How many years have you been living in your house? If you’ve been staying there for a couple of years, do you think that your home needs a touch of renovation? A bathroom and kitchen renovation perhaps. Most homeowners invest in improvements yearly, and the numbers keep increasing.
In 2017, homeowners from Sydney’s eastern suburbs (Vaucluse, Rose Bay, and Watsons Bay) spent $40.1 million for home improvements, which shows that large homes need extensive renovations. Other areas where home improvement remained a top priority for homeowners were Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula and inner Melbourne.
Even if you’re not living in a posh suburb, you can still renovate your modest-sized home, particularly your kitchen and bathroom. These rooms are focal points in your home, adding aesthetic value and functionality.
Renovation can also prove useful if ever you decide to sell your home in the future because it can add value to your home. In Melbourne, median house prices rose to $903,859 on December 2017. If you’re not yet convinced, read on to find out the benefits of renovating your kitchen and bathroom. Â
KITCHEN
All homeowners want beautiful homes which other people can also appreciate. The kitchen is an area which needs the most attention because this is where you prepare food, so it needs to be sterile and hygienic. It also needs to be comfortable, because you’ll spend a lot of time cooking, or even eating food in this room.
Designing your kitchen isn’t as easy as it looks. If possible, GIA Renovations to help you out. You are still in charge because you’ll decide how your kitchen will look like, and the designers will help enhance your ideas and give you insights to help provide your kitchen with additional benefits.
1 – Added Functionality
Renovation offers unlimited possibilities. Space can be an issue, but don’t let it stop you from achieving your dream kitchen. Add hanging cabinets if you don’t have much space in your kitchens because this will enable you to have more storage options.
You can also change your countertop material to get the most out of it. Think of how you usually use your countertop and go for something which will serve that function best. You can choose from the following materials: quartz, granite, soapstone, limestone, marble, laminate, solid surface, recycled glass, and butcher block.
2 – Updated And Fresh Look
If you want to change the theme of your kitchen, now’s your chance. Discuss possible colour combinations with your designer. If you’re a fan of red, include it to stimulate the appetite of your home. White gives off a clean, sterile feeling, while grey both adds coolness and sophistication.
Other possible colours include light shades of blue can make your kitchen look fresh and clean, yellow to add a splash of sunlight to your kitchen, and green to add a nature-like ambience to the room.
3 – Comfort
The renovation will bring happiness to your kitchen. Your kitchen will look new, with your fresh paint and gleaming appliances. Your countertops will feel smooth and clean, and you’ll feel the need to spend more and more time in your kitchen.
4 – Safety
Outdated appliances or dirty, stained countertops can prove dangerous to you and your family. Make your kitchen a safe place again by restoring the room to its sterile state. Check your utensils, and replace old ones. Check your floor if it feels slippery, then consider changing the material.
5 – Efficiency
Make your kitchen efficient by adding energy-efficient appliances during the renovation. Upgrading old ones will help you save more energy and money. When you’re shopping, remember that the price tag isn’t the only thing that matters. You also have to check for the cost of operating the product.
Check the energy efficiency of your appliances by checking the energy rating. The most efficient models reach a rating of ten stars, while least efficient ones go as low as one star. The basis of the star rating relies on the size and energy consumption of a machine.
The Energy Rating Label is mandatory for machines like air conditioners (single phase, non-ducted), dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, televisions, freezers, refrigerators, and computer monitors.
BATHROOM
The bathroom is another focal point in the house. If you like spending lots of time in this room, you have to make it as comfortable as possible. If your bathroom is a bit old, maybe it’s time for an upgrade. What’s more, your bathroom always gets wet, making the floor slippery. These benefits will make you realise that you need to renovate your bath now.
6 – Luxurious Bath Experience
Who doesn’t want a gleaming bathtub or the latest rain shower? Having updated bathroom fixtures will make your every bathroom experience a luxurious one. You can also enjoy and relax without worries.
7 – Added Safety
In 2013, accidental falls ranked 20th in the Australian Bureau of Statistics chart enumerating the leading causes of death in Australia. Unintentional falls can happen anywhere, but in the house, you’re more prone to falling on slippery floors.
Bathroom floors get more slippery as years pass by due to extended water exposure. Replace your tiles or floor materials with new ones and save yourself from slipping or falling, and prevent accidents from happening. You can also add a grab bar to help you break your fall.
8 – Increase In Value
If you’re planning to sell your house, the bathroom is one of the selling points of your home. So renovate this room, and you might sell your house for a higher value if the buyers like what they’ll see inside.
9 – Energy Efficiency
Go for energy-efficient bathroom fixtures. There are solar-powered water heaters or showerheads which can help you reduce your energy consumption and carbon footprint. Buy a toilet which uses less water to help conserve this finite resource. Add lights which doesn’t consume too much energy as well.
10 – Heightened Beauty
A new bathroom will undoubtedly look good with fresh paint and gleaming-clean fixtures. You’d feel comfortable sitting on a clean toilet or taking a long bath in a bathtub. You’d feel more relaxed looking around because a renovation can significantly improve your bathroom’s beauty and ambience.
TAKEAWAY
A house renovation will undoubtedly bring good results, mainly if you focus on the kitchen and bathroom. Upgrade these rooms by renovating them, reap the benefits stated above, and enjoy a life of bliss in the comforts of your home.
James Scully
Operations Manager
James studied Property at RMIT University where he learnt the fundamentals of construction and project management. Over the last twelve years he’s spent time working on both commercial and residential projects, working closely with all trades to gain valuable knowledge in all aspects of construction whilst honing in the skills he studied at RMIT.
