Category: Home Improvement

Premier Flooring and Design Center Having a Big Impact on Kitchens

The kitchen is the heart of the home, the place where meals, memories and magic are made. A beautiful, functional and comfortable kitchen is where everyone wants to hang out at the party, where friends and family mingle and where the day begins and ends.

The kitchen is also the one place where investing in upgrading and remodeling really pays off. According to HGTV, “In the hottest housing markets, springing for a kitchen remodel is a sure-fire investment, often returning more than 100 percent of the cost.” And, even if you aren’t planning to sell soon, you can’t measure the value you get out of your use and enjoyment of the home improvements you make. “Even if you get less than 100 percent of your money back, you’re really ahead of the game over time because you get the use of all that space,” according to Remodeling magazine.

In a kitchen remodel, cabinets are the biggest investment and also return the most bang for the buck, transforming a space in terms of both beauty and function. The new Fabuwood Cabinets, featured at Premier Flooring & Design Center, are a top choice for creating an affordable luxury kitchen, with features and options that literally transform outdated, uncomfortable kitchens into sleek, comfortable, thoroughly enjoyable rooms.

All Fabuwood cabinetry is made with solid wood frames, concealed six-way hinges, full extension drawer runners, solid birch dovetailed drawer boxes and natural wood veneer finished interiors to provide lasting reliability and solid value. The “Q12” construction process focuses on 12 separate elements that together make up a solid, beautifully built cabinet which functions like a well-engineered tool and looks like a fine piece of furniture.

Fabuwood cabinetry deliver drawers that slide like glass, doors that close quietly and securely, infinite configurations and accessories that are engineered to take advantage of every inch of space. Choose knife and cutlery inserts for drawers. appliance garages, many different pull-outs and tilt-outs, stemware racks and lazy susans bult just for corner spaces.

Simple ways to make your kitchen look more modern

Simple Ways To Make Your Kitchen Look More Modern

Has your kitchen looked the same since you moved into your house? Even though we use our kitchens daily, the look and feel of the kitchen can often be neglected and overlooked. For a room that is so useful, we forget that it needs a little care too. Using our kitchen how we always have used it becomes an unbreakable habit.

Keeping the room clean is a must as it will attract pests otherwise. Sometimes it will take more than just a thorough cleaning to make your kitchen look its best. Your kitchen must catch up to the 21st century!

Add a Little Color

Constant use and the smoke and the grease can start to make your kitchen look dull and tired.. If the room looks sad and outdated, give it a new look. Paint the walls and make it look fresh and brand new again.

Remodel Your Kitchen

What better way to modernize the place than remodelling your kitchen? If money is not an issue, this is the best option for you. If you are tired of the way your kitchen looks, remodel the room into a more modern style. Most kitchen areas are designed in a similar manner. Changing the way your counters, kitchen cabinetry, and shelves are kept can make a huge difference.

Get New Appliances

If your refrigerator is older than your first born who you just sent off to college,, it is definitely time to get a new one. We tend to stick with our appliances. We get comfortable with our appliances, and hesitate to change often. Well changing appliances can be a great way to refresh your kitchen and also use energy more efficiently..

Best Kitchen Remodel Ideas That Will Spruce Up Any Space

Whether you’re looking for small or grand kitchen remodel ideas to renovate one of the most popular spaces in your home, there are several directions for you to go in. Perhaps you’ve seen some popular kitchen trends of 2020 and want to add subtle touches to feel like your kitchen has entered the modern age. Simple changes such as painting your cabinets a fresh coat, switching out your hanging lighting fixtures, or revamping your backsplash can create a big change. Or, if you’re more on the traditional side and would rather stick to some country kitchen ideas instead, there are many renovation tactics that will update your kitchen while making sure it feels homey.

Before: Old Cabinets

The counters and cabinets in this kitchen needed a chic update, but the vintage stove had too much charm and potential to get rid of.

After: Bright White

The homeowner kept the kitchen’s old Chambers stove and cabinets—now improved with new fronts and a coat of Patriotic White—but jettisoned the Formica counters and dark backsplash in favor of marble and white subway tiles.

Before: Basic Fixtures and Finishes

Basic fixtures and finishes and a poorly planned layout offered little in the way of style or function

After: Charming Farmhouse Kitchen

Switching out the stainless steel sink that came with the house for an apron-front porcelain one boosts the room’s charm. Brass bin pulls, butcher block countertops, and a copper backsplash behind the range add warmth to the new gray cabinets.

Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen Remodeling Advice

Before-and-After L-Shaped Kitchen Remodels

Kitchen Remodel for Stunning View

Kitchen Layouts: Before and After

Warm, Earthy Kitchen

A Family Kitchen Furnished for Cooks

A Sustainably-Minded Portland Kitchen Remodel

Fun, Family-Focused Baking Kitchen

Old World Kitchen Transformation

Charming White Kitchen

Galley Kitchen Remodel Ideas

Family-Centered Kitchens

Before-and-After Galley Kitchen Remodels

Cozy Country Kitchen Designs

From charming wood floors to wrought-iron fixtures, get tips for using details that embody a warm country design style.

Natural Delights

Rustic materials pair with bright white finishes to create this family friendly, farmhouse kitchen. Richly stained cabinets join forces with aged hardwood floors and weathered barstools to bring warmth to the mostly white space. A taupe subway tile backsplash adds dimension to the design and enhances the range hood, while a modern chicken painting brings interest to the walls.

Basic Steps of Kitchen Remodeling

Few home remodeling projects come with more benefits—and more headaches—than a major kitchen remodeling job. If you hire a general contractor to manage a major job that expands the kitchen footprint, costs can easily go into the six-figure range. If you have the courage to tackle the work yourself, the job may take many months to complete, and you may need to live without a kitchen for a good portion of that time.

But a gleaming new kitchen will make your home more livable, and it will increase the equity value of your real estate like few other remodeling projects can do. A great new kitchen will be the focus of family life and can be the center of social gatherings. A fully remodeled kitchen is most certainly a project worth the time, money, and effort, and you can avoid being overwhelmed if you fully understand the steps that go into the process before you begin.

A great many kitchen remodeling projects end up disappointing a homeowner—or shocking them with the cost—simply because they did not spend the necessary time to determine what they wanted and what they could afford

Needs vs. Desires in a Kitchen Remodel

Start by asking yourself what persistent problems you experience with your current kitchen. Is it a matter of too little space to cook effectively? Too little space to store food and dishware? Do you lack dining areas? Are the appliances ineffective or too old? Or does the kitchen just make you wince because it is so dated and so ugly?

Remodel Reality Check

Early on in your planning, confront the two-part reality of a kitchen remodeling project: the logistics of the work itself, and the expense involved.

Cool Things to Add To Your New Home Build

A bathing station for the dog

People are passionate about their pets and if you’re building a custom home, you may want to include some extras for Fido. We suggest putting in a doggy bathing station in your garage, so when you get back in from a hike on the mountain, you can get your pup all cleaned up! If your dog is smaller, elevate the station so that you don’t have to bend down and crouch over your dog.

On-demand water heater

Never have a shower run cold again. With an on-demand hot water heater, you save space and you save energy because you are only heating water as you need it. This also means you can take long, luxurious showers without running out of warm water.

Independently controlled outdoor outlets

Few neighbourhoods know how to celebrate Christmas like. If you want to be a part of the revelry, build your home with outdoor receptacles beneath eaves and in various locations around your house. This will help eliminate the need for messy extension cords and you can wire them to switches in your home, so you can switch the lights on and off as you need. You can even go a step further and put them on a smart home automation system and control the outdoor lighting from your phone.

Dual kitchen workspaces

If your home is the gathering place for family and friends, you may want to consider dual work spaces in the kitchen, complete with sinks and garbage/recycling cans. It helps keep people out of your space while you’re working, or you and a friend can work at the same time without getting in each other’s way. It takes the separate beverage bar to a whole new level!

Jetted laundry sink

Washing delicate laundry can be a chore, but if you have a jetted laundry sink, you can just pop your laundry in.

How to Buy in New Construction

Buying “new construction” is a bit different from buying a previously-owned home. For one, because there is no previous homeowner, you don’t have to deal with a seller’s emotional tie to the property, which typically influences the negotiating process. Whether you’re designing and building a custom home or buying a home that’s built on spec in a new subdivision, you’ll only have to work with the builder.

As with buying a previously-owned home, you have to figure out your budget and secure financing before you even begin house hunting. Get pre-approved by a bank or mortgage lender. Decide how much money you want to invest in a new home. And don’t overlook the extras like property taxes, insurance, furniture, window treatments, landscaping costs and maintenance that can drain your bank account.

