The exterior of the home is overlooked when it comes to design and renovation compared to the interior, where the rooms inside are most often referred to as the heart of the home. While renovating the inside of a home includes the excitement of purchasing new furniture and decor, pursuing custom renovations on the house exterior is equally important to match the upkeep of your home’s entire architectural design.

If you are unsure what you can do to improve your home’s exterior, here are seven ways and ideas to customize the outside of your house.

Painting for custom renovations

Adding a fresh coat of paint may seem like it will hardly make a difference on the outside of your home, but it can give your house a refreshed and revamped look. If your home hasn’t been repainted in a while, it can look dull and washed out as the paint begins to wear. Repainting your home to match its architectural style can revitalize the exterior of your home.

Roof update

As with the paint on your home, your roof can begin to wear after some time. Redoing your roof with updated shingles, if applicable to your home, can make your home look more contemporary. Other materials can be looked into as well that might flatter the exterior, like metal or tile.

Accents and trimming

Another way to customize your home and jump on the trends that modern homes are adopting is to add accents and trimming to the home. Trimming can be added in many places on the outside of your home, from your front door to your window shutters. Installing accent sections using different types of siding on areas like the upper part of a house, the garage, or other attached sections can bring added attention to your home.

New Windows

Replacing your windows with new, custom ones can brighten up your home. Purchasing new windows that best flatter your home, whether that means a change in size or style, can be a fun way to modernize your home’s current look.

New landscaping

Enhancing your home’s exterior doesn’t have to be regulated to just the home itself; you can also build and add new landscaping within the outdoor area of your home. New shrubs, plants and a garden can make your home even more colourful and appealing to the eye.

Fencing

New fencing around your home can help define the property. Not only will fencing keep your pets and children safe in the confines of your property, but it can add a stylish look to your exterior. There are varied techniques and materials to choose from, making fencing a must-have when customizing your exterior.

Porch

Adding a porch, or focusing on the upkeep of the porch you may already have, will significantly add to the value of your home and can be extremely functional for your family. Porches can be any size that is most convenient for your home and are versatile in the ways you can utilize them, like for seating, firepits, and storage.

Custom exterior

Customizing and revamping the exterior of your home is just as crucial as redoing your interior. The care that goes into the upkeep of your home should apply to every area, and with simple ways to completely modernize your exterior, renovating the outside of your home can be exciting and fun!

Since its inception, Kavaleer Renovations has been one of the most trusted home renovations companies in Calgary. We specialize in building new homes, full custom renovations, and even home additions like secondary suites. At Kavaleer Renovations, we know that building or renovating a home is a big investment and a personal experience and can be daunting at first. That’s why we emphasize clear communication with our clients as a pillar of our business. Whether you need kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations or complete renovations in Calgary, we will be with you from concept to completion.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

If you’re planning to have some complete renovations in Calgary done on your home, you’ll likely already be looking into potential subcontractors. However, not everybody screens the companies that they employ, which is a huge mistake.

Should You Be Screening Subcontractors?

You should absolutely be screening subcontractors before you seal the deal and employ them to work on your home. Complete renovations are massive, complex projects, so you don’t want to risk hiring a company only to have them botch the job and leave your home in a bad state. Performing a background check can be done from the comfort of your own home and will allow you to find out everything you need to know before you settle on a subcontractor.

Think of your renovation as a product. You wouldn’t buy a product online without checking that the seller and website were both legitimate, would you? The same is true of labour. You should never hire a subcontractor unless you’re sure that they’re experienced, professional, and operate completely above board. Otherwise, you could end up with sub-level, unsafe renovations that will cost you more money to fix.

How Can You Screen Subcontractors?

The internet has a wealth of information that you can easily access, so you should use it. Nowadays, almost every business is online and you’ll be able to find out plenty about the subcontractors that you’re thinking of using. The company’s website is a good place to start because you’ll be able to read up on all the services that they offer, their prices and how long complete renovations will typically take them to finish.

Then, you should search elsewhere for reviews and testimonials left by previous clients about the company. Third-party review-based websites are your best bet because they’re unbiased and allow customers to articulate all of their experiences with a company. If the subcontractors you’re researching have consistently good reviews, you know you’ll be able to put your trust in them to handle your renovation.

