Category: Home Remodeling

Preparing to kick off you’re first home renovation project? Whether you’ve decided to renovate a room or gut your whole house, the entire process can be exciting and nerve-racking. But it doesn’t have to be. Creating a home renovation checklist can help you plan out each phase of this project and ensure you complete all critical steps.

In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide for creating the perfect home renovation checklist so that you can easily manage and track your home renovation project.

Project Planning 

Project planning is the first step in renovating your home. It consists of figuring out a timeline, setting a budget, and identifying the steps involved in the renovation. In addition, including a contingency plan can help you adjust quickly if an unexpected issue arises. 

Setting a budget 

According to a Houzz study, the median cost of renovating a home over the last two years is $18,000. Renovation projects can be costly. However, they can also boost the resale value of your house. 

Several factors affect the cost of renovating a home, including the scope of the work, materials, and labor. The final price tag is also influenced by whether structural repairs are necessary, any underlying issues, and the square footage. You’ll also need to account for surprise costs that may arise by factoring in an additional 10-20% of the total cost.

Before you begin renovating, find out how much materials and labor costs. Consult a few different contractors to get estimates and an idea of what you can expect to pay for the remodel. Following these steps, you can set a realistic budget for your home renovation project.

Create a timeline 

A good contractor will create a detailed schedule that includes the project’s start date, a timeline of the tasks that will take place over the next few weeks, and a projected end date.

If you’re undertaking a large project such as a kitchen remodel, renovating multiple rooms, or building additions, expect delays, as they are normal. Most contractors anticipate delays due to inspections, obtaining permits, waiting for products or materials to arrive, and even bad weather if they’ll be working outside. Your contractor should include projected delays in the schedule. Having a clear and realistic timeline in place ensures that the renovation is completed in a timely manner. 

Obtaining Permits 

Before beginning an extensive home improvement project, it’s a good idea to research local building codes and city laws. Renovations that involve building, structural changes, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work require a government permit. Typically, it can take up to six weeks to obtain building permits and complete the required inspection. 

It may be necessary to obtain permits from various sources, including the local municipal, health department, zoning board, and fire marshal. As the homeowner, it’s your responsibility to secure essential permits and ensure that all remodeling work is performed legally and safely according to city ordinances. 

Selecting a Contractor

Hiring the right contractor for a home renovation project is akin to selecting a surgeon for an operation. If you make the wrong decision, you can end up with a botched body- hiring a bad contractor can destroy your dream of having a beautiful home, leaving you stuck with a disastrous construction job. The construction team you hire should be qualified to complete your home renovation project. 

Perform Thorough Research

Before you officially hire a contractor, do your research. Look into the contractor’s credentials and experience, and obtain references from previous clients. Reviews from past clients can provide insight into the quality of their work. Check the contractor’s insurance and bonding policies and ask them to provide proof of their policies.

Interviewing contractors 

Create a shortlist of the contractors you’re interested in working with and interview them all. During the interview, ask as many questions as you need to help you make an informed decision. Inquire about their experience with similar projects, and find out what type of warranty they offer on their work. Make sure they’re licensed, bonded, and insured to protect yourself in the event of a dispute. 

Take some time to review the contracts and ensure you understand the project’s scope and timeline before making a final decision. It’s also vital to obtain a written estimate.

Map Out Your Design Plans

Now it’s time for the fun part! Your home renovation checklist should include detailed design plans. Magazines, home decor websites, and social media pages can be excellent sources of inspiration. During this project phase, you’ll need to select furniture, lighting, finishes, accessories, and other materials to help bring the space to life. 

 Carefully consider each design element to ensure they synchronize with the existing architecture and surrounding environment. Think about how your family plans on using the space and the vibe you want to create. Pay attention to scale, color, texture, and other visual elements to create a cohesive and pleasant look and feel.

Choosing a style 

 To achieve a modern or contemporary look, select materials and finishes with clean lines, such as stainless steel, glass, and quartz.

Opt for classic materials like wood, stone, and tile if you’re leaning toward a traditional style. Be sure to consider your budget and the project’s timeline; this will allow you to achieve your desired look within your budget.

Make Temporary Living Arrangements

If you’re planning a major or whole house renovation, you’ll likely have to relocate while construction is underway. The renovation’s timeline will ultimately dictate the duration of temporary living arrangements. Depending on your family’s needs, you may decide to move in with family or friends or rent a short-term apartment.  

