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Not all that glitters will give you a good return on investment. Say you pour a few thousand bucks into lavish lighting fixtures. You might think your sparkling ceiling-mounted lights will dazzle buyers when you’re trying to sell your home.

In reality, many glitzy home improvement projects like this will be a turnoff for home buyers. Your expensive renovation project could even be ripped out of the house once the purchaser signs the final contract. Not only did your project put off buyers, but it was all for nothing.

If you aren’t careful about home renovations, you could lose a ton of cash. Here are some renovations we think you should carefully consider before going ahead.

• Wallpaper: It’s an acquired taste. Plus, it takes a long time to remove. Older wallpaper leaves sticky residue in its wake. You might even find wall damage underneath the paper! It’s better to paint your walls a single colour.

• Constructing a high-end master suite. While it makes your home more impressive, it also comes with a ROI average of 47.7%. That means you probably won’t recoup half of what you spent.

• Major kitchen remodels: You install custom cabinets, new lighting, stone countertops and expensive appliances. This is something you do for your own enjoyment rather than the desire to make your money back.

• Combining bedrooms: Sure, maybe this will work for your needs, but down the line, it might throw off buyers. People want more rooms for their own uses. Turning a 3-bedroom home into one with only two could lower your home’s value. Usually, the more rooms the better.

• Tile patterns: If you have unique, personalized tiling, that can put buyers off. Instead of admiring the pattern, they might be thinking about how much time and money a replacement project would take. It’s okay to have an upgraded tile floor, but don’t go for something out there like black-and-white tiles.

• Wall-to-wall carpeting: Just like with tiles, buyers will see this feature as a potential cost. They’ll wonder how much it will cost to remove. Just think about it: Who wants a carpet in the kitchen? Wall-to-wall carpeting doesn’t offer much flexibility when it comes to flooring, so avoid this excess.

• Bold paint colours: Maybe you really love dark red walls or bright purple to set the mood. But this might put off buyers. If there’s too much of “you” in the house, buyers might not be able to see themselves living here. Use something simple and neutral instead. Here are some of the best paint colours for selling your home.

• Mismatched architecture styles: Say you have a home with a main exterior that matches Spanish eclectic architecture. But the windows are styled like Tudor houses, or the interior is Colonial. Incongruent details can weird out buyers and throw the look of the house off.

• Sunken den: Sunken living rooms were all the rage in the 1960s. Over time, they fell out of fashion, but if you love that groovy look, you might consider upgrading your home to add more dimension to your living space. Sure, it can make your home feel more spacious. Sure, it’s a cosy place for intimate entertainment. But it’s not easy for people with mobility issues — and it comes with a big risk of falling and injuries.

• Fancy textures on the walls or ceilings: You might like the way this looks. But like many other features on this list, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Many buyers will sigh and think to themselves, “It’s going to cost a pretty penny to get rid of this.”

If you are thinking about renovating, then give the team a call to discuss your thoughts, our experts will advise you on your best options moving forward and give you their honest and professional opinion on what may or may not work for you home.

Kitchens are no longer viewed as a room with the sole purpose of cooking. Nowadays, the kitchen is central to the home and is one of the most important rooms. It is the space where a large amount of time is spent, where things are stored, where kids have fun with their art and craft supplies, where entertaining happens, the list goes on! So, it is no secret that having a good kitchen makes a huge difference when it comes to buying or selling a home.  That’s why renovating your kitchen is beneficial. Have a look at the tips below to make sure you renovate your kitchen in the best way possible!

1. Know the size of your kitchen

Knowing the size of your kitchen will make your renovation plans so much easier. Measuring your kitchen correctly allows you to design a kitchen area that maximises the space that you have available. This is so important for such a high traffic area. Knowing the space that you’re working with also allows you to answer questions like “Can I have an island bench?”, and “How much bench space will fit?”, as well as allowing you to shop around for all your appliances and fixtures with ease.