What Should You Take Into Account During Screening?

When you are screening subcontractors, you need to be as thorough as possible. Luckily, you can find out all the information you need with a few online searches. In particular, you should take these things into account during the screening process:

Past customer experiences, both good and bad.
How long the company has been in business
What type of work the company specializes in.
How many subcontractors the company employs.
What the company’s reputation is in the construction industry.
What the company’s safety culture is like.
How many complete renovations the subcontractors have previously performed.

How Can You Choose the Best Subcontractor?

The best subcontractor for the job will be one that operates completely visibly, has experience in renovating homes, is well-reviewed by past clients and prioritizes safety in the workplace. You need to know that your home is in capable hands when you open it up for complete renovations, and the easiest way to set your mind at rest is to thoroughly screen anyone you are thinking of employing.

Research multiple subcontractors and compare them based on the criteria listed above. Once you’ve settled on a company to do your renovation work, get in touch with them for a quote. After that, you’ll be able to organize your renovation and start working together towards a totally transformed home.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

If you’re looking to increase your home’s market value, a renovation might be just what you need. Complete renovations in Calgary go down incredibly well in the housing market because potential buyers can see that you’ve taken a property and then extended and transformed it to create entirely new, modernized spaces. But with so many complete renovations to choose from, it can be tricky to settle on the one that will inject a large amount of value into your property.

What is the Highest-Value Renovation for Your Home?

A loft conversion is estimated to add up to 20% to your home’s original market value, making it one of the wisest renovation choices if you have the budget to cover it. This is because loft conversions take a large empty space and turn it into an entirely new room. The loft can be converted into whatever you like: an additional bedroom, a lounge space, a games room, a new bathroom, and a home bar. Lofts are versatile spaces and a well-converted loft will be a standout feature for any potential buyers who come to view your house.

An additional 20% added to your property’s original monetary value is a massive amount of money that will ensure you make a profit on the money that you paid for the renovation. For instance, if your home is worth $250,000, 20% is an extra $50,000 on top. On average, loft conversions cost between $20,000 and $40,000, depending on the size of the room and what you turn it into. With so much profit to be made if you sell, a loft conversion is definitely one of the top high-value renovations you should consider.

What Are Other High-Value Renovations?

Beyond the popularity and profit of a loft conversion, other high-value complete renovations in Calgary will transform the spaces inside and outside your home. One is creating a garage or driveway, which both have the huge benefit of attracting buyers with multiple cars who will appreciate having private parking space. Kitchen renovations are also popular because of their monetary value, especially if you go for a full transformation including floors, appliances, counters and cupboards.

Basement conversions are valuable in the same way that loft conversions are, although loft conversions are thought to be the higher-value renovation of the two. You can turn an empty basement into anything, the same as you can a loft, and having an additional room can boost the number of bedrooms or bathrooms mentioned in your estate agent’s advertisement. To follow on from that, bathroom renovations are also a good way to boost value, particularly extensions off of bedrooms to create en-suites.

Do High-Value Renovations Have Guaranteed ROI?

Whenever you put money into your home, you want to be able to see a return on investment (ROI) afterwards. Luckily, renovations are the perfect way to up your home’s market value, which will then allow you to increase your asking price if you decide to sell, making back the money you spent on the renovation.

To return to the loft conversion idea, you have the chance to make a profit of up to $30,000, which could be a life-changing amount of money. If you budget well and hire reliable contractors, you’ll be able to get the highest value renovation possible for your home and then reap the benefits later on.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

Having the opportunity to renovate your house is exciting, but there’s a bit of research that you need to complete before starting your renovation. Namely, you need to find out which permit you require to renovate your house. If you don’t look into this properly, you could be in lots of trouble and have to deal with serious legal repercussions. To save all the hard work of your complete home renovations, always complete the necessary research first.

Do You Need a Permit to Renovate Your House?

The short answer is yes, you need a permit to renovate your home. Not all of the tasks that you intend to undertake as part of your renovation may need a permit, but making major structural changes will definitely require pre-established planning permission. Renovations are not small jobs, so you’ll need to ensure that everything is above board before you move forward.