Start making alternate living arrangements early. Moving out is an additional expense, but the construction team will be able to work faster, and your family will be more comfortable.

Finalize Your Plans

You made it to the end! It’s time to analyze your home renovation checklist and make sure it aligns with your goals, the budget you set, and the allotted timeline for the renovation completion. Address any concerns right away and make adjustments as you see fit. Go over your checklist with your contractor before you finalize the plan.

Nothing can be a better way to create an impressive style than blending your interior design into Spanish structure. You can check Yelp for our Spanish-style home remodeling projects and more and see how just a few additions of elements can make your home interior decor stand out with a Spanish look! And starting with the living room is the best way to do so. Let’s get started!

Spanish Style Home Remodeling Ideas for a Stunning Living Room Makeover

Spanish-style interior designs can leave your living space inviting and utterly timeless like never before! From the ceilings to the walls- A Spanish remodel for your living room can inspire you for your next home renovation. 

Here are the ideas that can spruce up your living room:

Start with the Spanish-style interior:

We, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc., recommend interior renovation first to bring a fresh Spanish look to your living space! You will find the room not only sophisticated and traditional but experience comfort and warmth. Go for a tiled fireplace, white stucco walls, and exposed natural wood beams to bring the rustic Spanish style!

Play with ceiling styles!

Exposed natural wood beams are the most defining feature of Spanish-style interior decor. In your living space, you can bring the traits of domed ceilings and vaulted ceilings with exposed beams. 

Vaulted ceiling style comes with a classic Spanish look with exposed wood beams and rustic curved archways with a chandelier. Contrarily, if you have a small space in the living room, consider a domed ceiling that can make the space feel airy and open, pairing with neutral finishes.

Talavera tiles

This one is the perfect alternative to embrace and add the Spanish-style vibe to your living room design. Imagine how much it will look when you add Talavera tiles to the step-down stairs into your living space! The colorful patterned lines can make your stairs pop and highlight the entrance. 

Have you thought of adding a bookshelf to your living space?

Of course, you may have, especially when you love reading! If you already have a rustic built-in, adding a well-curated bookshelf can give your living room storage for books while the Spanish decor you opt for. Also, you can use the bookshelf to show off your family heirlooms. But make sure you focus on meaningful objects for the decor! 

Do you need more home remodeling ideas for your living room makeover? Let us know and stay connected!

The last thing you wish is that your neighbors comment on your dull living room walls- Right? And while thinking of home remodeling, we recommend starting the renovation from the living space. Don’t worry if you are on the edge of budget! Just a fresh coat of paint can bring a stunning look to your drab space.

Need some guidance with the color choice? Let us help you!

Living Room Color Ideas to Kick-start Your Home Remodeling 

Repainting your living room is the best way to make your dull space brighter like never before! Of course, you will have a ton of choices in shades, from neutral grays to intense hues. For example:

Classic blue:

If you want to create a calm and relaxing ambiance in your living space, lighter shades always work, and classic blue is the one you better opt for. But if you prefer darker shades, like deep shades of blue, consider applying one or two walls and choose any light color such as white for the rest of the walls.

Light peach

Do you want to bring a cherry and warm feel to your living space? We, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc., recommend this one. Light peach on the living room walls may be perfect to get so! It seems to be a happy shade that suits all over the year while looking quite trendy every time yet timeless!

Have you tried gray?

This one is apt to give your living room walls an edgy and modern feel with an appearance that stands the test of time! Gray is suitable for almost every setting and mood, while a stunning backdrop for your furniture and artwork. 

Have you decided which color you will choose for your living room? Let us know! Besides, if you want to follow our previous home remodeling projects, check on Yelp! Also, you can view our gallery page.

So, you have recently moved to a new home but a smaller one than your previous house. Of course, you have to compromise a little to adjust the space, especially in the laundry room. But with our smart laundry room ideas, you can make even the small room functional and workable. And a simple renovation for your tiny laundry room will help you do so!

Small Laundry Room Ideas to Make Your Tiny Space Workable

Be honest and say, you may have never been so interested in having a functional laundry room until you have kids- Right? But even while having a small space for a laundry room, you can show some creativity with our smart ideas and transform them into exactly how you require. Have a look:

Utilize the full height of the room:

When you have a tiny space for a laundry room, it’s best to take advantage of its height. For example, you can go for a stackable washer and dryer to build and fit a workable laundry even in a tight place. This idea is space-saving while creating extra storage and taking your laundry room design to the next level. 

