home renovation

All posts tagged home renovation

The Home Renovation Market for Greater Vancouver

by Bevony on 8 January 2021 Comments Off on The Home Renovation Market for Greater Vancouver

Not everybody is living in doom and gloom during the pandemic. Many are seeing the opportunities where they are and are moving to go and grab them. That is why people are looking to Surrey, Squamish and Coquitlam for home ownership. This is because the permitting times are shorter here. So one can purchase and renovate a home which is cheaper than buying a new one and can get the necessary work done in less time. 

How Do They Work So Fast on Renovating Shows?

How often do you watch home renovating shows? They can be really satisfying as you watch a property be transformed into a beautiful dwelling. But watching these shows and actually doing the process yourself are two different things. When it comes to the permitting process there are headaches and hiccups to be had. Even the pros on the shows have to submit like the rest of us but you just don’t see that part of the process. 

Waiting for Permits in Vancouver

Waiting for a building permit can take months. Often other things are filmed while they are waiting on the permits to be sorted. Also with multiple projects being worked on at the same time it is easier for them to provide the content without you seeing all the red tape they have to go through to get to the actual building and the actual transformation. 

Vancouver has a significant permit waiting time with some straightforward renovations waiting for up to a year. While there are people that are willing to wait for years for their homes, not everyone is like this. A Lot of this wait time is believed to be due to a backlog of applications. Over the past twenty years, the city of Vancouver has seen a number of new renovations and new builds. 

As professionals, we always warn our clients about the potential wait time when it comes to the permit process. We do all we can, so our clients are not stuck with a mortgage and house they can’t live in at the same time. But the reality is that this happens when you are not building your home from the ground up . So it would be a great idea for you to choose us to build your dream home. 

What to Do if You Want to Renovate

If you are looking to renovate we recommend you choose a home in one of these areas. They are Surrey, Squamish or Coquitlam as these areas have a shorter wait time when it comes to processing permits. These areas also offer more affordable prices as well for potential homeowners. 

We can help you make your dream of owning a home in Vancouver a reality. We are house builders for the Greater Vancouver and British Columbia areas. That home you have wanted with those specific design features does not have to elude you. Give us a call today, so we can set up consultations and show you how we can help make your dream a reality. 

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BevonyThe Home Renovation Market for Greater Vancouver

Accessorizing Your Home When the Reno Budget is Low – Part 2

by Bevony on 16 July 2020 Comments Off on Accessorizing Your Home When the Reno Budget is Low – Part 2

Last week we looked at a couple of tips to help you make your home feel a little new with just a few low budget changes. We pointed out a number of ways you can do this starting in your bathroom. If you haven’t seen that blog post yet, we recommend you go on over and read it here

This week we are back with more ways you can spruce up your home without spending money, time, and resources on a renovation. So let’s get right into it!

Hardware

A couple of door handle changes, towel rod changes, cabinet pulls and toilet holder changes can make a great visual impact. Consider these as the jewelry in a room, they are an easy way for you to change up the look of your space. 

Hardware is really what sets the stage for any room. For an on-trend vibe you can install hardware with a matte black finish or with a brass finish. 

Soft Decor

Spaces such as your living room and bedroom can benefit from an addition of or change of soft decor. Soft decor as the name suggests represents your soft decor items. Think pillows, throws, rugs, and cushions. These provide a great way to add a punch of color or pattern to a room. They can be used to create focal points and even as an expression of your love of artwork. 

Upgrade the Walls

If you can afford to, you can change your walls. This can be with a fresh coat of paint or two or even with some wallpaper. Now you don’t have to do an entire room. If you are opting for wallpaper most companies will calculate the amount you need for you based on the square footage of your room.  You can also use this online calculator.

You can opt to complete an accent wall to give your room and your home a totally different feel. If you are up for a bit of a challenge you can paint shapes onto a wall in different colors to create a unique accent wall with input from each family member. That would be a great way to involve the entire family in creating some character and some memories for your home and household. 

Note that there are types of wall decor that fall under the soft decor category as well. 

Change the Floorplan

Yes, you have had your furniture the exact same way they arranged it in the model house. But who says it has to stay that way? If you can move stuff around and still maintain the functionality of your room, then why not do it? Just get some helping hands for the larger pieces of furniture and make sure you don’t injure yourself. 