A permit may be just a document, but it holds high value if you want to complete a successful renovation. Renovating without a permit is an offence and will get you into hot water with your local authorities. You need permission to extend existing structures and create new ones, otherwise, you are acting independently of building regulation. To keep everything above board, you must look into applying for a permit as soon as possible.

How Do You Get a Permit?

Permits are super accessible, so long as you know where to apply for them. Most commonly, you’ll be applying to your local authority for their permission to renovate and then waiting while they assess your application. Sometimes, the permit may be issued straightaway, but other times, you’ll need to wait longer.

You need to supply ample information when applying, so look into exactly what documents are required. You may also need to pay an application fee. Then, once the hard application work is done, you’ll just need to wait to hear back from your local authority on the outcome.

What Counts As a Renovation?

Renovations are defined as substantial changes to the structure of your home, so things like painting the walls, fixing a leaky pipe, replacing kitchen cabinets, swapping out your carpets for hardwood floors and installing new lighting fixtures don’t count. If you are doing something for cosmetic or repair reasons, it is not a renovation and you don’t need a permit.

Huge structural changes like building a garage, altering the floor layout of the house, extending a room and installing a swimming pool count as renovations. By doing any of these things, you are drastically changing the look and layout of your home and likely causing it to take up more space than it originally did (as with the garage and extension examples).

The Best Complete Home Renovations In Calgary

If you are looking to do complete renovations in Calgary, you need to apply for a permit. Specifically, the permit is called a building permit and it allows you to renovate, reconstruct and extend your house. You have the choice of either applying online or visiting City Hall in

downtown Calgary. There are several documents that you need when applying, including an application form, structural drawings and a sustainable development inventory form.

It’s a lot of work, but applying for a permit to complete renovations in Calgary, or any other city, is absolutely essential and will help keep everything legal and above board as you work on renovating your dream home.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

Complete home renovations are huge, ambitious projects that take lots of planning before you can even begin construction. If you’re thinking of totally renovating and reinventing your home, you might be at a loss for where to start. Luckily, this handy guide to home renovations provides all the information that you need to help you get started.

Decide Which Rooms Will Be Renovated

A complete home renovation typically involves most, if not all, rooms, but there may be a few spaces that you want to leave as they are. So, you should start by planning out exactly which rooms will be renovated and what potential order you would like them worked on. Knowing what you want is the hardest part of the process and the more assertive you are, the easier the contractor’s job will be.

Request Quotes From Potential Companies

It goes without saying that complete home renovations are expensive, so you need to know that your budget will cover all the work you want to be done before you begin the project. The best way to get a realistic idea of how much you’ll be spending is to request quotes from different contractors. You can then compare the quotes and decide which will be the best fit for your home renovations.

Draw Up a Design

The contractors that you employ will be following your instructions, so you need to have a clear end product in mind. Drawing up a design of the remodelled house is a good way to visualize exactly how the renovation process will go and what it should look like. Your contractors will appreciate your dedication to the project and have tangible plans to work with as they renovate.

Apply For a Permit

Before you begin a renovation project, you also need to apply for a permit from your local authority. If you don’t, you could be in breach of building regulations, which will result in your needing to remove your renovation as soon as possible. You don’t want to do anything to put all that hard work in jeopardy, so having a permit before you begin will help to keep everything above board.

Start With the Highest-Value Areas

A lot of complete home renovations begin with the rooms that will add the most value to your home. These renovations must be done with extreme care and uninterrupted attention so that the rooms can be totally transformed. Often, the room that will, once renovated, increase the property’s value the most is the kitchen, which is why a lot of complete renovations begin with it. Consider which renovation will improve your house the most and start the project in that room.

Ensure Safety and Comfort at All Times

Even after your renovation is in the capable hands of the contractors, you should not switch off. You need to constantly assess your home, which will be a working building site, for any threats to the safety of your family, the builders or your neighbours. You should also be hospitable and make the builders feel welcome, and apologize to your neighbours for any disruptions that your renovation may cause in the area. Little gestures like these will keep everyone happy and make the process smoother.

