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Ideas for Basement Remodeling
One great way to add comfort, value, and space to your property is to remodel a finished or unfinished basement. There are a lot of things you can do to make your basement more useful. It’s best for casual social activities for your loved ones, suits for your in-laws, a man-cave for your partner, a craft room for your kids, or a game room for your son.

Your basement is the ideal spot for the pool table, projector TV, big screen, and to manage both board and video games.
Before you hire Grand Rapids basement pros, here are several ideas you should consider for your basement remodel:
Complement the Space with Great Lighting
The key to the success of your basement remodel is excellent lighting. Track or recessed lighting offers excellent light overall. On the other hand, area lamps and accent lighting can offer a cozier and warmer feel. Your needs for lighting greatly depend on what you want.
Unfortunately, you can make your basement more difficult to use if you choose the wrong lighting.
Upgrade the Doors and Windows
Oftentimes, it is easy to forget that you can upgrade the existing doors and windows of your basement. You can even add more if you want. Upgrading or adding basement doors and windows will help improve natural light inside the room. In addition to that, you can also improve the ventilation of your basement and can greatly improve your enjoyment of the room. Furthermore, these features can work together with outdoor renovations to offer a shared space for gatherings.
Install an Appealing and Safe Staircase
You already have a set of stairs for your basement. However, it will be more ideal if you add a bit of style to it while still doing an important job. You should consider installing a winding or floating staircase. If you want to add depth and levels to your room, you should also consider adding in a landing. Simply ensure that you are compliant with the safety and building codes, no matter the type of staircase you choose. Luckily, a professional basement remodeling contractor can help you with this.
Cater to Both Your Needs and Wants
Do you hate running back and forth to your kitchen just to get the snacks that you want? Do your guests sleep on air mattresses or couches when they spend the night? Do you often fight with your loved ones on who should use the bathroom first? If the answer to these questions is yes, you should include a kitchen, a bathroom, and a spare bedroom in your basement remodel.
Make the Basement Feel Like Home
It’s crucial that you make the space more inviting for you, your loved ones, and your guests. It is an excellent move to keep the theme of your home running through the basement. Pick comfortable and similar furnishings that reflect what you’ve got in your home. Make sure the furniture you choose accommodates your guests properly. Also, incorporate features that suit that room. This can include proper lighting, surround sound systems, a smart TV, and more.
Remodeling Mistakes that Can Lower Your Home’s Value
Though it is typical for a homeowner to create improvements in their house to improve its value, a couple of remodeling projects will cost you more money in the long run. Simply because you consider something as an upgrade does not mean a possible buyer will feel the same way.

Because of this, you should consider whether or not the project will pay off when you’re trying to sell your property. This is particularly true if you’re planning a home remodeling project.
There are a lot of home remodeling projects that can improve value. Unfortunately, some can lower it. Before you hire Grand Rapids remodeling pros, here are several remodeling mistakes you need to avoid:
Custom Luxury Updates
For those who don’t know, a tailored luxury home upgrade typically only recovers a small percentage of what the project costs. You should keep this in mind if you’re planning to make an extravagant upgrade to your house.
However, it is your home, you should do what you want to make you happy. On the other hand, if you’re planning to do some upgrades so you can sell your house for a higher price, you should avoid custom luxury updates. Just because you love it does not mean others will love it as well.
Transforming a Garage into a Gym
Let’s assume that there’s a recent addition to your family. For instance, your grandparent needs to live with you or you’ve got a child returning from college. It might appear wise to transform your garage into an additional living room.
However, potential buyers might not have this situation. They simply need a garage to park their cars to protect them from the elements. Aside from that, they might also need an extra room where they can pile up their junk.
If you have to transform your garage into a living room, you’ve got to ensure it is cheap and you can return it to its main function once you’re done with it.
Building a Swimming Pool
At first, it might appear like an excellent idea. Every person loves to have a beautiful pool, right? Well, that is wrong. Almost every individual does not want the hassle of owning a pool. At most, you can improve the value of your home by 7% if you install a swimming pool. However, this is only in particular situations.
Adding a pool is just not a worthwhile investment, especially if you consider the cost of maintaining it.
Luxury Bathrooms
Without a doubt, upgrading your bathroom can add value to your house. Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners get carried away. They want to be as luxurious as possible. You might discourage a lot of potential buyers if you have overblown whirlpool bathtubs that are extremely difficult to clean or over-personalized finishes.
Aside from that, your upgraded bathroom might not be accessible at all. If this is the case, you should think about installing a walk-in shower. When it comes to finishes, make sure you pick a theme that is appealing to everyone.
Hiring a Concrete Contractor for Restoration Projects
Whenever you’re planning a restoration project, it’s vital to hire the correct concrete contractor. You might end up spending a lot of money for nothing due to a poorly executed or planned concrete pour. It can also set back your deadline by weeks. Though there are a lot of concrete contractors to choose from, you’ve got to pick a contractor that will stand behind its work and get the job done right.