2. Know how you will use your kitchen space

Once you know the size of your kitchen, you can define how you’ll use this space. Will it just be used for cooking, or will it be more of a living space? Nowadays, kitchens are becoming much more of a living space, even if the room is quite small. Just look at the increasingly popular Scandinavian style that perfectly combines small spaces with liveability. Because of this, you need to carefully consider how you will combine cooking, activities and dining all into the one space. One activity should not prevent the others from working well by being too cumbersome.

3. Know your budget

Renovating often incurs unexpected costs from little issues here and there. But the main reason for these expensive surprise costs is because a well-thought-out budget has not been defined before starting renovating. So, avoid being surprised and work out your budget with your renovation specialist before starting.

4. Figure out your work triangle – sink, fridge, and stove

The work triangle is a design idea conceptualised to help create efficient kitchen working spaces. This shape is made by drawing a triangle between the sink, the fridge, and the stove, to help define the space where the main kitchen activities will occur. So, think about your work triangle to create an efficient kitchen that will ensure you are not running all over the place!

5. Use samples for splash backs, tiles, and bench tops

Using samples is a great way to help choose the colour palette of your kitchen. It is often quite hard to choose the colouring of a kitchen and it is something that you want to get right. Using samples helps you visualise which colour combinations work best. If you are renovating a small kitchen, it’s preferable to avoid putting too many statement colours on the walls as this can be quite overbearing. Home buyers tend to like neutral colours on the walls in the kitchen, so if you think you might sell your home in the future, this is something to keep in mind. If you absolutely love statement colours, another option is to use smaller touches of colour. For example, you can use coloured tiles, mirrors or brushed steel on the wall or backsplash, or invest in coloured appliances!

6. Maximise storage

The kitchen is a room that needs storage: pans, cutlery, spices, perhaps even school notices. So, to keep this space neat and tidy, storage is a must: hooks, cupboards, shelves, you can never have too much! Remember that no space is too tiny to be used. There are cupboards designed to help with awkward kitchen corners. Creating storage can also double up as decorative elements such as wooden shelving on the walls.

If you would like to discuss your ideas for renovating your kitchen but not sure where to start, just give our team a call and book in a chat with our team of experts who can help get you started.

Are you planning your new home design? Wondering which new home design trends you could incorporate?

Or are you considering renovating part of your home?

With the new year, several new home design trends have sprouted. Many designers and building and renovation experts have said that the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced new home design trends for 2021. There is now a fundamental change in how we view our homes.

Vogue recently asked several top designers what they think would be the new home design trends for this year. The prevailing answer was that home design for 2021 will equate to comfort, especially since people are now spending more time at home, even in locations where the lockdown has been lifted.

Other design trends incorporate multi-functional living spaces to accommodate increasing work from home setups, and even ways to accommodate new hobbies that started during the pandemic. Even upgrades to new home technology are on the rise.

Here are some new home trends to consider:

Home offices

Many people don’t like to bring work home but were “forced” to do so during the pandemic. Working at the kitchen table or in the living room is definitely not appealing for many. Not only do you need a conducive environment to work, but also a space that looks presentable during those frequent video calls and online meetings.

Nature overload

Most of us love outdoor living. There is a growing trend in connecting the outdoor area to the indoors, as well as choosing materials with earthly, natural and organic feels. Having natural light, with floor-to-ceiling windows, without having to leave the house is a popular trend.

For outdoor settings, designs are predicted to be lush and highlighted with people having strong desire to connect with nature this year.

Outdoor dining areas

With people staying more at home, dining out with family and friends less often, outdoor entertainment is highlighted in home designs. Whether it’s a gazebo, a deck or patio, the outdoor space now increasingly doubly functions as an open-air dining area.

Adaptable living space

Again, having a multi-purpose area is in. Consider having a space with non-permanent walls which can be shifted to extend the room. Your home will be adaptable to the needs of your family.

Colourful and homely colours

Several designers are predicting that neutral colours will be out, and more colourful interiors will be in. Colours like yellow or a contrasting pop of colour added in a room with a more neutral tone. People want to stay away from any feeling of bleakness.

We had a tough year in 2020, and people want to have a more positive vibe in the house, which could be translated through colours.