For Complete Renovations In Calgary

The Calgary housing market is growing nonstop, so what better time to consider a home addition? If you’re considering a complete renovation, start by following this guide and taking all the necessary steps to contact the best contractors in the area. Then, you’ll be able to increase your home’s value just in time for the predicted boost in the Calgary housing market.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

Do you love where you live but wish your house was different? Then, it’s good news because you can update your property with a small home addition, transforming the space while still staying exactly where you are. Everybody deserves to love their house, so if a home addition could make your house into your dream home, it’s well worth looking into.

Below, you’ll find a list of reasons to get a home addition and if any of them sound like you, take this as your sign to go ahead and request a quote!

The Space Feels Cramped

Sometimes, you can get too used to the interior spaces in your home, especially if your family has grown since you first bought the house. If some of the rooms are starting to feel cramped, a home addition is a great way to extend these spaces without paying for an entire room renovation. Even a few extra feet of square footage will make the space seem so much bigger and give you more home to decorate and enjoy.

The Interior Looks Impersonal

When it comes to making a house a home, even the slightest change can feel like a total transformation. Too often, the rooms inside a home feel purely functional and lack personalization, so a home addition could make a big difference to how you view your own space. If you’re a lover of the outdoors, for instance, you could install a balcony, which would bring new life to the upper level of your home and give you an addition that you’ll enjoy.

You Have Outgrown the Property

If your house doesn’t fit your needs any longer, it might be tempting to just sell up and find a new home. However, you don’t need to do this if a home addition could solve your problem. For example, if you work from home but don’t have space for an office, you might end up working in your bedroom. A home addition would give you the space you need for a home office, allowing you to keep the comfort of your bedroom separate from work.

You Want to Increase the Property’s Market Value

Any sort of home addition will typically add some value to your property because additions increase the overall square footage of the floor plan. They also make the house look more attractive and can make it more functional, such as if you install a garage, for example. If you think you might want to sell your property in a few years, installing a home addition is a great way to prepare it for the housing market.

Home Additions in Calgary

If you’re located in Calgary, Kavaleer Renovations are the best local accredited home contractors for complete home additions in Calgary. All you need to do is research your options and then get in touch with a company to request a quote. Imagine exactly how your Calgary home could be transformed by a simple home addition and then make that dream a reality!

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

Your Ultimate Home Renovation Checklist

Are you tired of looking around your home only to see all the renovations that need to be done? Are you ready to embark on your complete renovations in Calgary? Are you overwhelmed at the prospect of taking on this mighty task?

There’s no need to be if you use our advice to create your own Ultimate Home Renovation Checklist. We will go over everything you need to consider before you finally get started with remodelling your house to become your dream home.

The Importance of Planning

Although your mind may be filled with visions of drywall dust and faucet selections, completing your home renovations should take less time than planning them. The most important part of your renovations will be accurately capturing and categorizing all of your ideas and then organizing them for execution. Here are some questions you should consider when creating a checklist for your complete home renovation in Calgary.

used wood planks home renovations — Random piles of used hardwood floor planks, baseboards and other materials removed during home renovation.

What Is Your Overall Home Renovation Goal?

First things first: what are your goals when it comes to your home renovation? What do you hope to achieve when all is said and done? Get out your clipboard and walk through your home from top to bottom, even if you already have an idea of what you want to accomplish. This is an especially important step if you are making these renovations with a partner. Ensure they are present so that you are both 100% on the same page as you enter your planning stage.

Once you have made a comprehensive list of the renovations you wish to complete, narrow it down by categorizing wants vs needs. Establish which renovations won’t be essential and can take the back burner if unexpected costs or other complications crop up, as they often do. Make sure you are clear on which renovations are the highest priorities.

Accurately defining your projects is the best thing you can do to see them through smoothly. Each aspect of your renovations will require supplies, expertise, and its own plan – and some may have additional costs. If your renovation will require specific licensing or professional know-how, you will need to budget accordingly.

