Tag: home renovation

Get their look: Static caravan transformation

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Interior Stylist (@hanbullivant)

Interior stylist, Hannah Bullivant, and her husband have achieved the most spectacular static caravan transformation. We first learned of her and her home project on the Guardian website.

You’d be hard pushed to come across a grottier caravan; it was covered in green algae on the outside and black mould on the inside. It was damp and dirty, the floor was rotten and the doors and windows were broken… but it only cost them a hundred and fifty quid! Despite all this, they bravely took the plunge to turn it into a comfortable family home.

Their ‘luxury lodge’ is now a thing of beauty – inside and out. The exterior has been clad with wood and one by one, room by room, the interior spaces have been renovated and improved on a limited budged – made easier with the help of kind friends, eBay and Facebook Marketplace.

Here’s Hannah’s own ‘before & after’ visual of their kitchen – isn’t the metamorphosis incredible‽

Hannah Bullivant's 'before & after' budget caravan kitchen renovation visual

Get their look

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‘Constance Moss’ chalk & mineral furniture paint
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Cabinet handles
Cabinet handles
16-piece stoneware dinner set
16-piece stoneware dinner set
Black clip on desk lamp
Black clip on desk lamp
Bamboo roller blind
Bamboo roller blind
from £27.27
Wall tiles
Wall tiles
‘Constance Moss’ chalk & mineral furniture paint
‘Constance Moss’ chalk & mineral furniture paint
Cabinet handles
Cabinet handles
16-piece stoneware dinner set
16-piece stoneware dinner set
Black clip on desk lamp
Black clip on desk lamp
Bamboo roller blind
Bamboo roller blind
from £27.27
Wall tiles
Wall tiles
‘Constance Moss’ chalk & mineral furniture paint
‘Constance Moss’ chalk & mineral furniture paint

7 tips on how to renovate your house

7 tips on how to renovate your house

Renovating a house can be a very rewarding project. Not only does the process of renovating give you more space, but you have the opportunity to express your own personal style through new décor choices and different colours and finishes on the walls. If you’re planning to renovate your house, here are seven tips to get you started on the road to a successful, completed project.

#1. Know what you’re getting yourself into

Before starting any kind of renovation project, it’s important to know exactly what you’re in for. This will ensure that the entire process doesn’t catch you off guard and ruin your plans. You need to prepare for the worst if you expect to be ready no matter how things turn out.

#2. Get everything done at once

Your home may look fine on the outside, but behind closed doors, there might be some serious issues that need to be addressed. It’s best to go ahead and get all the renovations done at once, so you don’t have to deal with them later on down the road. This applies to everything from updating your plumbing to rewiring the electrical system if needed. Ensure you use products that enhance your life, such as dimmable LED downlights, which give you the option to adjust the brightness of the lighting according to your needs.

#3. Hire professionals who know what they’re doing

Hiring independent home builders or enlisting friends and family (who may be trying to help out for free) is not always a good idea when it comes to renovating your home. There are too many downsides involved with this route, like professional jobs taking longer than expected, jobs being left incomplete due to lack of skill or knowledge about an issue, or people doing poor work because they don’t know any better. For reliable and skilled professionals, consider working with New Key Construction to ensure your renovation is completed efficiently and to a high standard. For example, you wouldn’t want an inexperienced roofing company to handle your roof repair or replacement, as it’s a task that requires specific skills and safety measures.

It’s always best to hire a roofer who is certified and has a good track record of quality work. This not only ensures the job is done right, but also keeps your home safe and maintains its value. Remember, cutting corners now may lead to costly repairs and headaches down the road. Trusting your home to professionals brings peace of mind that the job is in good hands.

#4. Get everyone on board for the same vision

Every family member doesn’t have to agree with your ideas, but it’s important that you’re all moving towards the same goal. It can be difficult to renovate a home without having everyone involved in the process, but if they still think about it as ‘your house’, then you will probably run into some problems in the future.

#5. Design first, buy second

You’ve already chosen everything you want before renovations even begin, so why do you need to look at new furniture and other materials during this stage of the game? You shouldn’t bother shopping for something new until the design is finalised.

For instance, you may really want to install a home sauna in your bathroom. If you have a large enough space, then you can include one of these in your final designs. You can shop premium UK home spa saunas here to find just the one you envision having in your property.

#6. Make a list of everything you’ll need

Before starting renovations or any kind of home improvement project, it’s important to write down exactly what will be required. This way, there won’t be any confusion between yourself and whoever else may be working on your house. In this list, you’re going to need to include all the details for the materials and services that you have hired and everything else you can think of. There’s no such thing as being too detailed, so make sure you’re including things like the name of the skip hire you have chosen, as well as all details that come to mind.

#7. Be careful of hidden costs

The renovation process can be an extremely costly one, even more so if you’re not careful. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in the moment and spend too much on something that will eventually turn out to be a waste of money. Always make sure the fixtures, hardware, electrical wiring, etc., are appropriate for your home before buying them or making arrangements for installation.