Changes in the bathroom

Copper and brass for fixtures in the bathroom, not only because of their chic style but also because of their antibacterial qualities. You could also consider incorporating smart bathroom ideas, like automatic washbasins and touchless flushing toilets.

Designer kitchens

It is not a surprise that a lot of people found cooking and baking as a new pastime last year.

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, and for 2021, a spacious, functional but very stylish kitchen is a must. A kitchen that is fit for a chef is the trend this year.

To discuss the new home design trends that you could implement in a new home for you and your family, contact All Spec Build WA for a free consultation.

A revival of old-fashioned styles, arts and craft and organic textures are just some of the trends we can expect to see more of in 2021.

2020 has been a challenging year to say the least and with so much change and uncertainty impacting our lives right now, it can be hard to even look ahead, let alone plan-ahead.

COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way we live, so it’s not surprising it is already having a huge influence on the way we design, decorate, and use our homes.

Interior design trends don’t evolve in a bubble. They are a direct response to world events and 2020 is as they say ‘unprecedented’.

Here we share an insight into some of the interior trends we can expect to see more of this into 2021.

ARTS AND CRAFTS

The pandemic is a perfect storm for DIYers. We have time at home to relearn handicrafts as we create personal pieces for the home. We will be experimenting with ceramics, tie-dye, quilting, knitting and macramé. Not only do we find satisfaction and pride in our newly learned skills, but old-fashioned crafts to help calm anxieties.

GRANDMILLENNIAL STYLE

Speaking of old-fashioned crafts, it seems as though Millennials are growing tired of same-same spaces, white-on-white interiors, and the pressure to be ‘modern’ and are instead seeking respite in the revival of traditional styles. Just like feminine florals, gingham prints, puffy sleeves and frills are back on the catwalk, Chintz, micro florals, wicker and cane furniture, antiques, fringing, and wallpaper are back in Vogue thanks to a new trend known as Grandmillennial style.

NATURAL TEXTURES

We will see a lot of strong textures such as more rustic looking wood where we can feel the grain and natural stone full of character. We will embrace the imperfections of authentic natural materials and move away from look-alike materials like porcelain with a marble look and sleek looking man-made surfaces. We want to see and feel materials with natural textures like wool, linen, wood, and stone – the opposite of the screens we spend a lot of hours looking at.

CHEERFUL COLOURS

During this time in the middle of a pandemic we feel uncertain and frankly, things are looking bleak. The last thing we want is for our homes to look dull and depressing especially as we’re spending more time than ever at home. Expect to be seeing a move away from colourless shades of grey, black and white that makes us feel nothing. More than ever, we need to feel optimistic, so we turn to yellow. Yellow is a friendly colour, it’s happy and a little simple.

Yellow in our homes it may seem unusual and even a little scary but used the right way it gives a cheerful cosiness. From sophisticated ochres and mustard to blonde and warm beige and bold yellow, there are many tones of yellow that make it accessible to use at home.

EVERYDAY LUXURIES

We’re spending more time than ever at home and need our homes to make us feel good. The ‘lipstick effect’ during COVID might be a luxury scented candle, new bed linen, beautiful cushions, or a luxurious scented hand soap. These small things for the home give us an uplift and brighten up our environment. Rather than spending on a large renovation, they are an inexpensive way to bring about some cheerful changes at home.

BUYING LOCAL

People are showing a greater tendency to buy locally, a “huge shift in thinking as we look to avoid lengthy shipping delays from overseas suppliers. We’re looking at local makers for special custom pieces such as entertainment units and dining tables. There will be a renewed interest in locally made pieces that are unique to our needs and taste.

At All Spec Build WA we want to help you achieve your dream home goals. Give the team a call to 6373 2494 to discuss how you can make those goals a reality.

1. The rise of a subdued natural aesthetic

As a counterbalance to technological advances (such as the commercialisation of space travel), soon our homes’ looks will lean toward down-to-earth interiors. Think decor that promotes balance and wellness, acceptance, and calm, alongside an understanding that simple, decluttered spaces are healthful mentally and physically. Expect this to be seen in the rise of:

Shimmering metallics, including an increased use of copper, which has antimicrobial qualities, to rival black as an accent colour in the kitchen and bathroom.

