You might be thinking of doing a renovation. You’ve lived in your home for a while and it’s time to do some updating. Maybe you are thinking of selling, time to spruce the place up. Or, maybe you purchased a gem for a great price, but, it required a renovation.
That’s our category. We purchased a place a few years back, it had some updates but it was original in most aspects. So where does the renovation begin?
If you are looking at getting the best return on your investment, renovating the kitchen and the bathroom is where you want to start. Those are the 2 places that most buyers focus on. Sure, the living room and bedroom is important, but outside of flooring, lighting and paint colour, what can you do?
We had an idea of what we wanted to do. If you don’t know where to start, try contacting a local Interior designer who can point you in the right direction. You might be hesitant about spending the money on an Interior Designer.
Don’t forget though that they have the connections that will save you money. Think about minimizing the time for the reno. With the right contractor that happens. Also, they get discounts on just about everything. So, start thinking about appliances, flooring, tiles, lighting, plumbing fixtures, discounts, discounts, discounts.
You aren’t paying retail for any of those items. It’s almost worth getting a designer just for the discounts! It’s way more than that though. It’s getting a second opinion on your home. Especially if you’ve lived there for a long time. They will bring fresh ideas and modern touches to your home. Get an expert opinion, it’s worth it.
Back to our place. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I’m also 6″1″. So I have a wall of cabinets in my face every day, that doesn’t make me a happy camper. They have to go. The rest of the kitchen has to go as well. It’s a dark small space, and I like bright spaces.
The cabinets are old, the appliances aren’t bad, but they are basic, white, and house size. Do we really need that in a 2 bedroom condo, I don’t think so. In the late 80’s and early 90’s we didn’t have many options. These days we have access to all of the European designs and manufacturers, perfect for smaller places.
We advertised our appliances on Faceboook marketplace. They were still in great condition so they didn’t deserve to go to the dump. We had multiple offers on both, and they went to happy homes.
Most of our flooring is carpeting. We have slate tile in the kitchen, back bathroom, and our entrance. It’s newer and will probably stay. The carpeting is going, going, gone.
Our 2nd bathroom was partially renovated before we moved in. We have a hard time throwing out new things, so most of that renovation will remain.
Have you looked at new flooring lately. The options are overwhelming. Different materials, colours, woods, engineered HW, laminate, tile, etc.
When we started looking at hardwood/laminate etc we had one thing in mind. We wanted to buy a product that was made in Canada. Many manufacturers overseas buy Canadian hardwood and then ship us back the finished product. We found a great product from a Quebec company, mission accomplished – Mirage Floors
It’s difficult making a decision. Colour alone is a tough choice. Our Condo is north facing and doesn’t get a lot of natural light. The decision was easy. Light colours for us to brighten up the space. Light flooring and walls.
Let me give you our list of what we plan on renovating:
Fully renovate our kitchen (everything must go!)
Fully renovate our bathroom (30 years old, time for a change)
Remove the carpet and replace with engineered hardwood
Smooth out the ceiling. Out with the old stipple and in with a smooth texture
Modernize our lighting – pot lights and accent lights throughout
We have limited storage – every closet gets a closet organizer. The closets are very excited!
Replace the old gas fireplace (I’m not a fan of the metal screen)
Paint, paint & paint
Replace the old bi-fold doors with a new modern look
The renovation timeline is 4 weeks. I know, that’s aggressive. That’s the anticipated time. I’m sure we will come across some delays along the way. We ordered most of our products prior to day 1 to make sure that Covid shipping delays didn’t cost us any time.
Stop back from time to time. I’ll be updating the post with pictures, videos and progress reports!
About the Author:
The above article on 5 Thinking of Renovating? Me too! Let’s have a look at our Kitsilano reno, and how long did it take? was provided by Regan Pyke, a leader in the field of sales, marketing, (Renovations!!), and Real Estate Investing. Regan can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 778-228-2448.
Thinking of selling your home? I have a real passion for buying and selling Real Estate, as well as marketing & real estate investing. I’d love to share my expertise!
