Tips to Hire Best Condo Renovation Contractors in Toronto

Posted on February 1, 2017February 2, 2017 by TSGiM

Getting your home renovated is always a good idea. It improves its market value, prevents things from deteriorating and generally makes the place look so much better.

Toronto condo renovation contractors come in so many shapes and sizes, however, that making sure you choose the right one can be tricky.

For this purpose, we’d come up with a list of criteria that should help you choose wisely.

Let’s jump right in it then!

Choosing Toronto Condo Renovation Contractors

Referrals and Recommendations

When a contractor has a solid backing by happy clients, it means huge points in their favour. The testimonials page on their website is one place to look, but when you’re talking to their representative, ask to contact a client directly. Some companies ask clients for permission to get contacted briefly by new customers and you can use that to get a better idea of how good the contractor is.

Examine their Work

Most companies doing condo renovations in Toronto will have a catalogue of their actual projects in their office and/or online. Examine it to get a good idea of their quality of work. But go beyond the image gallery. Ask for specifics on projects, “before and after” images of renovated spaces, pricing overviews and timelines. If it’s backed up by a real client, all the better.

Run over their Credentials

Toronto condo renovations professionals should hold valid licenses based on relevant training. Electrical, plumbing and other types of work require a professional to have a paper showing he’s qualified and allowed to do this work. Look for extras as well, such as recognition from large groups within the remodeling and homebuilding industry. Being an honored member of any of those is definitely a point in their favour.

Level of Professionalism

This is something you do before and during the interview. Before you even meet, see if they have a permanent mailing address, email, phone number and fax. Those will show the difference between a serious and not so serious operation. Do they have sufficient insurance coverage if things go wrong? Are they working with a permanent team of tradesmen or get employees on a per-contract basis? Having a permanent team means trusted and tested personnel, and should be a priority.

Naturally there is more to it, but these are the main points and they should keep you safe in choosing a reliable Toronto Condo Renovation Contractor. Good luck!

Latest Trends in Exterior Home Renovations and Design

Posted on December 23, 2016March 3, 2023 by TSGiM

A home’s exterior is the first impression it makes when people see it from the street.

A nice exterior will increase the property’s value and will generally make you feel good about the place. It is a statement about who you are and what you are like. Let’s admit it, we love it when guests are impressed with how great our homes look when we host a party or a family get-together.

There are many things you can do to refresh, upgrade and improve your home’s exterior, and your Toronto exterior renovations experts at Royal Home improvement are here to give you a few trendy ideas.

Screened Porches

If your front or back yard has a separate space such as a patio, gazebo or porch, you can emphasize it by adding an elegant screen draping to it. Let it get overgrown with Ivy and you will have a perfect, weather-protected retreat with an unexpected natural Wow factor for visitors. This type of semi-enclosure can make the place super enjoyable in the summer and winter, protecting you from rain and heat, while at the same time allowing you to enjoy the added privacy it grants.

Handcrafted Decor

Another trend in exterior renovations in Toronto is stucco wall finishes and other hand made marvels of artisanal design. Reclaimed wood furniture, custom accents, stone masonry, mosaic floors, and fine statuary are also gaining in popularity. Those elements, when used wisely, can make the difference between an OK exterior and a truly elegant appearance.

Designer Roof Trim

Soffits and fascia’s, when approached with some artistic flair, can also add a lot to a home’s exterior. They contain the potential to emphasize and embellish your home’s exterior magnificently. Designer soffits and fascia’s can be made to blend or stand out, depending on the look you aim to achieve with your home’s facade.

Soft Colors with Strong Accents

The use of color in exterior renovations in Toronto has evolved a lot in recent years and had reached a point of balance, where bold, glaring exteriors are left behind in favour of softer, natural tones with cleverly placed highlights of vivid blue on gray or raspberry on soft brown or green, to name a few examples.

If you wish to know more about the newest trends and materials used in Toronto exterior renovations, as well as information regarding prices and discounts – call us now and we’ll be delighted to assist you.

Tips and Ideas on How to Refresh or Remodel Your Bathroom

Posted on December 5, 2016March 3, 2023 by TSGiM

The bathrooms is one of the most important rooms in the house. That’s where we start the day, and that’s where we finish the day, washing away the stress when we come back home at night.

