• A garage can be finished and turned into a master bedroom, family room, or entertainment room.

This remodel converted the existing living room into an office/den and borrowed unused room from the remaining floor plan to create an open living room-kitchen.

Ideas for Homes with Extremely Limited Space

It’s time to get really creative! I encourage these homeowners to look outside their house or apartment, literally, to see what kinds of existing attached outdoor living spaces can be made into indoor living spaces. Decks, patios, sunrooms, and flat roofs are all options.

• Converting decks or balconies to interior rooms can sometimes add enough extra square footage to the adjoining room.
• A patio already has the foundation to expand the adjoining room outward.
• Sunrooms are wonderful because they’re already part of the indoor space and can be combined with adjacent rooms to make the entire house bigger and brighter.
• A flat roof can be converted into an open deck, covered porch, or even a vegetable garden, to make better use of all your home’s interior and exterior spaces.

This remodel makes use of every nook and cranny in a smaller home. This normally wasted space under the staircase integrates a reading nook and storage in one design.

Some smaller homes simply need better organization, and it’s time to look for creative ways to add additional closets, shelves, cabinets, and drawers in every nook, cranny, and unused surface space available.

At 4YourHomeServices we can help design and create the perfect remodeling experience for you. 

For more information on remodeling projects contact your Denver Remodeling Contractor, 4YourHomeServices

Most families spend more time in the kitchen than any other room. Over the past few decades, main floor plans have seen a trend toward a great room that functions as the main living area, and a trend away from distinct kitchens, living rooms, and dining rooms. By putting these main rooms in a shared, open space, contemporary design has put the heart of the home where the bulk of the action takes place.

This classic Great Room integrates plenty of comfortable living space adjacent to the kitchen and dining area. Pillars were added where the wall was removed to retain some separation between the joined spaces.

Older homes with lots of separate rooms often have an advantage when it comes to remodeling projects: all that’s usually separating these main living areas is a couple of walls. Removing the walls creates a light, open feeling with additional spaces that can be used for extra amenities and storage.

Many homes constructed pre-1990s are designed with what I like to call the Bermuda Triangle of the main floor: the kitchen, dining room, and living area are all adjacent to one another but separated by a bunch of walls and short hallways. Removing these walls and halls can create enough space for an island in the kitchen, a walk-in panty, a laundry room, and a powder room, all adjacent to the great room, without doing a costly addition.

Homes with a front foyer have even more room to work with. Foyers are nice aesthetically, but they are, quite frankly, a big waste of space. Foyers in mid-sized modern homes have largely been replaced by mudrooms, which can be located off any entrance to the home.

In a remodel on a mid-sized home with a foyer, the homeowner has even more room to work with. It’s easy to put a mudroom where the foyer was, but if there’s another entrance that gets used more, I recommend that a mudroom be added there and the old foyer absorbed by the room it’s already adjacent to. This often means adding a mudroom off the kitchen where the entrance from the garage is usually located, and then shifting the kitchen space toward the living or dining area.

The kitchen is the new living room

Homeowners are now approaching their homes as long-term assets rather than short-term investments. It’s not always realistic for families to trade out their current home for a new one as the family grows and its needs change. This means that maximizing usable living space is a key component of innovative remodeling. Homeowners and designers alike are rising to the challenge by finding some creative ways to make the most of existing spaces.

The kitchen is the place that most families do their living, while their designated “living rooms” have turned into funeral homes for outdated furniture. Modern interior design offers ideas for transforming unused living room space into a kitchen with features like a walk-in pantry, laundry room, computer console, extra counter space, and additional appliances. Contemporary kitchens integrate amenities that make cooking, cleaning, and storage more efficient.

This remodel replaced wall between the kitchen, dining, and living area with pillars to provide support and transparency between the three spaces, giving it an open, yet still structured feel.

Be a member of your family instead of a slave in your kitchen

Combining living spaces increases the quality and quantity of time a family spends together. And if that’s not enough to convince you to knock down a wall and turn your coffee table into kindling, consider these other ideas.

• Homes with separate living rooms and kitchens further isolate families at the end of a day apart. Integrating the living room and kitchen allows family members to relax at the end of the day while enjoying the company of a spouse or parent who’s preparing dinner.
• People tend to migrate to the kitchen because that’s where the action is. Combining the living room and kitchen into one great room puts wasted living room space to use by expanding the kitchen and bringing people back into their living area. Some home remodels are downsizing or altogether eliminating their living area by building a dining area with amenities adjacent to the kitchen.

This innovative design has put the dining room right in the middle of this roomy kitchen by creating an island that doubles a dining table. The table top is a durable natural stone slab suitable as a workspace and dining.

• With the resurgence of farm-to-market food and an increased awareness of health and nutrition, American families are spending more time in the kitchen cooking and sharing meals together. Many households are happy to trade less frequently used living room space for innovative kitchen amenities and appliances that make cooking and cleanup faster, easier, and more fun for the whole family.
• More households are finding the home office room obsolete in the wake of laptop computers and electronic filing systems. An existing office or den can become a much-needed bedroom when a combined kitchen and living room integrates an office nook, computer console, and/or work table.

This integrated kitchen remodel gives our cook the perfect vantage point for supersizing homework while preparing dinner!

Remember, you don’t need more square footage to increase your usable living space and the functionality of your home. All you need is a wall, a sledgehammer, and a mind to use it.

At 4YourHomeServices we can help design and create the perfect remodeling experience for you. 

For more information on remodeling projects contact your Denver Remodeling Contractor, 4YourHomeServices

Smart homes are automated so that everything in the home is streamlined electronically. They’re a lot like the futuristic homes we used to see in 1970s science fiction movies, where everything is high-tech and controlled with a keypad.