Do-It-Yourself is seeing a comeback in the design world now. We can thank COVID restrictions for this. If you have a small project to do around the house, chances are you now have more time than ever to complete it. Why not update your powder room or your bathroom? Or think bigger and update your living room or kitchen. Remember small changes on a limited budget can still make a world of difference 

Tell us in the comment section below, what type of DIY projects you took up around the home and how well did they come out? We’d love to hear from you!

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BevonyAccessorizing Your Home When the Reno Budget is Low – Part 2

Accessorizing Your Home When the Reno Budget is Low – Part 1

by Bevony on 8 July 2020 Comments Off on Accessorizing Your Home When the Reno Budget is Low – Part 1

There are currently quite a bit of home renovation projects on hold, and DIYers are finding themselves with more time to complete all those decorative projects they have been putting off. Due to social distancing measures, many trades are taking a long time to complete their projects. Customers are being more careful with their budgets and renovations as a whole has taken a hit for the most part. 

Regardless of all the above, you can still show your home a little love. A little change or a couple of small changes can make a big difference and provide your home with the necessary update you seek. A great room to start with when you want to make small changes in your home is with your bathroom or powder room. 

Accessorize 

By adding decorative elements such as candles and florals to your bathroom you can give it a luxe look and feel. 

The great thing with accessorizing is that you already have these items in your home and just need to display them differently or just actually display them instead of having them stored away in cupboards, drawers and linen closets.

Towels

A simple change of your dingy everyday use towels to a set of fresh white ones can make a great difference. Instead of just throwing them over that towel bar, how about you roll them up and give the space that spa-like feel. Roll your hand towels and display them on your countertop on a tray. You can even go further and add decorative elements to the tray such as stones, candles, flowers, etc.

Flowers

If you have a lush and colorful backyard you can source florals right there. This is great as they will be free but fresh and give you the opportunity to create a different ambiance ever so often and you don’t even have to leave your house. 

If you don’t have flowers in your backyard, most people can find affordable picks at their local grocery store. 

You can also opt for fake flowers which are super easy to get. You can find these at your local big retailer, home goods store and even in some clothing stores.

Works of Art

You can add various artwork to your bathroom, no matter the size of the room. Spruce up the room by adding some art to a bare wall. And we’re not simply talking a painting or hanging picture frame. There are so many options for adding art. Add textured paintings, framed sculptures on the wall, or funny signs and decals on or around your toilet. If you have enough counter space you can even display an item of artwork atop a counter. 

No art at home? No money for a trip to an art gallery? Is no art gallery close by? Don’t worry, you have a couple of options that do not include the above. There are many online options available allowing you to order a digital print online and print at home. Then you can place this into an old frame you have lying around for an inexpensive piece of art. 

There is also the option to order art online that can be shipped to you. Choose what you like and with a coupe finger strokes and clicks you can have it delivered to your door.

Want your art to have your own blood, sweat, and tears in it? Get the necessary art supplies and take to youtube. You can find how-to print instructions as well as videos to help you create a painting step by step. 

Mirrors

No artwork insight? Why not hang a mirror or a few small ones to create a mirror collage. If you have mirrors in other rooms you can change their home and use them to transform another room and change up the style in your home in two rooms at once – Multitasking for the win!

Next week, we will give you more tips on how to make a huge difference in your home by simply making a couple small changes. Bookmark our blog so you can easily find us to get the rest of this edit.

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BevonyAccessorizing Your Home When the Reno Budget is Low – Part 1

Home Colors for 2020

by Bevony on 25 December 2019 Comments Off on Home Colors for 2020

When it comes to home decorating, most people don’t consider their paint color. Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore Canada’s Color Consultant ad Spokesperson agree. Color is one of the easiest things to change and maybe one of the least expensive elements of a home renovation. Color is very powerful as it can determine the mood of your room.

What is the Color for 2020?

Benjamin Moore – First Light – a soft, neutral, light pink. 

Dulux – Chinese Porcelain – a traditional hue of blue with navy blue undertones. 

The stain of the Year – Teak – A medium-toned, semitransparent stain with a 70’s vibe.

Benjamin Moore’s First Light

Benjamin Moore has selected their color for the year 2020 – First Light. This color is a soft and light pink hue that departs from darker, moodier shades which have been the dominant pain trend for the past couple of years. This also shows a movement away from neutral colors such as grey. FirstLight is playful and happy while being neutral enough thanks to its lighter hue. This makes the color versatile enough to work with pretty much any room.