Have accessible storage under the appliances:

Creating extra storage above the floor level and underneath the appliances is perfect for a small laundry room, and we, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc, recommend this for two reasons:

  • First, you don’t need to bend down much to reach or put your clothes into the washer and dryer.
  • Second, you will have enough accessible storage to store cleaning detergent or keep your laundry basket. 

Custom-built open shelves:

Do you have a top-loading washer? You can utilize the space above the top loader by building custom open shelves to keep all the stuff required in the laundry room. Also, it’s smart to create a small cabinet in the middle of the wall where you are adding the shelves for extra storage space.

Add a pipe for hanging!

If you find ironing boring and a daunting task, this one is apt for you. Adding an industrial pipe in the laundry room can help you fold and hang the clothes properly while making you avoid ironing. Isn’t that great?

Have you found our ideas quite relatable to transform your space? If yes, let us know! Also, if you want to take a glance at more laundry room designs, check on Yelp. We hope you will get some more great ideas to renovate your tiny laundry space. Stay in touch!

Even though we are happy with the current layout, we sometimes feel the urge for a little more style and love on our premise- Right? For example, your dining space seems to be messy. Or the kitchen island is no more in use now, and so on. If you want to jazz up your space, go for home remodeling ideas! And we are here to tell you HOW.

Smart Home Remodeling Ideas to Jazz Up Your Space Like Never

Renovation is the easiest way to bring a drastic change in a boring home layout. All you need is to follow our following tips and explore which one is perfect for your space. Have a look:

Kitchen storage

Before: So, the current storage design in your cooking space is the wall cabinets over the cooktop! Of course, it allows you enough space and all the items in your arm’s reach, but too common in most kitchens these days- Isn’t it? Also, cabinet designs are less attractive while casting shadows over your countertop, which may interrupt work.

After: We, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc, recommend open shelves by replacing the current wall cabinets. It not only eliminates the dark and heavy look but makes the room feel lighter and brighter, like never before!

Accent walls

Before: The lurid red of your living room accent wall makes the ceiling seem lower than it is. Furthermore, the living space doesn’t feel to be unique and seems unappealing, too. 

After: Instead, you can go for the grid-lines on the accent walls and match the ceiling color to encourage your eyes to view the room higher than it actually is. Also, you can hang a light-shaded chandelier to bring the focus to the ceiling. 

What’s about the closet?

Before: A half-sized closet was enough for you when you lived alone. But with a growing family, you may have realized the need for a larger closet. However, if your wardrobe is fixed in walls from all three sides, that may be a problem to extend it. After all, you can’t just move the wall!

After: You can use the wall with another bedroom and let the divider wall cut the large closet in half, like two small wardrobes. One half is in your bedroom, and the other shares the other side of the wall. 

Have you loved our before-and-after home remodeling ideas? Let us know! In fact, if you want to look over more designs or go through our clients’ feedback, check on Yelp! Stay connected!

Can you do a favor and look at your ceiling? You often leave this fifth wall of your rooms unnoticed or overlooked, which leaves a huge effect on the overall curb appeal of your home. That’s why while planning a home remodeling, take a glance at your ceilings and pick any of our ideas to make it pop! Have a look!

Home Remodeling Hacks to Spruce Up Your Ceiling

The easiest way to give your room a new and stunning look is to add refreshment to the fifth wall! Here, we have mentioned a few ideas to jazz up your ceiling during a home remodeling. Let’s get into it:

Add beams or panels:

While desiring to bring a rustic and fresh-style look to your living space or kitchen, wood beams or panels, in fact, both are great to highlight that rustic appeal! And we, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc., suggest if you can leave the panels or beams unpainted, you can feel the vibe more.

Go for a wallpaper!

Do you want to bring an incredible and trendy style to your ceiling design? Well, you don’t have to necessarily go for a fresh coat of paint while on the edge of budget. In that case, you can think of embracing wallpaper and changing the color scheme you have right now. Pick something bold and bright with geometric shapes and patterns to create an accent wall and make a statement!

What’s about the drapes?

If you want to create a romantic and soft look in your bedroom or master suites, draping fabric is something you won\’t regret! Also, if you prefer it for your living space to give the room a theater-like charm or a media room, go for some darker fabric style.

Ceiling medallions!