Physical Accommodations

With a detailed understanding of your renovation goals, you can now best organize and plan for any accommodations you will have to make during their execution. Are they going to be quick and simple renovations that won’t disrupt your space very much? Do you have pets who will need to be away from the house while you have contractors coming in and out and walls being knocked down? Are you going to have to put some possessions in storage to avoid damage? Keep all of these things in mind, particularly for the sake of logistics and budgeting.

Budgeting is Best

Now that you know what you’re setting out to accomplish, be sure that you have an accurate assessment of your budget. As discussed in our previous paragraph, don’t forget to make room for the actual accommodations you’ll need to make in your daily life while the renovations are being completed!

Organize your costs and include a little leeway – at least 10% of the overall expense. What happens if the cheaper material you were going to use isn’t available? Or if your contractor has to go over budget to accommodate an unexpected complication? There’s nothing more frustrating than having to halt a project halfway through because you suddenly realize you don’t have the funds to complete it!

These are the three big tips that we hope will help you with your home renovation project. Don’t hesitate to call the pros if you still need information and help with planning.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

The Cost of Complete Renovations Calgary

As homes increase in price and finding the perfect one that isn’t off the market becomes much more complicated than anticipated, a complete renovation to your home becomes an unexpected option. A home renovation can update your current home and forge it into the dream home you’ve always wanted. More so, it can vastly increase the home’s market value and fix any underlying issues plaguing the house and preventing it from reaching its full potential. The sheer size and cost can deter any homeowner from actively pursuing complete renovations in Calgary, but until you ascertain the project’s scope, you should never discount it outright.

Discover the cost of renovating an entire home, the factors that will increase the average cost, and the benefits of doing a complete home renovation.

Average cost

The average cost to renovate an entire home can be anywhere from $20,000 to $75,000, with a typical going rate of $45,000 for the average homeowner. In terms of square feet, renovating a whole home can cost around $15 to $60 per square foot and merely renovating a couple of rooms, like the kitchen and bathroom, can cost around $100 to $200 square foot. An estimate of how much a whole renovation can cost is hard to determine because of the many individual factors that will largely increase the cost.

Factors

Some of the most crucial costs that are dependent on certain individual elements include the size of the home, the mechanical equipment that is needed for certain homes, and whether demolition is necessary, among many other factors. Some of the other considerations can include:

The location where most urban areas will run higher for renovations in comparison to rural renovations
The number of rooms in a home that will need to be renovated
Materials used in the renovation include materials on countertops, floors, roofing, etc.
Necessary structural changes
New plumbing and HVAC systems that could be essential to implement
The age of the home being renovated as older homes can be more expensive to remodel

complete home renovations — Two people planning out a home renovation

Labour rates

Completing a renovation yourself is an impossible feat that could lengthen the entire project. Instead, hiring professional contractors will relieve much of the stress that goes into a renovation, though such hired help will come at a cost. According to renovation professionals, renovation contractors and labourers usually account for 10% to 20% of a renovation budget and the hourly cost can range from $20 to $150 or more.

Benefits

While these prices may seem incredibly daunting and can easily deter anyone from doing a home renovation, many benefits outweigh the high prices attached to the project. A home renovation will significantly increase the value of any home, and if you plan to put your home on the market, a completed renovation will ensure it will sell quickly and for a high price. Another benefit of a renovation is the ability to enhance the comforts, personal aesthetics and efficiency in the home, all invaluable elements to any house. Complete renovations in Calgary will give your home a customized and pristine new look while providing new efficient energy costs through the addition of insulation and new windows.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

Can you get a rebate on complete renovations in Calgary?

Home renovations can seem like an intensive process that continuously takes laborious time with no end in sight. But these renovations are some of the most advantageous investments that a homeowner can make, despite the involved effort. Renovations can increase the value of a home, making it more appealing to potential buyers if your home is ever placed on the market. Although, many homeowners are unaware that some renovations can qualify for rebates, grants, and tax benefits. Some of these benefits include provincial-specific rebates, including complete renovations in Calgary.

Here are just some of the benefits that you can apply for throughout Canada!

Home accessibility tax credit

You can acquire a Canadian-wide tax credit called Home Accessibility. The Home Accessibility tax credit is meant to make a house much more accessible for people with physical disabilities or seniors over the age of 65. This tax credit will deduct money put into renovations that implement permanent features into a home that will help reduce the risk of injury and will enable them to move more freely in the house. Installing wheelchair ramps or making a bathroom more accessible for those with mobility issues are some of the features that qualify for this tax credit.

