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Avoid Fireplace Remodeling Mistakes

Fireplaces shouldn’t really have to be remodeled, if indeed people had never thought of that in the first place. But because of some brainchildren, we have to rework fireplaces that should have never been changed. If you find yourself in a situation like that, let’s take a look at a few things you should avoid.

Dating Yourself

Home remodeling and quartz countertops are all about trends for the most part. People design a home around the style of the 70s and then the 80s hit. So, they design their home around the 80s and then the 90s come through. Here we are already past the first decade of the 21^st century and some people are still back in the 90s, or even the 80s.

I can agree that there are some styles we just want to keep. But, others have to go. If you completely immerse yourself into an era, you might find yourself having to make changes a decade later. That might be fine with you, but I know there are people who don’t want to have to remodel every few years or so.

Lack of Planning

When you have a major renovation in mind, but you don’t have the funds for everything right now, make sure you plan it through to the end. Sometimes, people step on their own toes when they do a small project with other projects in mind. They find that they have to undo certain work or redo certain work.

It can become a mess if you haven’t thoroughly planned an entire project. Ventless fireplaces can be the easiest to plan when it comes to major renovations. Just make sure that everything else that goes along with it has been considered and made a part of the plan before you started.

Inaccurate Value to Cost Ratio

It’s true that the ventless fireplace or several of them around your home will increase its value. But, the actual cost to value should be calculated. A fireplace can probably add about 5 ‘” 10% to the value of the home. So, make sure that you keep your cost well below that value.

A traditional fireplace can cost upwards of $10,000. If your home is worth more than $100,000 then by all means add a traditional fireplace. But when you can build your own ventless fireplace for less than $1,000, you might want to look into that solution.

When you have the fun task of remodeling your fireplace or simply installing new ones all around your home, it should be seemingly painless. There is no need to curse at the ghosts who lived in your home before you. If you built your own home from ground up, then that’s a different story.

Chances are you love your home. However, with some of the homes being quite old in your local downtown area, remodeling is quite abundant. After all, most citizens would rather remodel their existing home than buy a new one. This is partly due to the increasing value of the downtown area and the charm older homes possess in the area. Whether you are remodeling the kitchen, adding rooms, expanding closets, installing windows or adding a pool, avoiding headaches with remodeling contractors is indeed possible. Remodels can not only add value to your home but also make you enjoy your home more.

What to look for:

There are quite a few well qualified contractors in the Bend area. However, finding one who specializes in your specific project is important. Thus, to avoid headaches you need to do a few things before committing to work with a contractor on your ideal home remodeling project.

1. Find someone with proper certification. Mistakes made by contractors could indeed damage your home. In addition, any mistakes could ultimately be dangerous to your family. So, finding a contractor who is well certified will allow you to avoid headaches with remodeling contractors. Before you commit to working with a contractor, be sure you can confirm the remodeler has liability insurance and is licensed by the state. You should check out each potential contractor’s license with the State Construction Contractor Board (CCB) to be sure they are certified and qualified to do the work.

2. Figure it all out before work begins by asking potential contractors many questions. A sure-fire way to avoid headaches from working with contractors on your remodel is to get all information ahead of time. By sitting down with the potentially hired contractor, you can be sure you’ll not be shocked with anything along the way. You can together create a plan of action which will allow you to know exactly what will happen along the way. Thus, whatever happens in any circumstance or situation, you’ll be prepared for it. A contractor who is unwilling or annoyed by answering questions should be fired immediately.