Neutral colours and earth tones.

Natural materials.

Simple chunky shapes.

Elemental patterns in art and design.

2. Colour palettes that embrace browns, soft terracotta’s, and muted-stone hues

In line with embracing a natural aesthetic, colour palettes will begin to reflect more warm earth-fired colours such as metal ores, russet shades, soft terracotta, and browns.

These grounding colours work well with our bright, light-filled homes and predominantly white or neutral-hued interior walls.

3. Shapes and forms that reference a kind of ‘primitive minimalism’

Expect a rise in ‘caveman’ aesthetics and rustic minimalism soon. To some extent this reflects the collective psychological state of people who, having experienced Covid-19 lockdowns, are seeking products that can tangibly help them endure challenges.

Aesthetically this means a return to ‘basic-ness’ of style. Except, unlike the past when this celebrated mass manufacturing, inherent in this trend is the rejection of disposable culture and instead an embracing of artisan-made, ethically produced, imperfect-looking pieces that are robust and enduring.

Expect to see:

Exaggerations of scale.

Chunkiness of form.

Seating that is generously proportionally and sometimes deeply patterned.

4. Indigenous patterns, natural materials

Another important development is the display of materials and textiles that have a vegetal rawness and show the hand of people in their creation. Think wax-resist dyed fabrics, batik and Malian cotton.

Expect to see:

More Indigenous patterns and respectful references to Indigenous art.

Looking at building a designer home? Book All Spec Build WA in for a consult today the team will happily sit down with you to discuss your ideas.

1. Check Your Home for Damage

After the storm has passed, you should check your home to learn the extent of the damage. Not all of it will be immediately obvious. Keep in mind there could be slippery areas, electrical lines broken and exposed, loose floorboards or ceiling tiles, etc.

2. Review and Assess the Damage to Your Home

Before you contact your insurance company to start a claim, you need to go take pictures of the damage. Often, these pictures are used to help the insurance adjuster access the damage. There are several areas of your home that are most vulnerable to storm damage.

Windows and doors are vulnerable to wind damage and flying debris. Inspect windows for cracks, holes, broken panes, and damaged frames. Watch out for shards of glass and be sure to board up broken windows until they can be fixed.

3. Contact Your Insurance Provider

If you have insurance, you should get compensation if your home or business gets damaged by a storm. You need to document the loss you’ve suffered as a result of the storm. Take photos of the damage before anything has been moved or removed and document any extra costs that you incur because of the damage.

4. Choose the Right Contractor to Restore Your Home

It’s important to hire a professional and trustworthy contractor to help you recover your home. Poor or incomplete restoration will leave you with an unhealthy home for your family. Any time there is potential water damage, mould can begin growing immediately as well. It’s critical to address and remedy this as soon as possible to avoid additional damage and health risk. At All Safe WA we have seen it all when it comes to storm damage. Whatever your situation is, we are experienced and can help you restore it.

Halfway into 2021, it appears the working from home scenario many of us adopted in 2020 may be here to stay in some capacity – whether through lifestyle choice or necessity. Either way, we may find ourselves looking around our hastily prepared home office spaces of last year wondering how we can make them more appealing and productive. So, we’ve put together a list of key home office trends for 2021.

Light – Create a working space that is light filled and fresh. A dark, moody environment will make it even harder to be productive when you’re struggling for motivation or inspiration. Maximise natural light, avoid heavy or overly patterned window treatments and go for a minimalist look and feel. Use a table lamp to provide soft lighting.

Colour – While a neutral colour palette lends itself to a focused environment, a lot can be said for injecting some colour into your home office – especially when you’re missing out on the ‘colour’ that face-to-face co-workers provide. A happy medium? Keep your walls, flooring, and window coverings neutral and add splashes of colour with a bright floor rug, statement chair, inspiring artwork or indoor plants.

Indoor plants – Not only do they bring the outdoors in, provide a calming, relaxed environment and look great, they also clean the air. A must for keeping your home office fresh. Think Peace Lilly, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Mother-in-law’s Tongue and trailing plants like Devil’s Ivy or Chain of Hearts.

