I’ve worked at Latitude for over 6 years and finally, my family and I decided to replace our laminate countertops with granite countertops. For a long time, we weren’t able to afford or take the time to upgrade our kitchen and bathrooms. But after almost 20 years of living in the same house, it was time. As with most home renovation projects, it started with one thing that we wanted to replace – the toilets (they were gross and the ceramic was yellow) – but became a large, all encompassing project. Our thought that was since we’re replacing the toilets, we should replace the bathtub and the sinks so they’d all be white. The bathtub and tiles also needed to go; they had mildew and were gross. Well, if we were changing the sinks, might as well change the countertops. If we were changing the bathroom countertops, we should change the kitchen countertops. Now we can’t have beautiful countertops and ugly cabinets, so we’ll paint them (when I say we, I meant me)! Plus, we wanted to do everything on a budget.

We saved a lot of money by painting the cabinets, removing the countertops ourselves and we purchased granite countertops from Latitude’s remnant material. The prices are marked down so much that essentially, you are only paying for the labour and even that had been discounted. Since I work at Latitude, I’ve been scoping out the remnants as jobs get cut. For the kitchen, I found a beautiful piece of Crema Bourdeaux and for the vanities I got Black Galaxy. I’m lucky because our kitchen is small and there are no seams. When looking for remnant granite and quartz for your kitchen countertops and there are seams, you must find pieces that are from the same lot or be able to get it from the same piece. Any time two pieces are seamed together they must come from the same block, piece or lot, so that when the pieces meet, the colours are matched as closely as possible.

I had a templator come in and template all the bathrooms and the kitchen. They come in with a digital plotter that is accurate within the millimetre. Of course I knew all this before they came to my house, but it was still impressive to see how the granite fits like a glove around the odd corners in the kitchen and in my mom’s bathroom.
cabinets before Kitchen & Bath DIY Reno

The night before the installation I removed all our countertops, disconnected the plumbing and installed shut-off valves. Removing the countertops was easy; disconnecting the plumbing and installing the shut off valves was a little trickier – considering that before this I didn’t even know where the main shut off for the water was in the house (I found it close to the water heater). Once you shut the water off, don’t disconnect the faucet right away. It’s a good idea to turn all the faucets on to drain any water that is caught in the pipes; even then, keep a bucket with you. I had a few unexpected “fountains”.

You will need 2 wrenches to detach the plumbing. I used compression shut-off valves and purchased them from the Home Depot. Not knowing what size I needed, I armed myself with a nut that I removed from the pipes and headed out to the Home Depot. There, I matched the nut that I removed to the nut that was on the bottom of the shut-off valve (the handle of the valve points down in the open position and a quarter turn up will stop the water).

To install the shut-off valves: I unscrewed the nut and removed the bearing from the bottom, placed the nut, then the bearing, then finally the actual shut-off valve on the pipe and screwed the nut on to the shut-off valve. It says to “not over-tighten” on the package but that doesn’t mean “finger” tighten; I learned that after another set of fountains when I tried to turn the main water back on. You will need to tighten with a wrench!

Detaching the sink for the piping was easy. So was detaching the laminate countertops from the wall and the cabinets. First thing you do to remove the countertops is to take a knife and score between the wall and the laminate backsplash. Next, unscrew everything that holds the countertop to the cabinets. The vanities and the countertops without the kitchen sink I was able to remove myself, but the kitchen countertop with the sink is easier to remove with help so that the top can be lifted straight up. Lifting it at an angle makes it harder for the Sink to disengage from the pipes. The same issue can occur when removing the bathroom countertops but because of the smaller size, you can lift it out straight up yourself.

I removed all the cabinet doors before the installation so that I could paint the cabinet frames before the installation but it is recommended that you keep the cabinet doors on so that the installers can ensure that the doors and drawers can open with the countertop on.

The installers were great!! First thing they did when they came into the house was lay down drop cloths! They have to keep their steel toe boots on for safety reasons, which is completely understandable. I don’t even want to think about how much it would hurt to drop a piece of granite on my toes. They inspected all the cabinets to make sure they were level (which they were). This is very important since an unlevel countertop can cause cracks and the seam to break in the future. The installers can shim it up a little bit but how much they can shim it will depend on the edge you choose (can’t shim ¾” and 1 ¼” edges since the shims will show). They check to make sure the sinks will fit in the cabinets.

