3 Things To Consider For A Renovation Later In Life
When you have a strong connection to your home but your lifestyle and needs are changing, a home renovation can be a great solution. This sentiment rings especially true if you love the area you live in and you’ve become part of the fabric of your community.
Whether it’s because you need a more accessible home, your children have moved out or you just want a change – moving house is not the only option. ARG can help you redesign your current home to integrate modern convenience, practicality and style. We help people create their home’s next chapter – instead of rewriting the whole book!
In this blog, we’ll go through some of the key things you should consider if you’re getting older and wiser and you want to renovate accordingly.
The first step for any functional renovation project is to have a consultation with an expert renovation builder, who will ask you a range of questions to gain an understanding of your requirements and advise you on design and budget. Next is to meet with their designer, to expand on these details and develop the conceptual plans for your home transformation. There are three key aspects of your renovation worth thinking about before you begin: family, accessibility, amenities.
Family
A principal consideration for a renovation is your family. Chances are, your family circumstances are now different to when you purchased your home. Maybe your adult children have grown up and moved out, maybe you’re planning to have an ageing parent or parents move in with you, or maybe you have young grandchildren you’ll be babysitting often. The way you use your house will change and a renovation should reflect that. You could adapt a spare bedroom to become a second “master suite” with walk-in-robe and convert a formal dining room into an ensuite & kitchenette or turn a disused games room into a home gym. Clever adjustments to the interior can help these transformations look like they were always meant to be!
Accessibility
Accessibility is another key consideration if you’re renovating – and to make sure you get the most from your project, you want to think ahead. If you’ve been retired for a while, you want to plan so that you can stay living independently for as long as possible. Thinking of your future mobility, this could include replacing a staircase with a lift. If you fall into the 40s-50s age bracket, you might not need to start thinking about installing handrails in the shower but instead consider how the house could adapt to comfortably accommodate an ageing parent. By drawing from liveable home principles, our designers can improve the accessibility of your home without taking away the aesthetic appeal – whether it’s replacing a bath with a shower or opting for lower kitchen counters.
Amenities
When renovating, home amenities make all the difference. If you’re committing to a new vision for the home you love, it’s the perfect time to consider what would make it even more lovable! Do you have a dark, dingy room that could be light-filled with installation of French doors or sliding stackers? Do you want to refresh your kitchen by re-designing your cabinetry or adding an island bench? You might like to “re imagine” your bathrooms with high-end fixtures & finishes or perhaps replace a bath with a walk-in-shower. Maybe it’s time to upgrade to the beautiful jarrah floorboards you’ve always wanted. The opportunities are endless. Of course, you don’t need to go crazy on the amenities – but there’s no point in planning a half-hearted renovation you don’t really love. If you’re committing to your home for another decade, you should make the most of the chance to incorporate elements you’ve dreamed of and yearned for.
By considering family, accessibility and amenities before you chat with a builder, you can make sure you’ll get the most out of your renovation, as well as increase the value of your home.
Are you ready to bring the next chapter of your home to life? Every home has a story and at Australian Renovation Group, we pride ourselves on helping you continue that story to reflect your changing lifestyle.
Reach out for a quote or Call (08) 9244 4462 today!