Backdrop – The thing that nobody thought of as we started working from home? The Zoom or video call backdrop. Have you started a video meeting only to realise your co-workers or clients have a direct view into your bathroom? Or kids and pets are running past the doorway? Start your backdrop off with a blank wall and add a side table with some books, plants, or a piece of art.

Furniture – It goes without saying your home office desk and chair are crucial to your productivity. While it’s important to have pieces that are visually appealing, their ergonomic design and functionality can’t be overlooked. Whether you go for a classic desk, a console table with thin metal legs, a wide desk fixed to a wall or windowsill or a traditional desk with drawers and storage, comfort and size are key. Similarly with your chair. It may be tempting to have that spectacular looking piece of furniture in your home office, but the reality is after a few hours of sitting you’ll be wishing you went for the more practical, deep, wide chair with a range of height, back and head adjustments. If you can, strike a happy balance between comfort, functionality and design.

And most importantly when working from home – remember to switch off at the end of the day. Don’t be tempted to check your emails or finish that report instead of dinner with family, connecting with friends or unwinding with a book.

Looking to create a space to work from home? Give us a call to discuss how we can help get it done!

Whether you’re planning a renovation, gathering ideas to start, or you just have an interest in the home design field, home renovation blogs are a great place to get ideas and inspiration. Blogs can show many sides of a renovation that you may not know. They can also offer advice, and other ideas that can be useful to you, no matter where you are in your renovation process.

• Three Birds Renovations

Run by three friends, Three Birds Renovations blog is a well-designed, information-filled site with lots of tips, inspiration, and start-to-finish remodeling ideas. With photos and visual inspiration, as well, you’ll find get your creativity up and running.

• Emily Henderson

HGTV host and stylist Emily Henderson runs a blog with a lot of beautiful photos, ideas, and tips for remodelling and staging your home. Look for specific projects or trends and materials you can use in your home.

• The Inspired Room

The blog at The Inspired Room is designed to help you find the right style and materials for your current home. With lots of advice and photos, you’re sure to come away inspired and ready to start.

• Houzz

If you want to find the latest trends, as well as information and ideas on materials, furnishings, and projects, then be sure to check out the blog at Houzz. This powerhouse website is filled with information that you can tailor to meet your needs perfectly.

📲 Looking at getting a renovation or addition done? Give the team a call today 6373 2494!

Planning to sell your home? The best way to maximise profits is by creating a well-maintained property that new owners can move into without doing major work. Here are 10 easy steps to renovate for profit.

1. Refinish the floors

Ripping out carpet or old floor tiles is a large-scale improvement for maximum impact but not necessarily a cheap one.

Pull up the grungy carpet and put down a hard surface like laminate floorboards, or real timber if the budget allows, to radically change the property.

For maximum impact go for laminated spotted gum floorboards in high gloss, they can make your property look like a designer home.

2. Spruce up with paint

For every dollar you invest in painting you’ll typically get a $5 to $10 return.

It’s one of the most powerful ways to transform a property. Applying just one coat of fresh paint to ceilings brightens the space. For walls choose a modern, classic scheme.

The no-go color is yellow as it can date fast, go for colors like light clay, mocha, cream, natural stone and earth tones.

3. Update interior doors

When it comes to internal doors there’s no need to replace them.

There are lots of drab timber doors that simply need to be cosmetically refreshed with paint and a new handle. You don’t have to buy costly door handles as there are some really great fake clones.

Go for either curved or straight lines but not both. Straight is better because it’s more modern so the
look tends to lasts longer.

4. Turn up the lights

One of the first things to do is rip out the single pendant lights and install halogen or LED recessed downlighting. The objective is to lighten and brighten.

5. Dress the windows

Installing window treatments is an essential home makeover job and important to get right.

Dark curtains block light and aren’t the best option for people suffering allergies.

They tend to detract from a light, bright and airy home. Blinds generally cost less and give a more modern look. The trend at the moment is for slimline venetians because they cost so little and you can simply buy them to install easily.