We all like a bathroom that feels comfortable, helps us relax, and generally acts as our own private SPA. Sounds like a dream?

What if we told you that this dream can become a reality?

With just a few simple improvements and creative thinking, you can turn your bathroom into a personal relaxing paradise. Here are some key elements to focus on as you plan your Toronto bathroom remodeling project.

Tiles

Many Toronto homes have outdated, bland tiles on walls and floors both. 4 by 4 wall tiles are a thing of the past when it comes to Toronto bathroom remodeling trends – replace them with cool, asymmetrical 8 by 13 ceramics and see an amazing difference. Using tiles of interchanging color instead of uniform patterns is much recommended. Floor tiles can also enjoy a new twist – quite literally: diagonally set tiles are gaining popularity because of their ability to visually enlarge a smaller bathroom. Browns and soft off-whites are recommended for a cozy feel and look.

Heated Floors

While we’re talking about floors, let us tell you of a new amazing heating system. You know, no matter how much heat you drive into the air, the bathroom floor is going to stay cold and clammy. Not with this upgrade. Keep your floors nice and warm when you take a shower or prepare for the workday.

Vanity and Cabinets

Storage space can be a real challenge, especially in smaller bathrooms, but today’s carpentry is capable of maximising usable cabinet space while keeping it stunningly elegant. With a fabulous vanity, sporting a vessel sink set in a lavish marble countertop topped with bronze faucets, you can’t help but feel pampered every time you walk in.

Cozy Lighting

To complete the SPA appearance, you need to set up an elegant lighting scheme. A very popular choice nowadays, with low upkeep and great potential for custom lighting, are pot lights. They are especially good for bathrooms, due to the fact that they are recessed and don’t risk being damaged by humidity as much as protruding light fixtures do. Add a dimmer switch and some color filters for a perfect Hotel Resort feel, and enjoy!

Want to see your own Toronto bathroom renovation dream come to life? Call us now!

Home Improvement Tips: How to Increase the Value of Your Home?

Posted on November 23, 2016November 23, 2016 by TSGiM

With the real estate market of Toronto not looking like it’s going to put its brakes on anytime soon, the GTA is undisputably one of the best choices for real estate investment in Canada. With a such a good prospect for the future, it is now the right time to do some serious planning. If you are thinking how to make your own home sell for more, here are a few tips to increase its value on the market.

A Fresh Coat Of Paint

Overtime paint chips, cracks or peels. A fresh coat of paint will give your home a breath of fresh air. However it is advised to choose more neutral colors. A neutral color will satisfy a wider range of buyers, allowing them to project their own ideas on it, planning their furniture setup and other interior design considerations.

Go Green

In this modern world where energy efficiency is increasingly important, more and more potential buyers are looking into going green. Energy efficiency is not only there for moral reasons like reducing the environmental footprint but also for practical purposes, like reducing energy costs long term. Energy efficient windows and quality wall insulation can be done on the cheap, but there are also major upgrades, like solar panels for example, that you may want to look into as you’re considering your Toronto home improvements project.

Remodelling the Kitchen and Bathroom

As any broker will tell you, for many homeowners and potential buyers there are two things in a home that are most important – the kitchen and the bathroom. While full scale home improvements in Toronto may be a bit pricey, there are many great upgrades that you can do without bulldozing it all down and building anew.

Replacing old faucets, sinks, toilet seats and cabinet pulls, removing stains, rust and grout, adding fresh caulk to the bathroom, and other similar fixes can give a facelift to both your kitchen and bathroom. If you have a larger budget at your disposal, you may want to look into replacing old cabinets or installing low-flush toilets for the bathroom and adding new energy efficient appliances for the kitchen.

Let there be Light

Lighting in a home is extremely important, and proper lighting will go a long way to increase the value of your home. Replacing old light fixtures with newer and brighter energy-efficient ones is one of the most cost effective ways to brighten up your home. You may also look into adding a chandelier to the dining room or the ever popular sun tubes or skylights if budget permits. Want to know what else you can do with your home to increase its value? Call Royal Home Improvement and enjoy the services of the best team for home improvement in Toronto!

