Complete Renovation Article

I saw the article below from Stumbleupon.com

Amazing apartment renovation! I wish i has the same opportunity to renovate like them. It looks pretty expensive though.. What an inspiration.. Here is the article (Click on the link below to see the "Before" Photos and see the finished product in the pictures below)..

http://www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2010/8/13/a-completely-renovated-first-apartment.html

CLICK on the picture to make it bigger.. WOW!!!

Living Room and Kitchen

Kitchen up-close

Living/ TV Room with Dining Set for two.. Nice Clock..

Study / Office with Cabinets and Shelves

 Small but beautiful Toilet and Bath Combo

Simple Bedroom - See the accent Green walls.. Nice combination!

Keep on being inspired by wonderful homes and room design ideas. Who wants to build one?

Keep on Dreaming..

Emil M.

Starting to build your Dream Home

I was consulting with someone needing my advice on house construction just today. We have been exchanging some e-mails already but basically, the house is already finished.. and nothing more we can do about it.. its just sad to know there are still some people getting bad advise and not getting their money's worth on the house they are building.

I would like to stress the importance of having your construction manager / consultant/ coach at the START of the project. Even way ahead of time. Starting the build right, before getting a contractor, before the contract is signed and before the loans are made, is removing many headaces that will arise from starting the build poorly.

Just a tip, some banks do not release the full loan amount outright. They release it depending on the accomplishment of the house. They do not want to risk that the whole loan can be just defaulted and not paid without the collateral of a partially built house. Some banks also do not relase a loan without a construction contract with a contractor.

What if at the begining, you already purchased materials that were supposed to be supplied by your contractor, how do you subtract them?

Do not be at the losing end of the contract just because you do not know better.

Start right , build right.

Emil M.

Home Construction - Contract and Contractors

http://www.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://blogs-images.forbes.com/benkerschberg/files/2011/04/contract

Tips for the day..

1. Have a Construction Contract - Always.. Always.. Always. Never have a hand-shake contract with your builder. You are going to spend hundreds to millions of pesos or dollars for your home and you will not have a contract? No way. You should know what you are getting at the very start.

2. Never have someone act on your behalf to coordinate with your builder (Assuming you are out of the country) who is not an expert in the home construction business. Don't go in and build blind and not knowing what to do.

Lets expound  on item 1 and assume you are dealing with a builder who is also your designer.

There are many of those around who will build your house and they will give you "free design". They say they have an in-house architect who will do it for them. Hhmm.. Sounds convincing. Really, nothing is absolutely free in the construction business.

For this you need the following as an end product:

The blue prints of the house
A visual sketch or perspective of the finished house (one or two views) – colored.
A Materials Specification booklet (Like what type of wood to be used and where. How thick the glass will be for the windows, how thick the aluminum window frames will be, brand of tiles, thickness of the roof.. and so many more.)
The construction contract (With the following: Cost to build the whole project, Detailed bill of materials and bill of quantities and Construction duration)

These will form part of the contract. The builder will sign each page (yes each page) and if you accept, you will also sign each page (yeas again.. each page). That’s how it is in business and home construction.

Think about it like a new car sales brochure. The image of the car is in the front, the details of the engine, brakes, suspension, leather seats, backing sensors, auto-alarm system, fog-lamps and the like are at are at the back. And to think this is not the contract yet. This is to not deceive the buyer on what they are getting and not getting and how much.

Build your home the right way. Have a contract and have an experienced professional guide you along the way. Your dream home will hopefully have happy memories while building it.

Keep on Dreaming.

Note: for all these, consult a licensed professional engineer who is knowledgeable in the home construction business and legal counsel.

Peace of mind and no more guessing in Home Construction

Imagine yourself just starting to build your dream home. All the concepts and the house plans are finished. Now you just need to build it. How do you start? Do you have bidding from 3 different contractors? Do you get the contractor that your close friend got when they did their home? What to do next…?

Imagine yourself already building your dream home. You are in the middle of the construction and the walls are starting to come up and the roof is already there. The exterior walls are stable but not finished or painted yet. Then you decide you think you can afford to add another room for storage and a future bedroom. You ask your architect to lay it out where you want in the house plans. Perfect you say to yourself. You show it to your builder and ask how much it will take to add this room. After a day, he gives you the estimate- 265,000 pesos. Is this the right price for the room?

What is the value or advantage of having a construction coach in building your home?