If they don’t fit, they (the installers) will cut away at some of the cabinet supports (don’t worry, they wouldn’t cut any gables that would compromise the integrity of the cabinets). Then they brought in all the pieces and placed them on the cabinets for a dry fit and made any adjustments to the tops. The tops were then siliconed into place along with the sinks. Before the sinks were installed, I attached the faucets to the top (a great idea from Bob Gilson, the CFO of Latitude) since it would be really difficult to install them after the sink is in. I would have had to wedge myself in the cabinet and try to tighten and screw things in and knowing me, I’d probably get stuck and create a third fountain if I waited till the sinks were in.

The installers took a lot of care when they siliconed the wall and the countertops to prevent gaps where water could seep in. All in all, they did a beautiful job. I was very impressed! AND they cleaned and vacuumed after themselves, which I really appreciated.

Your property is the single most important asset that you can have and therefore we should renovate and design the property. So, you’ve decided to put your house up for sale and move on to pastures new? Well, firstly, congratulations are in order! But, secondly, it is important to remind you that the hard work starts now. Before the financial crash back in 2009, the property market was relatively buoyant and moved quickly, nowadays, it is not that easy, and you have to make your house stand out on the market. Fortunately, doing so could be relatively straightforward, as long as you follow these three simple rules:

This may sound a little simple, but you’d be surprised. If you have bold, bright colours on your wall, then this may detract certain buyers, making them less likely to come for a second viewing or even purchase the property.

Likewise, if your walls are already neutral but are starting to get a little dated and worn, then freshening them up certainly won’t go a miss. A few tins of magnolia certainly won’t be expensive and, although it may take you a week or so to complete the job, it will make your house appear fresh and well cared for, making it more desirable to prospective buyers.
Target All the Senses

Although most viewers are fundamentally looking at the home, they’re also persuaded by other senses, and it is vital that you take this into account.

Simple touches like fresh flowers and air fresheners can make your home smell beautiful, making it more appealing once more. Overall, it gives the impression that your home is well looked after, and it can cover any other smells which may be unappealing, such as the smell of dogs or cigarettes.

In addition to this, also think about noise. If you live near a main road, for instance, it is well worth having the windows shut when potential buyers come round, as this will nullify the noise and show them that it really isn’t an issue, quashing their reservations.

Finally, remember that just giving the keys to your local estate agent isn’t the only option, and others are available if you’re desperate for a quick sale. For example, an online estate agent like House Buyer Bureau, could buy your home without the need for even putting it on the market, meaning you’ll shift your property much faster.

If you don’t want to give your house to an estate agent of any form, then you could even market your property yourself online and manage the sale from start to finish. Admittedly, this option is really only open to people with experience, but it remains an option nonetheless and you could save a substantial amount of money on fees.

Selling a home is getting increasingly difficult, especially as the market is beginning to stagnate in certain areas. However, there are certain shortcuts, hint and tips you can take to help make your house sell. Although they won’t guarantee to sell it, these four tips will help make your home ‘show ready’, giving it a great chance of selling quickly.

1) Start Your Packing: Clutter makes your home look much smaller than it actually is, and thus prospective tenants won’t feel as though they’re getting as much room as they actually are. Due to this, start packing and shifting non-essential items as this well help your home look bright and airy.

2) Clean, Clean, Clean: If you’ve got prospective buyers visiting then you need to ensure that it is cleaner than it has ever been. This doesn’t require a professional, just some elbow grease. Also remember that this will need doing every time someone comes for a viewing, and that you shouldn’t let your standards slip. Those smudges and smears left from breakfast and cluttered bathroom could cost you a sale.

3) Don’t Neglect the Garden: As the cliché goes, “you only get one chance to make a first impression”. When it comes to viewing properties, first impressions matter, and it is likely that your prospective buyers will make a decision in the first minute or so. Due to this, you have to make sure that your garden is as clean and tidy as the rest of your home. On top of this, it is also worth investing in some new flowers (time of year depending). Fresh, blooming flowers will create a great impression and may tip the balance from a ‘maybe’ to a ‘yes’.

4) Sort Your Problems, Don’t Cover Them: Covering your problems may get a buyer to put in an offer, but it is unlikely the house will get to a completed sale without them noticing due the survey revealing flaws. Here, you have two options: fix them or lower the asking price. By ignoring the problems, you’ll only ensure that they’ll be found further down the line; and a sale could be cancelled as a result.

