Make the Most of Your Home Restoration

Since the turn of the century, few industries have experienced the success of the home improvement industry. As people take more and more pride in their homes, home improvement contractors have grown more integral to furnishing a home with a new or refurbished look.

While some projects can be handled by a capable do-it-yourselfer, others are best left to the professionals. Such is the case when restoring a home, particularly an older one. Older homes are often in need of the most work, and that work typically requires the skill of a trained professional. But that doesn't mean homeowners should trust everything to the contractor. In fact, knowing about a successful home restoration can help ensure the vision of the home that's in your mind is the same vision you'll see once the restoration is completed.

* Avoid mixing and matching. Many contractors find older homes are the most fun to work on because they present the greatest challenge. That challenge, however, lies in completing the project and not overhauling the entire home. That's because a complete or even partial overhaul disregards an older home's period and style, depriving it of its uniqueness in the process. While it might seem like a great idea to add today's most modern trend, in 10 years that trend might not be as popular, and the home's unique and original architectural elements will very likely be unavailable. When restoring an older home, embrace its history and the period it represents.

* Emphasize more effective and efficient insulation. The majority of older homes in need of restoration are also in dire need of better insulation. To put this into perspective, today's homeowners should recall childhood trips to Grandma's or Grandpa's. Such trips, if taken during the winter months, no doubt required packing an extra sweater or two to survive a house that always seemed cold.

Chances are, that cold house was not because Grandma and Grandpa were averse to heat. Instead, they likely just lived in a home with outdated and inefficient insulation. Today, a restoration project should employ a solution such as Comfort Foam(R) from BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises when addressing and replacing outdated insulation. Comfort Foam allows homeowners to maintain their home's unique interior style while adding structural strength, insulation and air barrier material in one convenient step. An easy-to-use spray-installed product, Comfort Foam fills voids that are hard to seal with traditional insulation.

* Save your home and some money. When fixing up or restoring a home, it's best to look for ways in which you can save both the home as well as some money. This doesn't mean fixing a home on the cheap, but instead looking for products that can help save money long term. 

To learn  about BASF products, visit www.basf-pfe.com. 

Kangas Home Improvements Specializes in historic restorations and renovations