(1) Peace of mind that you are only paying for what you need and at the right price.

(2) Someone technically knowledgeable about construction will back you up and have your best interest in mind.

(3) Guessing will be put to a minimum if not completely removed.

(4) You will not do the mistakes of other people by getting good advice and opening up options that you are confident in making. 

Do you want peace of mind and not make the same mistakes other already did? Do you want to save money  and quit guessing if the price is right? Having a home construction coach will be the best option.

Dream big always...

Emil M.

Tips that YOU WANT from Your Home, Your Dream

Hey guys! Anyone out there busy building their dream home? Helpful tips are all over the place in this blog.. just click at any of the posts to get INSTANT and FREE advice on how to build your home.

If you did not find any helpful tip here.. I will answer it the best way i can if you just type it in your comment just under this blog post! ANYTHING so that i can help.

I have seen countless houses being built the wrong way and i do not want you to make the same MISTAKE!

Glad i can help..

Let's start building!!!

- Emil M. 

Tips for choosing Paint Colors

Before reading the post below, i would like to share a Color Visualizer software from the website below. Try it NOW (You may need a fast internet connection to fully appreciate the visualizer)

https://www.sherwin-williams.com/visualizer/

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Tips for Choosing Interior Paint Colors

Written by: Chris Bibey

Choosing an interior paint color can be a lot of fun. But this fun can turn to disaster if you make the wrong decision. It is very important that you choose a color that you are going to be happy with for many years to come. The last thing you want to do is find yourself painting the same room over and over again. Not only is this a waste of money, but it can take up a lot of time as well. The good thing is that choosing an interior paint color can be an easy process with these five tips:

1. What works with your current décor? You need to consider all details of your current color scheme including your furniture, wall art, flooring, trim, and much more. You may be redoing your entire room. In this case, you do not have to worry too much about matching everything up. That being said, some people just paint – they are not buying everything else.

2. Lighter colors will make your room look bigger. This is something that you may or may not be concerned with. It all depends on the size of your home and the room that you are painting. But as a general rule of thumb, if you want a room to appear bigger you should opt for a lighter color.

3. Don’t forget about the flow from one room to the next. Depending on the layout of your home, you may have one room that flows directly into another. This means that you have to choose a paint color that suits both. The last thing you want is for a clash of colors.

4. Trim counts. There is a good chance that your home has baseboards, door trim, crown molding, etc. Most people opt to keep their trim white, but you do not have to fall in line with everybody else. It is your job to decide what you want your trim to look like – just make sure you consider this color before you start on the walls.

5. Neutral for selling your home. If you believe that you may sell your home in the future it is a good idea to opt for neutral paint colors. Not every prospective buyer will love neutral paint, but the majority of them will. On top of this, neutral colors are the easiest to match with any décor.
If you are in the process of selecting interior paint colors for your home, follow the five tips listed above.

The tips just mentioned are so simple they can be applied right away! don't just imitate the colors of your neighbor or the celebrity house you just saw on TV. Choose it based on your taste and personality.

Get it right the first time!

Lets start building..

Emil M.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated or in anyway connected to the author of the article or the Color Visualizer program maker and its marketers. For appreciation purposes only. Thanks!

Bathroom Furniture - Bright Ideas

Hi Dreamers!

I came accross the website http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/feature/bright-ideas-bathroom-furniture . Its a UK site with great bathroom furniture. Great Ideas and Great Pictures! Here is the article below..

BRIGHT IDEAS FOR BATHROOM FURNITURE

More than just providing functional storage, your bathroom cabinets can make a real statement. Claire Lloyd takes a look at the latest trends and reveals her top design tips

Be clever with your storage

Bathroom vanities and cabinets should not be secondary to choosing sanitaryware — they are an integral part of the design. After all, it is the storage they offer – both for hiding away clutter and for displaying expensive-looking bottles – which will make a new bathroom the haven that it is supposed to be. “There are also cost benefits,” comments Peter Elson of Ellis Furniture. “Using furniture can reduce the cost of other materials such as tiles. Time and money can be saved on labour for boxing in pipes, for example, which are also unsightly.”
Utilising the space beneath the basin is a growing trend, with double vanity units or those designed to accommodate wide contemporary basins particularly popular. Choose vanity units with dividers and/or removable drawer organisers – which can be taken out and cleaned in the dish washer in the event of a leak – to help separate out the toilet rolls from the shampoo bottles.
Other clever ideas include units with space to hang clothes, dressing gowns and towels. A large vanity which doubles as a full-length mirror, or as a mirror above the basin, is another good solution.

