Whether you have just moved into a “fixer-upper” or have let time take its toll on your own home there comes a point when everyone looks at the place that they live and decides it needs a renovation. The hardest part of any renovation is getting started. Once you have a plan and know what you are doing it is pretty straightforward. The most difficult decision is deciding what needs to be thrown out and what needs to be repaired. Don’t worry, we are here to help.
The floors
Time is particularly cruel to flooring. If you want one quick fix to make your home look shiny and new again the floor is the place to focus. Depending on what material is on your floor will alter your approach.
If you have tiles and some are broken then it is best to rip them all out and place new ones than to try and repair. If only a small number are broken and the others still look good it is worth taking the broken ones to a few hardware stores and seeing if replacements can be sourced as tiles are not cheap. However in most cases, once the damage is done it is time for a whole new set of tiles.
The same is true of carpet and lino. If you have laid these floorings it was likely because of their long life, their ability to take damage, and depending on what year they were put down perhaps style. Today carpets and lino are not at the height of style but they do still often serve a purpose. When carpet or lino is no longer in top condition it has to go, there is no way to repair it and the cost of repairing would be far more than simply laying a new carpet or lino.
The one area where this approach does change is if you have a hardwood floor. Hardwood floors are gorgeous especially if they are the original floor that came with the house. It is such a pity to see a beautiful hardwood floor covered with carpet or lino. If you have a hardwood floor and it is starting to look dated there are a number of cost-effective ways to make it look great again. Definitely try everything you can before you give in to a new floor.
The bathroom
The sink and bathtub are two areas that also show a lot of wear and tear. Bathroom styles have changed a lot over the decades and if you have a bathroom that was fitted in the 70s, its age is showing even if everything is in pristine condition. Aside from that though if the bath and sink are looking old or damaged, they need to be repaired. The initial reaction of most people is to replace these items but that is a larger task than it seems. Instead, there are special companies who can make fantastic repairs in old tubs and sinks and it is often worth the expense instead of the drama and price of a new installation. In addition, it doesn’t take long for outdated 70s installations to become on-trend again, soon they will be in high demand and cost a bomb again.
These are the biggest items that people consider when they are renovating their home. While there are other things like light fixtures, wallpaper, window sills, and doors the answer will vary depending on condition and type of installation. In most cases, if you do your homework and price around with hardware stores you will quickly discover if it is a refurb job or a replacement. Always be careful before throwing something out because what may appear like trash is only a small splash of paint away from being upcycled into something amazing.