The Mood of This Color

You want to feel good inside your home. This color looks good and feels good. It is the type of color that is flattering on all skin tones making everybody look good against its background. Neutral and soft, it will work with different elements including metal and wood in various colors and finishes.

Dulux’s Chinese Porcelain

Dulux has selected its color of the year; Chinese Porcelain. Color and Decor expert Susan Forint describes the color as a muted undertone of dark navy.

The Mood of this Color

The color is said to provide a calming element for our fast-paced world. Blue is quite a popular color across the globe, it makes people feel safe inside their homes. It is a classic and with a muted undertone it is also a staple color that can work well with various colors and materials in your home. It is neutral enough to work well with other colors from orange to white.

The Stain of the Year – Teak

Canadians are embracing more and more natural elements in their homes. As a result, we are seeing a rise in more wood being used. The trend is going away from white kitchens and so the stain for 2020 is Teak. This tone is a medium, semi-transparent tone that provides a bit of a 70’s vibe but still looks very modern to fit in with our modern appliances and designs.

Getting Inspiration

The style influences of home design as been widening. Home design now reflects the pop culture, fashion influences, movies and more. These are just some of the places you can get inspiration from for your home design including colors.

Will you be going with these new color trends for 2020? Whether you are renovating your home or building a new home, it is a great time to embrace these trends. We can guide you with the building of your new custom home and all the most current trends that can meet your needs. Contact us today.

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BevonyHome Colors for 2020

Reface Your Kitchen Cabinets for a New Look

by Bevony on 17 April 2019 Comments Off on Reface Your Kitchen Cabinets for a New Look

You can transform your kitchen without paying out a load of money to completely renovate the room. The most cost effective and time effective way to give your kitchen a fresh new look is to reface your kitchen cabinets.

What is Refacing?

When you reface your kitchen you still make use of the existing footprint. You will remove the old drawers and doors and replace them with brand new ones. The visible exterior of the cabinets is covered with a material that will match the material on the doors and drawers/. This way the cabinets in the rest of the kitchen will match your new doors and drawers. You will have a fast turnaround time when you choose professionals to do the work.

While refacing is not new as it has been around and in use for many years, it is now becoming a very popular choice because of the affordability of the option. It is a great option for small and large kitchens alike and the process of refacing can be done with a variety of cabinets as well. Once the cabinet’s main structure is sound structurally the refacing can be done successfully. If your cabinets are not structurally sound then you will have to completely redo them as refacing won’t work for such a situation. In such a case it just makes good sense to get completely new structures and not just simply reface.

Image by Solomon Rodgers from Pixabay

Refacing experts note that in around 80 percent of cases there is no need to change the footprint of a kitchen. Even kitchens as old as 40 years old will have good solid cabinet structures. And older kitchens can still look more modern with a simple refacing of the cabinet instead of an entire gutting of the old kitchen.

Homeowners are very aware of the affordability and the aesthetic benefits of refacing and so now refacing are increasing. There are many options for homeowners to choose from including wood grain finishes, over 40 matte colors, high gloss colors, and more than 20 different door styles to provide even the most unique taste with something they can love. With so much variety it is easy for homeowners to find a customized refacing solution which is what most homeowners are looking for – a kitchen outside of the cookie cutter closet.

With homeowners value space and organization these days pull out drawers and cabinets are a big hit. Customers can change their drawers and cabinets and can create their dream kitchen without paying the amount it would cost for them to completely re-do their kitchen. Refacing is no longer about simply repainting or refinishing the old doors and putting them back in place. It is about creating a kitchen space that is aesthetically pleasing and functionally meeting the needs of the family that dwells within the house. You can change to soft close hinges, install pot and pan drawers, extend your cabinet boxes, add crown molding and so much more with a modern kitchen refacing.

When you choose your refacing experts they will allow you to choose your colors and style and typically will have the job done in a week if all goes right on your part. More elaborate refacing and changes can make the process longer and also the schedule of the expert you choose will affect how quickly you can have our new kitchen up and running. Most professionals will provide you with a free in-home estimate to include assessments of the current conditions of your cabinets.

Remember that the professionals know what is in style and they know how to meet your needs once you voice those needs to them. Why not talk to experts on refacing today, so you can get your kitchen looking brand new without the price tag of a full-on kitchen renovation.

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BevonyReface Your Kitchen Cabinets for a New Look