Tips on Condo Renovation to Improve ROI

Posted on November 7, 2016 by TSGiM

With a booming real estate market condos are currently the main investment of choice for real estate investors in Toronto and the GTA. The price of a condo is influenced by many factors like location, prices of similar units in other condos nearby, age of the building, proximity to amenities, etc.

Another sure way to increase the price threshold is to renovate.

Renovation of your Toronto condo can gain you better yield on your ROI when you sell or rent it. It will allowing you to stay on top in the hot real estate market, attracting the right kind of buyers and tenants.

Continue reading “Tips on Condo Renovation to Improve ROI”

What Are The Advantages Of Hiring An Interior Designer?

Posted on October 24, 2016March 29, 2023 by TSGiM

Whether you are remodeling your home or have just moved into a place and need to decorate it, getting an interior design specialist for this is a good idea, and for a whole bunch of reasons. All of those reasons tie into one main goal – saving money.

Yes, that’s correct. While some people still hold on to the illusion that hiring a professional costs more, most Canadian homeowners are coming to realize that the opposite is true.

How so?

Let’s break this down into several important aspects and examine them together.

Interior Designers Save you Time

While it’s true you pay the interior decorator for their time, they will still cost you less – because unless you are extremely experienced and/or very lucky, they will take three times less to finish the job. This is a proven fact and not an exaggeration – doing it yourself will take longer. Often much longer.

They Cut Down Material Costs

While you may find good deals for wood and paints in local stores, the interior design specialist has their own sources that allow them to save a lot more on materials. They buy them wholesale and often have commercial suppliers who simply don’t sell to individual buyers.

Liaison to Contractors and Trades

Interior decorators have wide connections with contractors and other professionals who work for them at discount prices you as a private individual cannot hope to secure. They don’t need to spend time looking for them, which also translates to time saving. You’d have to go out there and spend time seeking out plumbers, roofers, electricians and other trades, while they have them all in their phone book.

A Boost to Home Value

Once your home was remodeled by a professional interior designer, it is going to sell for more. It’s that simple. The superior quality of work this guarantees and amazing look your interior will present to the buyers will ensure you selling it for far more than the same place decorated without the professional interior designer.

And finally even setting money aside – you will simply enjoy a professionally remodeled place more. A designer’s eye for use of space, lighting and matching color and shape is a guarantee that your home will be a source of delight to you and your family for years to come.

Call us now and see what wonders we can do for your dwelling!

Tips on Choosing the Right Contractor for Your Interior Renovation‏

Posted on October 15, 2016March 29, 2023 by TSGiM

Our home is our biggest investment, and keeping it in good repair is essential not only for us to feel good living in it, but also to be able to keep its market value at the maximum.

After all, most Canadians will move residences at one point of their life or another. Some will seek a new home when the kids move out, or the other way around, when a new addition to the family demands a bigger space.

This is why investing in exterior and interior renovations is a smart tactic, and having an expert contractor to do the job is essential.

You want to be sure you have the right person or people on the job for a whole range of reasons, starting from price all the way to licensing and quality of work. Let’s go over them in some detail, to see just how to get the right contractor for your interior renovations project.

Define your Plan

Only when you know exactly what you need or intend to do is when you can start looking for a professional to do it. This is simply because you can get a clear estimate for a job only when the job is defined at least in general terms.

Review Company Portfolios

The internet is great for this, but asking friends is also a good idea. When you’re looking for a new kitchen, find the company with a portfolio of great kitchens they did. Apply this to every aspect of your project, and compare contractors. Every company has its own style and level of craftsmanship, which is usually immediately obvious from examining their portfolio.

Time to Talk Shop

Once you have a few options that make sense, contact them directly, explain what you need and ask for an estimate and a schedule. Both are important aspects, because we all know very well that time is money. You want a reasonable price tag but a clear timeline as well. Don’t forget to ask about licensing if the job requires plumbing and electric work.

Define the Scope of Work and Budget

Once you choose your interior renovations contractor, request an itemized estimate. There should be a clear breakdown of exactly what is included in the estimate and what the budget is for the materials that go into the project.

