Since man first began to settle indoors, people have been looking for ways to improve their living conditions and improve the usage of the space they have available. That trend continues today.
Homes are a sanctuary for families. The place they hang their hat, make memories and feel the safest. But space is often limited as families grow or needs change. Unfortunately, selling your existing home and buying another can be a daunting task and often times, not financially viable. So homeowners have become increasingly creative regarding ways they can better customize their homes to suit their specific needs.
Shelbyville-based construction contractor, Gabriel Vazquez, owner of Gabriel’s Remodeling LLC, shared insight on some of the most popular home improvement projects he and his crew have been working on over the past year.
“A lot of people are updating their homes with build-ins,” said Vazquez. “The addition of build-ins give people a lot more space in their home.”
Build-ins are described as permanently attached furniture or fixtures within the interior of a property owner’s home. This includes any type of permanent appliances, be it cabinetry or furniture, built into walls. These home improvement build-ins can be both aesthetically pleasing and help improve functionality.
Shelving units and cabinetry are two of the leading build-in projects nationwide. Other popular choices for homeowners include desks, beds and under-stairs cabinets or drawers.
“Around here, we are seeing requests for a lot of television entertainment centers and bunk beds,” Vazquez said. “Believe it or not, bunk beds have been popular because they save space. Many homes don’t use their extra room as a bedroom, but maybe as an office. So when they have people come over to spend the night, they just fold it down and then raise it back up.”
In addition to build-ins, Vazquez said that kitchen renovations have been very popular of late.
“Kitchen renovations are another big renovation we are seeing in this area,” Vazquez said. “Cabinets, countertops, backsplashes and flooring have been popular updates in many kitchens.”
Kitchens are often described as the “heart of the home,” so it’s no surprise that this is an area homeowners want to enhance for both practical use and entertaining.
Vasquez also shared that during the warm spring and summer months, decks are a very popular project for homeowners. Whether looking to do a new build or a remodel, improvements to outdoor space, like decks, is in high-demand.
“You know, these days when you price building or renovating a wood deck, there are now Trex decks, which are not much different in price,” Vazquez said. “For the quality, people go with Trex because they know it is going to last for a long time. I am not saying forever, because there is wood underneath, but they don’t have to do maintenance every other year.”
Trex is a composite deck board that claims not to rot, warp or splinter and it is often backed by warranties ranging from 25 to 50 years. Vazquez confirmed these claims and provided further details, based on his experience.
“Trex is like synthetic wood, so you don’t have to worry about splinters for kids or people who recline on the handrail,” Vazquez said. “Yes, it’s more expensive, but worth the money.”
Vazquez shared that during the winter months, when it is difficult to work outdoors due to the weather, many people will look at knocking out walls or finishing basements.
“A lot of people have walls between their living rooms and kitchens or dining areas,” Vazquez said. “We are seeing more projects where we are asked to knock out those walls to open the space and provide a more open floor plan.
“Another good winter project is finishing basements. People can expand their living area by completing these renovations and add things like game rooms, bedrooms, additional bathrooms, really any number of things. There are just so many creative things you can do to homes today.”
No matter what you desire for your home, there are innovative and creative ways of making it happen. Whether doing it yourself or hiring a contractor to do the work for you, you can personalize your home to better utilize the indoor and outdoor space both now and long into the future.