This one can be a perfect alternative for a little more elegant look in your living space or music room! You can select any from a range of shapes and designs and give a fresh coat of paint to your ceiling whatever you like, such as light earthy pinks, yellows, greens, and dark green and greyish hues. Also, you can bring the feeling of elegance to the room by adding an accent light in a pattern to have full coverage.

So, which one do you think is perfect for your ceiling? Let us know! In fact, you can leave your feedback on Yelp and check the comments of our previous clients as well. Stay connected!

Are you looking forward to converting your garage? If yes, garage conversions are one of the easiest and budget-friendly ways to add value and extra living space to your property. General contractors are always available if you want to add an ADU or garage conversion in your backyard.

A simple garage has more potential to enhance your home. With little effort and imagination, turn your cold and sober place into a peaceful and welcoming area…or not! The final result will depend on your wishes; the options are limitless.

What Does It Take For A Garage Conversion Into A Living Area?

Most garage conversion ideas involve quality designs and regular involvement to turn functional living spaces. You must have built your garage for house cars. But, with relatively long and narrow spaces, you can turn it into a habitable living space.

Whatever the reason is, MDM Custom Remodeling INC will help you remodel the garage according to your requirements. 

Ideas For Garage Conversion In 2022

You will get some quality ADU conversion ideas below:

1. Garage converted into a family play zone

You can hire our home remodeling contractors to convert your garage into a family play area. Kids are always full of energy, and why not utilize that energy in something valuable? Who knows, maybe they will gradually develop an interest in sports!

Climbing monkey bars, gym mats, swings, ropes are the perfect playground ideas, don’t you think?

2. Convert your garage into a guest house

As a homeowner, you always have to stay prepared for surprise visits! Do you have a friend living outside the town? Where will they sleep if they come to see you? Therefore, turn your garage into a cozy guest house.

3. Use the converted garage for your hobbies

Do you want to make space to enjoy your hobbies? Create a dedicated zone in your converted garage. You can include:

  • home cinema
  • games room
  • man cave
  • library/reading room
  • craft/hobby workshop, and more.

“Having a dedicated space for your hobbies means that you can kit out the room as required without impacting on your existing layout.” – says the professional room remodeling contractor.

For further information, you can check our other social media pages or view our 2 Car Garage Conversion into 1 Bedroom ADU project on Yelp. Was this helpful? Do you want to work with us? Then stop waiting and contact us now!

Maybe you won’t believe it, but books are the best friends of human beings. They remain by your side during your leisure times, while a journey too. And if you are a bookworm, nothing can make you happier this New Year than having trendy and stylish storage for your books. In fact, with a custom bookshelf remodeling, you can enhance the curb appeal of your living space one scale-up. But before you sit with our home remodeling contractor in West Los Angeles, have a little idea how to spruce the bookcase up!

Custom bookshelf remodeling ideas

Suppose you have space on the living room wall for your books. But leaving it like a mess or outdated may spoil the overall look of your living space. So, this New Year, spend some more dollars on custom bookshelf remodeling while renovating your home.

And we can help you with some amazing ideas here! Such as:

Paint your bookshelves:

Gone are the days of only dark shades for bookshelves! You can go for some neutral and vibrant tones for this storage to draw the attention of your guests while stepping into the living room on New Year’s Eve. For example, a beachy blue enamel with matte finish paint will leave it looking splendid!

Let’s go for a color contrast!

Honestly, there’s no rulebook saying which shades you can put on your bookshelves and which ones don’t! Instead, we, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc, suggest turning your head towards something vibrant and cheerful while contrasting as well. For instance, barn-red frames with mustard yellow shelves and burlap back can give a rustic touch to your custom bookshelf idea. 

Change the back wall of the bookshelf:

Honestly, New Year is around the corner means you are standing at the year-end when stretching the wallet much is a challenge! Replacing the entire bookshelf design can cost much. Instead, paint new on the back wall of your bookshelf to give a bright look to the existing bookcase. You can choose minty blue-green or patterned, like crisp blue spots on white!

Wallpaper on the bookshelf back:

With a dark-toned bookshelf, like intense green or royal blue, a wallpapered back looks stunning! Have you ever thought of this? Maybe NO! A black-n-white and vintage scenic wallpaper can give a dramatic look to your bookcase.  

Have you liked any of these for your book storage? Let us know! You can leave your feedback on Yelp if you have found our ideas great or helpful for your custom bookshelf remodeling. Stay in touch!