Good, reliable interior renovations contractors will always gladly present you with one in writing.

One thing is for sure – that’s how we do things in Royal Home Improvements.

Want to know more? Call us now and work with the best!

Kitchen Layout Mistakes to Avoid

Posted on September 23, 2016March 29, 2023 by TSGiM

A poorly designed home can be a major source of frustration, with some rooms being far more frustrating than others when they have built-in layout mistakes.

A bad kitchen layout is without rival as the source of grief and domestic tension. No, this is not overdramatizing, and if you ever lived in a house with a bad kitchen design, you understand perfectly just how true this is.

The kitchen is where the food gets stored, cooked, and often eaten. The potential for a mess in a kitchen is huge, and that’s why if you have one room you decide to invest in – your best choice would be be kitchen renovations over any other remodeling project.

Here are the things that can drive a homeowner insane – each of them warranting a full kitchen remodeling project.

An Obstructed Kitchen Triangle

The sink, stove and fridge – the three cornerstones of any kitchen since the invention of electricity and plumbing. Unlike the bermuda triangle, this one is easy to navigate – but only if it is clear of stuff that can get in the way. Kitchen isles, for example, can be a blessing or a curse, depending on their positioning between them. This also includes countertops that service the triangle – there should be several around the sink, and a few prep spaces between the stove and fridge. The space should also not be too small (less than 10’) or too large (25’ or more).

Insufficient Storage Space

This is the next culprit that can make your kitchen hard to use. If you have inadequate or poorly planned storage in your kitchen, things are going to be hard to store. The result is either you have to get rid of half your cookware, or you have a sprawling mess that slowly spreads all over the place threatening to invade other rooms if it’s demands are not heard. There is hope, of course, even if your kitchen is on the small side. A Toronto kitchen remodeling professional can redesign the cabinetry in a way that makes use of every single cubical inch of space, leaving none wasted. Modern clever contraptions – levers, rails and swivels can make deep cabinets more accessible, using all the space they have to offer minus the backache of crawling into them every time you need to get something from the far corner.

Inadequate Lighting

Let’s leave the cave lighting to the mancave. A kitchen is a workspace, first and foremost. And just like any workspace, it has sharp tools, work areas and lots of materials, most of which are organic. Working in the dark or half-dark in this environment is not only frustrating, but can be potentially dangerous and definitely messy. Any good kitchen remodeling project includes not only a strong area light to flood the entire room, but also well-positioned focus lights for every work area.

Poor Ventilation

Lingering odours of last night’s cooking can spoil even the most spectacular kitchen design. A good, well-placed vent and adjacent windows will save your household from smelling like the inside of a restaurant kitchen. Including a good ventilation system in your next Toronto kitchen remodeling project is an investment not to be overlooked. In addition to the very real contribution of keeping the air fresh, it will keep your fixtures and appliances functioning longer, saving your money on repairs and replacements.

If you are ready to start, and need a professional, or simply wish to discuss options and deals, the professionals at Royal Home Improvement are here for you. Your dream kitchen is a phone call away.

Contemporary Kitchen Remodelling Ideas

Posted on September 10, 2016March 29, 2023 by TSGiM

Kitchens are extremely fun to remodel. There is no other room in the entire house with as many possibilities for combining luxury, gadgetry and style in such a creative fashion.

If you are contemplating a kitchen renovation with a modern design, here are a few trends the industry is enjoying today and will likely take with it into 2017, and well beyond.

Gray is Back and it is the new White

Colors are fading from the definition of what’s modern, and a dignified gray look is taking their vacated place. Even homeowners who usually go for white cabinets are starting to lean towards gray in their choice for what to paint the kitchen. Grey is not as prone to look dirty as white, and does not resemble a bare plaster wall. It has depth, and combining grays of different shades, cleverly offset with black trim – will create a subtle, yet very rich effect.

The Fashion of the Function

Hardware companies designing cabinets constantly come up with new, more durable and far more efficient mechanisms you can install on, in, or onto your cabinets and drawers. Mostly, it’s hydraulic rails and hinges that pop up and fold in at the touch of a button, and the way they slide open is also a marvel – they move out and out of the way – which makes them a true asset in small kitchens. Don’t underestimate the value of customizing your drawers to fit your specific needs!