Weigh the Pros and Cons

Nothing beats the feeling of being the first person to live in a newly-built home. Everything is shiny and untouched.

Research Neighborhoods and Builders

When buying in a new subdivision, consider working with a buyer’s agent who knows the area well, can set up home tours and walk you through the closing process

Know What’s Standard and What’s Extra

Ask the builder about amenities and upgrades. Amenities are features that benefit the entire community like a clubhouse, health and fitness center or a gated entrance. Upgrades refer to added features or items you pay extra for to enhance your home, like certain types of flooring or appliances.

Before you get building work done

Coronavirus – if you’re having repairs or building work in your home

Plumbers, electricians and other traders can still come to your house to carry out repairs – as long as they don’t have any symptoms of coronavirus. They should try to stay 2 metres away from you and avoid any vulnerable people.

These steps should help you save time, money and stress when you’re preparing to get building work, renovations or repairs done on your home. They’ll also help you avoid problems with builders, plumbers or other contractors, eg decorators and electricians.

Check if you need permission or approval

You may have to get more than one kind of permission or approval before you go ahead with work on your home.

Always check if you need:

building regulations approval – you may need this even for small improvements, eg replacing windows or doors

planning permission – you usually need this to build something new or make a major change, eg an extension

If you have to get approval or permission

You may need to hire a surveyor or architect to help you apply for building regulations approval or planning permission. If you’d struggle to pay for this, visit your local Citizen’s Advice and ask about applying for the Chartered Surveyor’s Voluntary Service.

If you’re a leaseholder

Check your lease if you own the leasehold (not the freehold) on your home. You may have to get permission from the freeholder before work starts. If the lease says you can’t make changes, you can still ask the freeholder for permission. You may have to pay some costs.

Find Your Local Showhome

HOME BUILDERS YOU CAN TRUST

We are new home builders with years of experience building houses nationwide. We believe every Kiwi should be able to afford a new home and we work hard to make building your new home a possibility.

AFFORDABLE HOMES

If you have been searching for a home and never thought that building a house was within your budget, then browse our extensive range of house plans. We offer different build options, from Kitset Homes to a Full Build.

FIND YOUR LATITUDE HOMES BUILDER

Whether you prefer to buy a kitset home and take total charge of the construction process or would rather leave everything in our hands with the full build option, our experienced home builders will be there for you from day one. Good advice and support can be invaluable, especially during the first stages of the project.

Construction Tips and Other Ways to Save Big When Building a House

Buy a large lot with a friend or family member that can be split into two smaller lots. Some of the most appealing properties may be much larger than what you want or can afford, yet the seller may not be willing to break up a large parcel. So if you can share the cost with someone else (preferably someone you don’t mind having as a neighbor), you may be able to pick up a great building site for a reasonable price.

Consider a so-called problem lot — a hillside, narrow, or in-fill property. Generally, these types of lots are not as desirable as others, so they don’t sell as quickly and often go for a much lower price. With the right plan and a capable contractor, however, a potentially difficult lot might be perfect for your new home. Check out our house plans for Sloped Lot House Plans and House Plans for Narrow Lots

Choose a canal or bay lot instead of ocean or lakefront property if you must have a waterfront site. These choices are usually less expensive but still water accessible. Plus, they provide great protection against inclement weather. Browse our collection of Coastal or Lakefront (which don’t necessarily have to be built next to an “ocean” or “lake!”).

Buy low-maintenance building materials — vinyl or cementitious siding and metal roofing, for example. Even if they are somewhat more expensive at installation, they will pay for themselves in the long run as you won’t have to repair, replace, or repaint.

Collect salvaged materials from demolition sites. Old barnwood, used bricks, and distinctive wood doors add inexpensive character to a home without exorbitant cost. Many times you can have the materials at no cost, as long as you’re willing to haul them away. Just be sure to check first with the owner of the building being demolished.

Splurge only on those things you truly cannot live without. However, don’t skimp on structural components or doors and windows — for the safety and security of your home, you’ll want to purchase the best you can afford in these areas. In addition, certain features help determine the overall design and are worth making every effort to keep; for example: the board-and-batten siding and large black double hung windows of House Plan 430-156 (see plan image below) reinforce the design’s farmhouse character.