2022 is around the corner, and just four days are left for it! Hence, it’s time you should think of giving your home a perfect makeover. With the perfect home remodeling resolutions, you can have a jazzed-up living space that you haven’t ever imagined so far! And we are here to guide you where to start planning.

Home remodeling resolutions to take on New Year

Well, it’s quite challenging to figure out where to start the home renovation plan as a newbie regarding this! We, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc, suggest following the steps below to do so with ease:

List the damages!

Start with observing your home closely! It may look perfect from the outside, but you can’t even think of the damages hidden there that you can’t find with naked eyes from a distance. So, before sitting with our designers and contractors to select the renovation designs from our home remodeling gallery, look around the space! For instance, you can look over:

  • Loose floorboards
  • Leaky pipes and mains
  • Missing or broken roof shingles
  • Damaged kitchen cabinets 
  • Outdated bathroom vanities and more

Identifying these imperfections and putting those in your list of home remodeling resolutions for New Year will help you set a perfect budget. Our experts ensure to meet all your requirements while giving an unmatchable makeover.  

Carbon footprint reduction

Recent research reports say that the climate and our surrounding environment pose a real threat to all of us. And by making your home energy-efficient, you may reduce the carbon footprint and save Mother Nature a little! For example:

  • Go for low-pressure showerheads for the bathroom
  • Energy-efficient dryer or washer
  • Low-flow toilets and more

You can follow our social media page, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, to look over the images for these appliances reducing carbon footprint.

Set a budget to limit your expenses:

Having a flexible budgetary boundary can save on your outlay as much as possible. Contrarily, this home remodeling resolution idea will help you interact with our contractors about the parameters that fit your priorities and budget while cozy working within! On the other hand, don’t be scared to cross your budget a little if it’s the question of having a fantastic space, including kitchen, bathroom, or living room. 

Have you got some idea like how to start your home remodeling plans? If yes, let us know with your valuable feedback on Yelp! Besides, if you need more ideas on home renovations for the coming year, keep in reading our other blogs. Stay connected!

No matter in which season you consider renovating your home, it’s a challenge to survive on those days. In fact, if you have planned to do the home renovation during Christmas vacation, it will go extreme still! After all, you have to juggle between welcoming guests and looking over the project.

Are you in the same boat? Then, today’s blog may help you ideate how to survive in the middle of a renovation project while having fun on vacation!

How to enjoy Christmas and survive home renovation along

Not only you, but no one can let a home remodel ruin their vacation plans on Christmas! We have shared some simple and smart tricks to survive the renovation during holidays while enjoying the most-awaited holidays. Such as:

Make a plan first!

Suppose you are on a plan to remodel your cooking space. In that case, you need to prepare the meal ahead of the project kicks off or set a temporary outdoor kitchen. Following this plan will help you enjoy the delicious dishes with your family and friends on Christmas morning just like you have thought of!

Contrarily, while planning a bedroom renovation, set all the arrangements before our remodelers arrive. Or else you may miss several essential documents and stuff to remove at the last minute!

Keep the basics within your reach

While renovating a home amid a festive season, like Christmas, you can’t expect your items to remain organized! But following this trick may ease things for you! For example, when you put the stuff in the boxes during kitchen or bedroom remodeling, try to keep those at a fixed place where you can reach like a breeze. We, MDM Custom Remodeling Inc, suggest storing your everyday products in a way you can spot them in seconds!

Keep communicating with the remodeling contractors!

Staying in constant touch with the remodelers can help you ideate your project deadlines and benchmarks. Then, you can share your concerns with your contractor in no time about the designs or plans to be accomplished! Or else you may find your renovation project delayed and not meeting the deadline because of communication breakdowns.

Cleanliness for clarity

Festive season and home renovations mean your place may be messier than you have expected! Don’t be stressed! Instead, talk with your remodeling contractor and decide where you should throw out the trash. It may help you declutter the premises a little! For instance, after shifting your stuff, seal the rooms to prevent the dust and building materials from getting in.  

Let’s start the Christmas decor!

Of course, when you are in the middle of a home renovation, decorating a giant X-mas tree is barely possible. Still, you can make the best use of the free space you have, like a small Christmas tree decoration with a little cake or just a sticker on the wall- What say? Do you find it helpful? Let us know by giving your feedback on Yelp! Also, if you require urgent home remodeling or any partly renovation, our experts are here to help you out. Stay connected!