Happy Sink Colors

Color is coming back to the one place where it was never expected to pop – the sink. Well, it’s about time the dull, purely utilitarian stainless steel dishwashing basin was replaced with something happy and pleasant to the eye. Subtle hues are the main trend, but since ceramic sinks can be any color, we also anticipate new trends in this part of the kitchen renovation project, taking more to color than may be expected initially.

Size Does Matter

When most of the modern kitchen is moving towards subdued colors, the shapes and sizes are where you can make your kitchen remodeling project really shine. No, we’re not going back to the bombastic trends of the 60-s, but large light fixtures and massive bar chairs are in, and are a great way to add a presence to your kitchen design.

Substitute Materials

Yes, real marble, granite and wood will always be the most desired surface materials, but with the granite look-alike counters and amazing, so convincingly wood-looking laminate cabinetry, there is hardly a reason anymore not to save a pretty penny and go for the substitutes.

Automation Trends

Yes, it’s the 21st century and what kitchen is the same without energy saving light switches that are only on when someone’s there, sensor equipped faucets that wait for you to simply gesture for them to turn on the water, ice-cube dispensers in the fridge and meat thermometers with a phone-alert app that lets you know the roast beef’s ready. There is more, much more, but you get the picture. And the beautiful part is those things are not even that expensive anymore!

Want to get your kitchen renovated with the best kitchen remodelling crew in Toronto? Call Royal Home Improvements now and we’ll take care of the rest!

Eieihome.com: Making sense of the building permit process

Posted on August 26, 2016August 26, 2016 by TSGiM

When homeowners dream about renovating, they think about turning existing rooms into beautiful, magazine-worthy spaces.

What they don’t think about is building permits. However, the building permit process is an important part of ensuring that your renovated space is built to code and safe to use after project completion.

eieihome.com spoke to Paul Napolitano, owner of Royal Home Improvements, a residential renovation general contractor about this seldom discussed topic.

“It is important for homeowners to familiarize themselves with the permit process early on. The process requirements are specific and, depending on the scope, can be complicated, so many homeowners choose to have an experienced renovation contractor take care of them,” says Napolitano.

Who needs a building permit? The first thing homeowners should know about permits is that they are required for more than new construction and major home renovations.

Renovation projects that may require a building permit include structural alterations, building a garden shed, pool house or garage larger than ten square meters, finishing a basement, building a deck and even building a tree house (depending on the municipality).

The permit process. The onus is on the homeowner to obtain the permit. However, when working on renovation projects, there are considerable benefits from having a professional obtain the permits for you.

One benefit is timing. The process of obtaining a building permit includes several steps and can take anywhere from weeks to months, depending upon the complexity of the project.

It includes hiring and coordinating architects, as well as multiple types of engineers such as structural, mechanical, electrical and HVAC.

All required documents must be presented to the municipality in a specified format and there is the potential for a presentation of your case to a committee to gain final approval.

“The time to obtain a permit can be expedited by having your contractor manage the permit process.

Renovation general contractors like Royal Home Improvements have experience and qualified partners they work with regularly to prepare the drawings and reports, prepare and submit permit applications and represent the homeowner at permit application hearings.” Napolitano tells us. “Delays are more common when homeowners obtain their own permits”.

Having an experienced contractor apply for the building permits also provides the benefit of having a knowledgeable representative answering the technical questions raised by the building department.

When the permit is granted it is the homeowners’ responsibility to ensure it is physically on site before construction begins.

“Fees, fines and delays to construction are all likely if work proceeds without a building permit.” Napolitano says.

“For the homeowner it is important to plan for a successful renovation and deciding how to gain the permit is an important aspect of that planning. The homeowner has to make this important decision.”

Royal Home Improvements has been renovating homes in the GTA for over 40 years. Call Royal Home Improvements at 416.236.4400 or visit
www.royalhomeimprovements.ca to request a free estimate.

— Visit eieihome.com for more renovation stories, read contractor reviews and find local service professionals.

Source: This article was originally published on TorontoSun.