Here are several tips you can follow when hiring concrete contractors Grand Rapids MI for your restoration project:
Get Estimates
Almost every concrete contractor provides free quotes. If you’ve got a list of several potential contractors that offers the job you are searching for, you should ask for quotes and then compare them to one another. You should try to know why if the estimate of a particular company is extremely low compared to others. Cheap quotes often mean that the contractor utilizes low-quality products or does not do the required preparation for an excellent result.
Ask for References and Call Them
An excellent concrete contractor is not afraid to offer references whenever you ask for them. An excellent concrete contractor even provides them without you asking for it. Either way, you’ve got to make sure you follow through and contact the references and ask them questions. This can include:
- Will you suggest the contractor to friends or family?
- Are you happy with the results?
- Were you satisfied with the communication of the contractor?
- How long did it take to finish the project?
- What type of project did you hire him for?
Examine Insurance and Licensing
Ask the contractor if they’re insured and licensed whenever you talk with them about your project. A contractor that isn’t licensed has not agreed to follow the rules and regulations of the state. Perhaps this means that the contractor is not going to do the additional work needed to meet local codes as well. Also, you will want to ask for proof of insurance. You want to ensure the insurance of the contractor will cover the costs of repairs if your property becomes damaged because of his/her negligence. Aside from that, ensure the contractor has worker’s compensation insurance so that you won’t be responsible if one worker is injured on your property during the project.
Experience
All contractors started from scratch. They will not exist if no one hires them. Though a new contractor may charge less, it is always best to hire a contractor with at least 5 years of experience. The reason for this is that they know the prep work needed for local soil conditions, has a solid network of suppliers, provides a huge variety of services, has a proven track record and much more.
Create a List
This is probably the first thing you should do. You can ask your friends or neighbors for recommendations. You can also try to search online. However, you shouldn’t pick the first company that pops up. You’ve got to do your research first, such as reading reviews.
Tips for Cleaning Rugs During the Holidays
A lot of people are already planning entertaining guests and hosting holiday parties with the holidays right around the corner. Though you definitely want to offer appealing décor and tasty meals for your visitors, you also want to provide an inviting and clean house. It’s vital to maintain your home from bottom to op to keep it looking its best. For presenting a clean and fresh house, keeping your carpets and rugs clean is vital.

It can appear almost impossible to keep your rugs in great condition with visitors regularly coming and going during the holidays. Fortunately, there are a couple of effective and easy methods to make your rug and carpet cleaning in Grand Rapids Michigan tasks flawless.
Utilize Rug Protectants
Probably the ideal way to protect your rugs and carpets is to treat stains before they happen. Rug protectants will help stop stains if ever a spill happens. Soils will have no place to soak in since these protectants contain stain blockers. In addition to that, you can get rid of the spill easily from the carpet or rug. You should call your local carpet and rug cleaning company and inquire about rug protectants.
Rotate and Shake
Another effective and easy way to keep your carpets looking their best is by shaking them. Though vacuuming is definitely useful at getting rid of a lot of dirt, it doesn’t get rid of all the things hidden in your carpet. One way to get rid of any extra debris and dirt is to take your rugs outside to shake and beat them. You may also think about periodically rotating the rugs. This will help the rugs to evenly wear and can also help to prevent the rug from fading.
Get Rid of Spills Right Away
Accidental spills are bound to occur. It does not matter whether you’re simply doing your day-to-day routine or you’re entertaining visitors. The key here is you’ve got to be prepared always. You’ve got to ensure you tackle any spill as fast as you can to prevent the stain from setting. If required, you need to spot clean the spill immediately. You’ve got to ensure you don’t rub the spill. The best way to get rid of it is to blot it. this will help to get rid of the moisture without spreading the stain.
Remove the Shoes
One of the easiest techniques to lower the amount of debris and dirt that can get tracked inside your house and on your rugs is to get rid of the shoes at the front door. Aside from getting rid of a lot of grime and dirt, you are also stopping bacteria and germs from entering your house too.
Regular Vacuuming
It’s vital to vacuum the rugs on a routine basis. This is one thing you should consider first. You need to vacuum at least once every week. If you’ve got kids or pets, then you might have to vacuum more often. Regular vacuuming can help stop dirt from accumulating and causing discoloration and stains.
Tips for Hiring an Air Duct Cleaning Company
It may be time for you to invest in an air duct cleaning service if you haven’t had your HVAC system recently cleaned. There are a lot of companies that claim to specialize in air duct cleaning. However, do you know how to look for the most reliable one?

Well, don’t worry because we are here to help. Here are several tips you can follow when hiring a Grand Rapids air duct cleaning company:
The Credibility of the Company
A mere search on the web for air duct cleaning will bring up a lot of supposed professionals in the industry. All of them are ready to offer you a reasonable rate. However, you should keep in mind that no two companies have the same experience and credibility. If you find out the history of the company before you hire them, you can avoid headaches later on.
How Old is the Company?
Should you hire a new air duct cleaning company? As tempting as a new business may be, it is safer to pass it up in favor of an experienced company.
A newly established air duct cleaning company is still developing its techniques and methods. Meanwhile, an experienced business has the experience to back its name, company procedures, and proven track record.
Consider the Reputation
Obviously, a couple of websites of a company just lack detail. If this is the case, a couple of direct questions and word of mouth will help you figure out its credibility.
Utilize sites such as Google Places to look for reviews of the company.
- Is there any information that’s the same from one review of a business to another?
- Are the reviews mostly great with several bad ones?
- Are the experiences of the clients overwhelmingly bad?
Ask neighbors and friends who had their air ducts cleaned if they ever heard of a certain company. If they haven’t heard of it, they can probably suggest the company they’ve hired. Word of mouth from customers is one of the best signs of the reputation of a company.
What is Involved in the Estimate?
You should know what services are included in the estimate before you sign the contract with any business.
- Are there any services involved once the cleaning is done, such as cleanup of debris and visual inspection?
- How much do they charge per vent?
- Are you being charged for every duct system?
You should know the specifics of the air duct systems of your house before you negotiate an estimate.
Is It a Binding Estimate?
A reliable business that offers air duct cleaning will be glad to lay out your exact cost. It should include taxes and fees. You’ve got to ensure that yours is a binding estimate before you agree to any terms.
A binding estimate is one that can’t change after the project is finished. A lot of unreliable businesses trick clients into a cheap estimate, only to add a lot of fees after the job is done. These businesses usually offer a sub-bar air duct cleaning service.
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