For smaller, non-structural problems, renovating the home yourself can be simple. Give it a lick of paint to freshen it up and replace any cracked tiles to create the impression your home has been well looked after.

These four tips and tricks will help make your home ‘show ready’, and you’ll be ready to go to market. To maximise the chances of a sale, look for agents who specialise in certain areas like Featherstone Leigh do in Richmond. Specialist knowledge of the local area can make all the difference when it comes to finding the perfect buyer for you. There’s bound to be a specialist near you, so consult them, as they’re most likely to impress potential buyers and ensure your house is priced correctly for a good sale

Your Home is the single most important purchase that you can have and besides the location and price, interior renovation is also very important. The first thing is not to be overwhelmed with interior design, you’re the best designer for you, not the books of interior design, or even friends. Nobody knows better than you what you want and what really makes you feel comfortable. Do not get stressed, start small with one room. Let’s start with the bedroom where you spend little time the most important and must be calm, quiet, private space away from your world.

Take a notebook and a list of some of your favorite colors. Then place a few descriptive words next to each color on how you feel this color. (Ie red excited, angry, full of energy – Pacific Blue, calm, relaxed) and so on. The cheapest way to make a dramatic change to the room to paint the color of calm and quiet, with some excitement. You can use a wall, a smaller, for a contrasting color that will accent the room, the excitement you want. Make sure the paint is not toxic and can be easily cleaned.

The next step is to remove all accessories and to place it in a box in another room. You will choose one article at a later time to add a review with much more noticeable than you ever realized that you have. Let’s take a look at the bed. The cheapest way to get a new look to the head to change a head to add your bed into a bed or a padded platform bed. You can use the padded headboard to get good quality for less than $ 200, upholstered beds for less than $ 300 Skyline Furniture and there are sites that deal with this product. Skyline Furniture is a family owned and operated in the United States with a success story that spans several years. They make upholstered headboards and upholstered beds in many designs and fabric choices. You can also create a platform bed and you will soon look spectacular. They are more expensive and $ 800, but worth it if your budget is a little bigger.

A great way to make a head feels like a piece of furniture is to use a door. Find an old door at a flea market, thrift stores, salvage yard, or anywhere else you can for very little money. Sand and paint the door or keep it in the original old style for an extra charm and character. Make sure you remove button. When you’re ready to assemble, simply turn to the side (button) and attach to the wall. Next time you get an old door and pull it out in this simple do it yourself headboard idea.

Now that you have a freshly painted room and a headboard or a new bed, you can begin adding an accessory at a time back in the room of your box. Take your time with this process and make sure you really want the look of the accessory after he was placed. You should avoid clutter and to leave items in the box that does not really accent your new room. You can now look at the other rooms of your house to see if there are elements that a better explanation than that will make your mailbox. Items in your mailbox, and there should be, can be sold at a garage sale or donation.

Interior decoration in a while, a concept or a task left to the interior design is. But because people nowadays more and more aware, and to the interior side of their homes, many homeowners are in the application of technical furniture and procedures required. Home or home decoration, like the misconception of people long ago, not expensive and does not require a diploma or certificate in the discipline.

In general, the idea is to go behind the interior design for the university or go out of simple ones. Designed as an internal and comfortable, with a house really needs to be equipped with the most expensive equipment and facilities. Remember, the basic idea of ​​interior decoration and functional benefits. It is set mainly on aesthetics and beauty of the house.

The interior housing can be as easy as one, two, three. Here are some practical solutions and simple, like the interior of your house can be improved and strengthened. One free up space. Taking unnecessary items and equipment. Old equipment is obsolete or useless has been retired.

2 The storage room is the room for decorations that are not in season or day. Christmas decorations should be kept, it was March.

3 Make the home spacious by freeing from useless materials and equipment. Large sofa and the table is a no-no room in the house when you were limited.

4 Sit down all of the figurines and picture frames, the deflection of the atmosphere and scared them, instead of awing and fun too. These are old style, modern furniture go to show less. Less than full time.

5 Consider replacing carpets, or paste it into the living room when no one exists. That would be to create a cozy atmosphere.

6 The kitchen must be clean and well lit, because it is the most important areas in the house. It was still dark to light colors, one for a delicious atmosphere of the painting.

7 The bathroom should still be spacious. Remember, the function is used, more aesthetic.