According to the National Bank of Canada, labour costs, permits, materials, and plans can be eligible expenses toward this renovation rebate that can go up to a maximum of $10,000.

Substantial Renovation tax rebate

The Canadian federal government has implemented a substantial renovation tax rebate to assist families when they begin to renovate. If certain conditions are followed under this tax rebate, the government can give you a rebate when you purchase a new home, build a home, or do substantial renovations to your preowned home. “Substantial” is the operative word regarding this rebate, as the renovations must transform at least 90% of your home to qualify for the rebate. Renovating areas like garages and attic spaces don’t count towards the 90% as the remodelling must be focused on livable areas of the home.

home renovation cost — Model home with money being placed beside it

New residential rental property rebate

You can qualify for the Canada-wide new residential rental property rebate if you are building a home to later rent it out to tenants in your area. Once you have completed the home and renovations, you must fall under the condition that the entire worth of the home is valued at less than $450,000 in order to receive the rebate.

CMHC Green home

Taking steps to make your home more energy-efficient will help reduce your carbon footprint and energy bill. Implementing energy-efficient ways in your home will also help save on your mortgage premiums with the CMHC Green Home rebate that is available to all Canadians. Using CMHC insured financing, you can renovate your home for the purpose of installing energy-efficient features that will qualify your household to receive a 15% rebate.

Energy Efficient Rebate Canada in Alberta

The Alberta provincial government offers residents of the province to qualify for an energy-efficient rebate program that can help you save money when renovating your home. If you want to replace the windows and doors in your home and choose environmentally and energy-efficient ones, you can qualify for rebates up to $1,500. These rebates can assist with the remodelling in various Albertan cities and complete renovations in Calgary.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!

When we think of home renovations, we tend to equate the idea with large amounts of money that are bound to be spent. While it is true that custom renovations can be extremely costly, home renovations can surprisingly contribute to saving money. Saving money while renovating may sound like a falsehood, but if you renovate your home in a practical way, it can save you money in the long run.

Find out the pragmatic methods you can follow when renovating your home to save you money down the road.

Practical renovations

It can’t be discounted that remodelling your home to keep up with modern interior trends isn’t a worthy venture; it’s just a renovation that won’t prove economically beneficial. If you are pursuing a renovation to redesign certain parts of your home for vanity reasons, you are unlikely to save money in the long run. So, what is a renovation that will eventually supplement your wallet?

Renevaoting areas of your home that are already falling apart and deteriorating is a good investment. When the cracks and misalignments in your floors and walls become overt, renovating can remedy those areas that most need fixing. Updating your roof, furnaces, and water heating systems are renovating methods that can save you money down the road and increase the value of your home. These are only a few examples of the practical renovations beneficial to your home and wallet versus vanity projects that are not money savers.

Energy-efficient renovations

Updating your home during your custom home renovation to become more energy efficient is a great way to save money ultimately. Some energy-efficient renovations can include extra insulation in your windows to contain heat in your home during the winter, replacing your exterior panelling, solar water heaters, solar panels on your roof, and LED lighting. These particular renovations can greatly reduce the cost of your energy bill, and many of these projects are also environmentally friendly, as a bonus.

Cost recovery

Before you begin to renovate, you should consider what types of remodelling will maximize the value you will receive back. Some of the best additions and remodelling options that will add a lot of value to your home include adding a wooden deck, window replacement, garage addition, and minor remodels to your kitchen, bathrooms, and bedroom. These additions, replacements and improvements can maximize your return investments and vastly increase the value of your home.

Cost-saving renovations

Custom renovations don’t have to be a gruelling project that takes from your wallet with no return–it can actually save money if done right. Resolving areas of disrepair in your home will increase its value, as will implementing energy-efficient improvements. Some additions and minor renovations can also increase the value of your home and will amplify your return investments.

The first step to building your dream home is to have a 100% FREE no-obligation consultation. Call Kavaleer today to get started!