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How to make your kitchen, bathroom remodel less scary

Halloween certainly looks much different this year, what with coronavirus and all.

One thing that doesn’t have to be scary is your home remodeling experience.

Our good friends at Houzz have put together some great tips and tricks for surviving a kitchen remodel.

A lot of their advice comes in the form of preparation.

First, plan some serious time to pack away all of your belongings, the article says, so your supplies are safely secured and you aren’t rushing the night before work begins.

Next, the article suggests you make sure to have some sort of way to refrigerate food, either by relocating the existing fridge to a garage or laundry room, or by purchasing a mini fridge, like in your younger days.

Also, set up a temporary kitchen somewhere, the article says, so you have some place to toss together a meal or two.

Finally, the article suggests including takeout and food delivery to your budget, because let’s face it, you will be using it more than usual.

“But Stewart,” you say, “you are putting the cart before the horse!” Well, dear reader, if hiring a remodeler has you afraid to move, there are a good number of tips in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Confirming a remodeler is licensed, bonded and insured, viewing a remodeler’s history of working with designers, and getting all promises in writing are the three biggest takeaways from the article.

And lastly, if deciding what to do with your bathroom remodel is giving you chills, here’s some good advice.

Have a good week, and Happy Halloween!

Remodeling industry starting to recover from COVID-19

It looks like there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The home remodeling industry is bouncing back after a dip from the pandemic, according to an article from Kitchen and Bath Design News.

The article cites a study from the National Kitchen & Bath Association, which found that both activity and interest in residential remodeling is on the rise.

About 36% of homeowners were in the process of remodeling in the second quarter, up from about 13% in the first quarter, the study says.

Additionally, about one in five homeowners (22%) is looking to remodel soon, according to the study.

So, if quarantine has given you lots of ideas about improving your home, you are not alone!

Of course, the biggest consideration for any remodel is the budget. Those who have lived in their house for a while might be interested in a home equity loan, and this Oregonian article discusses some pros and cons.

If you are more into the Xs and Os of a project, an article from MSN Money breaks down the costs of various sizes of kitchen remodels.

The average kitchen remodel is just over $25,000, according to information from HomeAdvisor, with the lower end of the spectrum coming in at $4,000 and the higher end of the spectrum reaching $60,000, or more!

Broken down into percentages from national averages, you can expect to budget 29% for cabinets, 14% for appliances and ventilation, 10% for countertops, and the very important budget cushion of 15% to 20%.

Have a good week!

Quarantine changing way homeowners make remodeling and design decisions

School is starting in most places, and many homeowners are trying to figure out how to handle more people working at home.

For us, the living room has turned into the working room, and the dining room has turned into the school room.

If you’ve caught yourself fantasizing about a dedicated workspace or more storage place for all the supplies you will be housing this semester, you aren’t alone!

Design trends are reflecting what more and more people need during this pandemic, as this article points out.

In addition to the dedicated office space, more homeowners are looking to add spaces to exercise, for their kids to play, or for a more luxurious feel in their bathrooms, the article says.

And with COVID-19 on the top of people’s minds, a revamp to the outdoor space for safely entertaining guests is on many shoppers’ lists, the article says.

In some respects, this is 2020’s version of aging in place. Take this article from the Washington Post, for example.

Homeowners are also factoring into account wheelchair accessibility and planning for space to accommodate aging parents or in-laws, according to the article.

Other changes include lowering kitchen counters, curbless showers, and even adding an elevator in extreme cases, the article says.

Well, if you’ve made it this far, you deserve a treat. And what could be better than seeing how the One Percent live?

Justin and Hailey Bieber just purchased a modest $25.8 million house in Beverly Park, which I’m told is not the same as Beverly Hills.

Anyways, TMZ has pictures (because of course they do), and you have to see the massive pool, huge range hood, movie theatre, and (presumably) master bedroom with a walkout balcony.

Have a great week!