While you love your neighbourhood, your garden and the kids’ schools, your kitchen was already outdated a decade ago, you have toddlers in need of a playroom – or teens yearning for a little space of their own. Maybe you just want to move your “home office” out of the living room.
Sound familiar?
In the past, families would often move houses every five to seven years, upsizing or downsizing according to the family’s needs. But today’s real estate market is changing that. Instead, we’re investing in the homes we love – or could love, with a little help.
“The right home renovation is about taking the home you already love and transforming it to suit you and your family today. It’s also an investment – you’re adding value to your home today, and building equity for tomorrow,” explains Stephen Tomes, owner of Langley’s Kingsmere Construction and New Trendz Flooring and More, which features flooring, cabinets, countertops and other renovation essentials.
Transforming yesterday’s homes for today’s families
For those living in the Lower Mainland’s established neighbourhoods, the very things they love – the network of families, established schools, parks and greenspaces, for example – often accompany homes that reflect an earlier time.
Older homes typically feature compartmentalized spaces, with closed-off kitchens and separated family and living rooms that make it hard to keep an eye on the kids and socialize with guests. And at a time when we’re asking our homes to do more, whether it’s accommodating a home office or a separate suite for aging parents, the wasted space of an unused formal dining room or unfinished basement makes no sense at all!
“Rising interest rates and high housing costs are encouraging more people to stay put, and instead of moving, invest in making their home one they love come home to,” Tomes says.
For those concerned about committing to a more substantial project all at once, phasing a renovation is the ideal solution.
“If you have a longer wishlist, break it down into manageable sections. Think about the area that’s frustrating you most right now and starting there, or consider what makes sense for your family today, and what will be more important a few years down the road,” Tomes says. “Maybe an open, family kitchen is important while the children are younger, but a second bathroom will be a life-saver once they’re teens.”
To get the help you need to make your home renovation dreams a reality, call Kingsmere Construction at
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