Match your fixtures and furnishings to your home, making them relative to the property’s worth

6. Resurface the kitchen

Buyers identify the bathroom and kitchen as the two big cost centres. After they buy, replacing the kitchen can cost them up to $20,000 plus another $15,000 in the bathroom.

So they could potentially discount your property by up to $35,000 if those areas aren’t renovated. But of course you can do them for less.

7. Refresh the bathroom

If a bathroom has good bones but everything’s dated with the wrong colors then refresh with tile paint and resurfacing. You can get a new look in just a day for a fraction of the cost by keeping the existing fixtures.

8. Revamp the entrance

Instant kerb appeal means potential buyers stop and look at the property instead of driving past.

The top jobs are cleaning up with a high-pressure washer, painting and fixing the fence.

If the fence needs replacing build to the maximum height allowed.

9. Update the driveway

To give paths and driveways a facelift, use paving paint.

Poor driveways and pathways can pull down the value of the rest of the property. It’s like baking a cake then forgetting to ice it.

10. Green up the lawn

Many homeowners concrete the front yard for easier maintenance but turf is a highly valued commodity. People love having a lawn at the front and back, it’s added bling.

Are you thinking about a renovation? Then contact us today to discuss what you have in mind.

Call AllGroup WA 6373 2494, the team are ready to discuss your ALL projects, big or small.

Whether you’re planning to knock down some walls or touch up your bathroom or kitchen, you may need to borrow some money to pay for the material and labor costs. One of the options is to refinance your home loan and free up some cash to pay for the renovations.

Also called a cash-out refinance, this option lets you tap into your home equity by refinancing your home loan to increase your borrowing. The difference may be withdrawn in cash to pay for renovations or to meet other personal expenses. A few lenders also let you access the money as a flexible line of credit. Some borrowers may find this option better suited for long-term renovation projects, as it offers periodical payments when needed (up to the loan limit).

Your equity is the difference between the current value of your home and the outstanding amount on your mortgage. If you’ve been making regular mortgage repayments for a few years, and your property has increased in value since you purchased it, you may have built equity that can be leveraged to pay for a renovation project.

With a cash-out refinance, you can use this equity to borrow up to 80 per cent of the current value of a property. You are also likely to get a more competitive interest rate than other financing options, like a personal loan. Besides, with interest rates being at an all-time low, refinancing to a lower rate could potentially save you in interest costs.

Comparing home loans for refinancing from different lenders is one way to find a competitive deal to get more out of your mortgage. You may start by comparing similar home loan products online to see how your current interest rate stacks up against the market average. If you find your lender is charging you more than what they’re charging new customers for a similar product, you could call them up to negotiate a better rate and top-up your loan to avoid the costs and paperwork involved in switching lenders. If that doesn’t work out, you have the option of changing lenders to get access to a better rate and features.

In either case, inform your lender about the requirement for extra renovation funds and how you plan to spend them. Different types of renovations are covered by different types of loans, and a lender might suggest another alternative more suitable for your requirements. For instance, if you need to do some major work like raising the roof, a construction loan may be worth considering. Or, if you’ve been making additional repayments on your home loan, redrawing some of these advance payments could help to finance a minor cosmetic renovation.

If you aren’t sure about the financing option that’s best for you, discussing your requirement with a broker can help. A decent broker will help you evaluate your choices better and also try to negotiate a more favourable rate and terms with your lender.

What to keep in mind while refinancing your home loan for renovations

When planning a renovation project, it helps to be clear about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it to keep the costs under control. Discussing your plans with an expert will give you a ballpark figure for the project. It will also help you ascertain whether the modifications are likely to add any value to your home or not. For example, you might be considering some cosmetic changes to your bathroom without realising the extensive plumbing work it might entail. An expert will tell you about these costs in advance so you can plan your budget accordingly.

Once you have an estimate, you may choose to apply with a lender to refinance your mortgage and increase how much you borrow to pay for the project. However, increasing your debt is likely to increase your monthly repayments. So make sure you have the capacity to repay the additional debt in the long run, or you might find yourself falling behind on your repayments. If you don’t want the monthly repayments to increase, you may choose to increase the loan term, but remember, this could increase the cost of the loan over the longer term as well.

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