Make a statement with wall-hung units

Following on from the trend for wall-hung sanitaryware, wall-hung bathroom furniture is the perfect solution for sleek, contemporary bathrooms. On a more practical note, wall-hung units provide clearance below — making them space enhancing, and the floor beneath easy to clean. This will, however, mean that renovators replacing old free-standing or built-in units (around which the existing flooring was cut to fit) with wall-hung ones, may have to replace the flooring too.
You will also need to consider the wall construction. Design consultant Alan Stanford, from the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (kbsa.org.uk), explains: “The one thing to remember about wall-hung products is that they are only as secure as the wall to which they are fitted. In other words, if the wall is a plasterboard partition with little strength, it’s probably best to avoid wall-hung fixtures.” Free-standing furniture on legs is a good alternative where wall-hung is not an option.

Make storage family-friendly

Ample storage, including dedicated space to store away bath toys, is key to the success of family bathrooms. Mobile storage units are particularly good for this purpose. Yet, layout is also important: vanity units which will hold medicines and/or cleaning products should, for example, be positioned out of easy reach. Locked cabinets (right) are another good alternative.
Soft-close doors and drawers are increasingly being introduced as standard, which is good news for young families — preventing doors slamming shut on little hands. While handleless doors will prevent young children from banging their heads against protruding door furniture.
Your furniture will need to withstand the additional knocks, bumps and splashes that a family bathroom is likely to come up against — so choose a material up to the job. “For front finishes, look out for solid acrylic doors from Parapan — the high-gloss finish runs all the way through the material and is impervious to water,” says Alan Stanford from KBSA. “So too is Corian and other similar mineral-based man-made materials.”
For furniture with an MDF, chipboard or plywood core, Alan recommends specifying pre-assembled units. “The ideal construction is a traditional glue and dowel, rigid construction, delivered to site as a complete finished article. Having said that, a good, conscientious fitter can make a perfectly reasonable job of fitting flat-pack furniture with a few extra precautions.” Alan also suggests that “all exposed edges should be sealed with a suitable edging strip”, for a durable finish.

Plan Small Bathrooms

Small bathrooms and en suites require careful planning. Too little storage can result in cluttered surfaces, while over-sized cabinets and vanities will make the space look cramped. Built-in units, such as those which incorporate the WC and basin (and conceal the plumbing) with storage, can prove a good solution in small, boxy rooms (above). While small wall-hung under-basin vanities lend a compact, but contemporary feel.
Made-to-measure fitted furniture is often the best way of maximising on storage potential in awkwardly shaped small rooms. “Corner vanity units are especially suitable for smaller bathrooms, making the most of an unused area of the room,” suggests bathroom planning expert Geoff Wells from fitted bathroom specialist Dolphin.
Where possible, try to maintain a minimum comfortable circulation space of 400mm around furniture and sanitaryware.

Turn furniture into a feature

Vanity units and cabinets do not just play a functional role, but are integral to the bathroom aesthetic. Needless to say, the furniture you specify should complement the style, finish and colour of your chosen sanitaryware. This is particularly key when renovating an old home or building a period-style house where you intend to recreate an era style, such as Regency or Art Deco. Mixing contemporary wall-hung units with a Victorian-inspired high-level cistern toilet, for example, will inevitably detract from rather than enhance a bathroom. Matched well, furniture is an asset which will help to create a timeless bathroom interior.
Bathroom furniture can also be utilised as an eye-catching room divide. This works particularly well in large bathrooms, helping to creates zones — with a practical space for getting ready for the day to one side, and relaxing and bathing to the other (as above). Add to the ambience with illuminated shelves or lit vanities to showcase your favourite products and lend a soft and relaxing background glow.
Furniture could also be positioned so as to hide the WC from view of the door or the bath. If the vanity will stand away from the wall and you intend to mount a basin on top, remember to plan in advance for the wastes.
Finally, bathroom furniture need not be square or rectangular: the current trend for curved kitchen units has seen curved bathroom furniture quickly follow suit. Vanities and cabinets are also beginning to be seen as pieces of well-designed furniture in their own right.


Lets start coming up with your own designs that fit your design taste!

Now your bathroom will look soooo unique.


Emil M.

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Disclaimer: I am not affiliated or in any way connected to the site http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/