Not checking on these logistical details in advance can cause massive headaches later when trying to schedule deliveries or tradespeople. Your board may require a permit or approval to begin any form of work.
By this I mean whether you are renovating the space to add to resale or rental value, or to add to your personal enjoyment of your home. In some cases it is possible to achieve both. But realistically, a renovation usually will lean more toward one or the other, with different approaches for both, so it’s important to decide which should take priority and be honest with yourself about that choice.
Kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures, flooring, tiling, door hardware and cleaned-up walls are all usually smart investments.
Tight condo spaces sometimes include odd-angled walls or intrusive columns, but that’s often because they cannot be moved structurally. It’s important to know which walls and other elements can be removed or opened and which ones cannot, so bringing in an expert to consult early is wise.
What you can do, however, is restructure how the eye sees the space. By choosing some finishes to blend away and others to stand out, you can make the eye focus on the most beautiful elements.
Try copying this formula: Install a glass shower panel or minimalist shower curtain, all white fixtures, and pale white or off-white tile. Then use a bold or rich vanity in a quality finish to act as the statement piece that defines the room. Alternatively, use a plain white vanity and a stunning accent tile — it all depends where you want the eye to be drawn.
Depending on the fixtures you want to add, this can require a 6- to 12-inch drop. It’ll be a noticeable change in ceiling height but only in a small area and usually not so much that you’ll be hitting your head.
Rather then attempting to replace your door frames, you can look to build them up by adding a “backband,” or a molding meant to layer over an existing frame. This results in deep moldings, which deliver a definite feeling of grandeur. You may not want to stop at just the door frames once you see the effect.
For example, clients often want a large fridge, or a king-sized bed, or a double sink. However, being flexible on some of these details is smart: When you see what you can get if you’re willing to make a trade-off, you may realize some of those priorities aren’t must-haves after all.
For example, being willing to use a smaller fridge can free up a lot of space for storage that you can then use for all sorts of luxuries you may not have thought of.
When you eventually resell, you should assume that you’ll repaint at the time to update to a fresh coat in a trendy shade. In the meantime, painting the walls in hues you love will give a lot of life to the space at a relatively lower price than many other potential upgrades.
For example, at my design firm, we usually try to have furniture pieces collected by a single delivery company rather than using the delivery services of each individual store and supplier. This way, they all arrive at once and are moved into the unit by movers we have worked with before. It avoids a lot of dings in walls and unexpected delays, which in turn leads to a smoother project overall.
Staying with friends, family or even at a hotel for a few days can turn your midrenovation nightmare into a fun trip or staycation. You’ll experience much less stress, and you’ll enjoy the process more without having to see the ugly, messy in-between phases of construction when clients most often freak out.
Some condo buildings even have guest suites that you can stay in for a few days so you aren’t far from home. You may not even have to pack.
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