In conclusion

If this post has taught you anything, it’s that renovation can be a long and difficult process. The tips listed here are meant to make the entire experience easier for you, but if something goes wrong, or you notice something not mentioned in this article, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with professionals who know what they’re doing!

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5 things to consider before building an extension

5 things to consider before building an extension

If you’re thinking about expanding your home, you must first think about what you want to achieve. Are you thinking about adding a bathroom or a bedroom? Or do you want to make the most of your living space? Whatever your main goal is, this post can help you to think about the things you need to before committing to building an extension on your home.

Time-frame

Depending on the scope of the project, the time-line for building an extension may vary. It’s crucial to think about how much time you’re willing to devote to extending your home in order to make sure it’s in line with your extension’s key goals. You’ll likely want to have your extension completed as soon as possible; working with someone like johndoulgeridis.com.au can help with this.

Budget

It’s critical to examine how much cash you have to spend when designing a home extension.

After you’ve established your budget, you can start planning and prioritising to make the most of your money. When you meet with your contractor you’ll have the opportunity to provide the designers with a wish list – and a needs list. Make sure you think this through while keeping your budget in mind.

Transparency is essential with any contractor with whom you choose to work. Make sure there are no hidden fees for you to be concerned about, and you keep your quotes and bills to keep track. Communication is crucial, especially when it comes to budgeting. You should always be well informed and have a clear line of communication.

Do you need planning permission?

If your extension complies with specific criteria, you may not need to apply for planning permission. Whether or not you need planning approval, it’s essential that your extension meets a number of regulations to ensure the building’s safety. Ensure the professionals that you use are able to provide you with all the information you need and, in addition, pay close attention to the design and structure of your home.

Added value

Adding an extension will usually raise the overall value of your home, making it a worthwhile investment.  If you’re going to expand your house to resell it, your approach and decisions will be different than if you’re not aiming to sell any time soon. The primary goal for individuals trying to resell will be to ensure that each modification and addition adds value to the home. If your home has any structural or cosmetic concerns, the best course of action for increasing property value is to remedy them. The design should be simple but appealing, with neutral colours throughout – think of it as a blank canvas, allowing potential buyers to inject their own personality and imagine themselves living there.

Bringing the old and the new together

Your extension shouldn’t feel like an add-on to your home; instead, it should connect to the original structure so that the two are one and the same. From the inside out, make sure your addition not only blends in, but also adds to the value of your home. The functionality as well as the flow of your home should be improved.

These tips should help when it comes to considering building an extension to your home. Do you have any plans for an extension? What are you thinking about? Please share some of your ideas in the comments below.

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Planning an extension: things to consider

Planning an extension: things to consider

Have you found that you’re running out of space in your home? A lack of space is a common problem many people face, and sometimes no amount of decluttering can resolve the issue. There are usually two ways to remedy the situation; you can either move to a larger property or create extra space in your current home. Adding an extension to your property is often the more cost-effective of these two options. However, extending your home can be a complicated process, so it’s best to be as prepared as possible. Here are some factors to consider when planning an extension to your home.

Woman looking at a building plan on a computer

Plan your budget

Deciding on how much you’re happy to spend is a significant decision to make, and you may need to alter your renovation plans to fit your budget. It’s crucial to remember that building an extension requires many different materials. The costings for your renovation will need to cover everything from the Visqueen gas barrier through to tiles for the roof and the outlay of paying the building company’s fees.

You might want to explore different options to create more space in your home, such as a garage or loft conversion, as well as a traditional extension. Your budget may stretch further when used differently while still enabling you to gain additional space. Playing around with different ideas can be a great way to save yourself money while maximising the space in your home.

Builder in blue overalls looking a blueprints

Finding a contractor

When you invest your money into improving your biggest asset, you need to be sure the work is done to the highest standard. To get the best quality renovation, you need to have the right builders to complete the job. When searching for a contractor, it’s helpful to start by looking for recommendations from people you know. Once you have recommendations, it’s beneficial to check testimonials and look at examples of the builder’s previous work to gain an idea of the types of projects they’ve worked on and how satisfied their customers are with their service. The next step is to start requesting quotes for the job and to ask about their availability.

House undergoing renovations

Preparing the space

Once you’ve found the perfect builder for the job, it’s helpful to make some preparations in your home ready for the project to begin. Creating extra space around the area that will be extended is an excellent way to start your preparations and should save the builders a task. With the area already clear, they should be able to get to work faster on the construction. As the builders are likely to need clear access through your home to work on the extension, it’s a good idea to ensure that there’s plenty of room for them to walk through with tools and materials. Moving any valuables, rugs and furniture out of the way is a great idea to prevent them from being damaged or broken. Once you’ve freed up the area, you should be all ready for the extension works to begin.

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