Prior to upgrading, it is critical to carefully examine your house or hire a skilled specialist to do it for you. You’ll be searching for any big underlying issues with your house that need to be addressed before and during your restoration job. This will assist in avoiding any unexpected fees and surprises which may develop during the renovation of your property.
People decide to renovate their homes for a variety of reasons including:
- Replacing or improving worn-out or damaged materials
- Window replacements, furnace replacements, and flooring and siding replacements are all common home repair projects
- Weather-beaten elements like roofing shingles, a settling foundation and a cracked driveway can all be fixed with renovations.
- Installing a sunroom, converting an attic, and adding a home office are all ways to expand your living space.
Obtaining home improvement ideas and doing a complete house inspection assists you in determining the state of your home. The basement is the best area to begin your examination. Many issues in your house begin in the basement, so it may be an excellent signal of problems in other sections of your home.
If your house does not have a basement, you might begin by repairing the foundation. Depending on the scope of your home renovation project, you may want to employ a skilled home inspector (or a professional general contractor) to assist you in assessing your structure and developing a plan of action.
Foundation
- Is there any damage or cracking in the concrete walls or floors?
- Do the concrete walls have any moist areas, stains, efflorescence or bubbling paint?
- Is anybody experiencing foul odours, nausea or headaches when in the basement?
- Is there a high level of humidity, condensation or visible mold?
Problems that may arise if these concerns are not addressed range from mild to severe:
- Serious structural issues can cause more damage to your foundation and potentially cause the building to collapse.
- Water pressure on the exterior of the foundation might create structural issues and leaks. Standing water on your driveway or lawn after a storm might be indicators of this.
- Odours will continue to be unpleasant and can cause major health concerns if they are coupled with hazardous molds.
- Whether from building leaks, plumbing leaks or excessive humidity, unresolved water concerns may cause any future improvements to degrade fast.
- Mold can grow on nearly everything and cause major indoor air quality issues.
Basement ceiling or construction of the main floor:
- Is there enough headroom?
- Is there any rotted wood, sinking floor joists or twisted beams?
- Is there evidence of water damage on the main floor structure or the completed basement ceiling?
Problems which may arise if these concerns are not addressed include unresolved structural issues (or poorly planned structural improvements) that may result in eventual foundation sinking or collapse.
Mechanical and electrical systems
- Are your heating and cooling expenditures unusually high?
- Are your present mechanical systems capable of meeting your demands following the changes you’ve planned?
- Is your house too dry or overly humid? Do you have chilly or hot places in your house?
- Do you ever get a whiff of smoke or fuel?
- Is the electrical service and wiring good enough to meet your present and future needs?
- Do fuses continue to explode, or do circuit breakers continue to trip?
- Do the lights ever go out or do the outlets spark?
- Are there any dripping pipes, dripping faucets or dripping toilets? Is the water heater in good working order?
Finished basement ideas to consider:
- Without regular maintenance, your heating and cooling systems may progressively degrade, posing major health and safety risks.
- If your HVAC system is unable to meet your demands, problems can emerge. For comfort, the heating supply must be enough. Excess humidity must be controlled by proper ventilation.
- If you need to raise demands on the electrical system, the current electrical service, wiring, and outlets may be hazardous or insufficient.
- Plumbing leaks will continue to wreak havoc on the foundation and structure around them. These leaks will also lead to mold development and indoor air quality issues.
General living areas, floors and stairs
- Are the flooring or stairwells bouncy, sagging, twisted or squeaky?
- Are the floor surfaces damaged or are the carpets musty or deteriorated?
- Are the handrails or guardrails sagging?
What can happen if you don’t start addressing these issues?
- Damaged or uneven flooring and staircases may be dangerous
- Mold is often found in musty carpets
- Loose handrails or guardrails can be a severe safety issue in your house.
Kitchens and bathrooms
- Is there any water seepage around kitchen fixtures, condensation on the windows, or persistent leaky faucets?
- Is the flooring surrounding the bathtubs or showers broken or soft?
These may be symptoms of underlying issues that should be addressed during a kitchen renovation because:
- The leaks will continue to cause damage and will only grow worse with time, costing you more money in the long run.
- Excess humidity will continue to wreak havoc and may encourage mold development, which can lead to major health problems.
Walls and ceilings
- Do your walls or ceiling have any cracks, holes, bulges, water stains or peeling finishes?
- Are any of your doors or windows difficult to open and close?
- Do you have any drafty or cracked windows?
- Is there dampness between the glass panes?
- Is there any decay or water stains in the windows or walls?
Simply changing windows and doors may not be enough to cure the issue; instead, you need to look for the source:
- If the underlying causes are not addressed, cracks and binding doors or windows will persist even with new materials. Prior to repairing any binding doors or bothersome cracks, you must first address the problem properly.
- Hidden moisture damage with fresh paint or wall treatments will only result in more degradation and mold development.
- Faulty windows may ultimately cause further damage to the walls around the window region. If the windows are leaking down the wall, the situation may need a thorough house gutting to remove moldy insulation and drywall.
Turn to the friendly experts at Tremblay Renovation to get started on your home renovation project the right way. Visit us online or call us in Ottawa at (613) 748-9999 today.
< Previous | Home | Next >