This home automation platform from Complete Communications shows how a smart home streamlines the control of technology throughout the home.

Smart homes can do things like instantly send live video signals from security cameras to any viewing screen in the home, automatically adjust shower temperatures to your personal preferences, and even preheat your toilet seat on a chilly morning. But a major purpose of the smart house is to cut energy consumption by gaining a better understanding of when and where we’re using it, and that’s the aspect of the smart home I’ll be focusing on today.

Letting Your House Help Reduce Energy Consumption and Costs

A smart house has a central computer that essentially allows the home to think for itself, making energy adjustments on its own and communicating statistical information to the homeowner. The central computer acts as the home’s information and communication hub because it’s connected to everything that’s using energy in the home, no matter how big or small.

Smart homes have actually been around since the 70s, so the intelligence homes we saw in movies weren’t all that far fetched. General Electric in particular has been pushing the smart home envelope by building test homes and converting existing homes into smart houses, in order to learn more about just how much energy a smart home can help households save.

GE’s aptly named “Nucleus” is just one of many smart home systems currently on the market, and one that takes an energy-awareness approach to home automation. According to studies conducted by GE, the high number of gadgets and small appliances that are routinely used by today’s households account for 41% of energy consumption in the home. But just by knowing where energy is being used and when, households can easily reduce their energy consumption by at least 15%.

How Smart Houses Work Together with Other Technology

Smart home systems communicate through the home’s electrical grid on wireless radio waves just like cell phones and WiFi. Information on a smart home’s central computer can be accessed through the computer itself or remotely from any personal computer or handheld device.

Just one of the things the computer can tell a household is exactly which appliances and devices are using energy, how much they’re using, and when they’re using it. The information is compiled in easy to view graphs and charts that help homeowners better understand their energy consumption.

This screenshot from the AgileWaves smart home central computer shows a home’s daily, weekly, and monthly energy consumption in both kilowatt hours and percentage of household usage.

And that’s not all. A person who’s on a vacation halfway across the world can access their smart home system to raise or lower the heat, cut off electricity to any outlet, or reprogram the thermostat. A smart home can integrate any number or remotes, communication consoles, and keypads to give homeowners the ability to turn on the Crockpot from work or end the clothes dryer cycle from the grocery store.

While a house can be converted into a smart home during a remodel, a central computer can be wired into the home at any time. As households learn more about their energy consumption they can make adjustments to the system to help regulate it. A smart home conversion is an ongoing process because homeowners adjust the system and their energy consumption itself as they learn about how they consume energy in the first place.

The technology of smart homes can be a bit confusing, but I like to think of a smart home as a home that has its entire system on a thermostat. Just as you can program a thermostat to better control a home’s heating and cooling, a smart home has these capabilities on a larger scale. The central computer tells the heat when to come on and turn off, and it communicates in the same way with every energy source in the house.

Start Thinking Smart Now, Before Your Home Does

So how much energy do your home appliances consume? You can take a swag at calculating it yourself using this simple formula from the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts

Let’s say your laptop wattage is 50 and you keep it plugged in and running 24 hours a day, then:

[(50 Watts) × 24 hours/day × 365 days/year] ÷ 1000
= 120 kWh × 8.5 cents/kWh
= $10.20/year

Converting a home into a smart house takes time, but there are some ideas that I recommend to our clients to help their households begin thinking like smart homes in the meantime. One thing that GE and the smart home test families have learned about is the high percentage of household energy that’s consumed by things like device chargers that are always plugged in but only actually charging something a fraction of the time.

In fact, we’ve known for a long time that any lamp, toaster oven, microwave, or hair dryer that’s plugged in, even when it’s not on, is using a small amount of energy anyway. With all the advanced technology, charging devices, and modern appliances that households now use on a daily basis, it all adds up to a lot of wasted energy just for the convenience of having everything plugged in when you need it.

In a smart home, the central computer is programmed to recognize that your cell phone charger is plugged in but your cell phone isn’t. The computer knows the charger’s not in use and shuts off the flow of energy to that plug so energy isn’t used when it’s not needed. To begin thinking like a smart house, a household can begin consolidating charging devices onto one or two power strips that are only plugged in for a couple of hours at the end of the day when it’s time to juice up.

There are also a number of solar powered cell phone chargers like the iCharge Ecos shown here.

Smart Phone Apps for Your Smart House

One of the best things about smart homes is the ability to manage them remotely, and for most homeowners that means using a smart phone such as an iPhone or Android. Luckily, there are already plenty of applications available now and hundreds more under development – all to help you better manage your home.

Smart phones have become an integral part of smart home technology as they can be used to manage a smart home’s energy consumption remotely. These screenshots show some of the energy consumption information that can be accessed remotely through “Nucleus,” General Electric’s smart home system.

There are apps compatible with specific home automation systems and apps that help with general smart home management. If your home is already automated, there are certain apps that are compatible with your home’s systems, in addition to ones that work with any system. Here are a few favorites that work with any home automation system, or with no system at all:

• CozyHome – control main features such as audio, lighting, HVAC, and security on any system
• House Control – use WiFi to control electrical appliances in the home without an automation system
• E-Home Controls – View your home security cameras live on your phone, in addition to controlling lighting, HVAC, and entertainment
• Casa Remote – control a single room or your home without an automation system

At 4YourHomeServices we can help design and create the perfect remodeling experience for you. 

For more information on remodeling projects contact your Denver Remodeling Contractor, 4YourHomeServices