Mourning the fact that all of your children are grown and leaving the nest? Cheer up by working on some  home renovations . Below, you'll find home renovation ideas that are ideal for empty nesters. Create Bigger Rooms When you have a bunch of kids living under one roof, you're more or less forced into buying a home with many small bedrooms. But now that you no longer have lots of people living with you, there's no need to settle for sleeping in a tiny bedroom. Go ahead and tear down the walls. Turn those smaller bedrooms into one big bedroom suite. Looking around at the relaxing and spacious room in your new suite will keep you from missing the kids too much. Combine the Guest Room and Home Office Yes, you'll want to have a comfy place for your kids to sleep whenever they come home to visit. However, there's...

Whether it is a new addition to the family, a new lifestyle need or simply the desire to spruce up the old homestead,  home additions  can make the difference between increasing the functionality of your property and looking for a realtor to undertake the costly process of selling your home and buying another one. But there are some rules to the process. If you want to maximize your return on investment and also enhance the overall look and feel of your home, three cardinal rules set you up for success. Go for size.  When you are considering an addition to your home,  This Old House  experts urge consumers to add functional rooms such as master suites or family rooms. Noting that “bigger homes command higher prices,” going for an adequate square footage is a must. While it is tempting to add just a small sun room, remember that these additions do...

A successful  home renovation  can turn into a taxing ordeal when easily avoidable mistakes begin to tarnish its progress. Fortunately, composing a detailed plan, before starting your remodel, helps eliminate unnecessary hiccups from slowing down or even halting your schedule. To ensure you reach your remodeling goal without facing numerous obstacles, we've listed 3 renovating mistakes that are commonly made by homeowners. Underestimating the cost of your remodel can leave you with an unfinished project. Before you start spending, sit down and hash out a realistic budget with your contractor. Remember, you need to consider every possible angle, which means you should set at least 10 percent of your budget aside for unexpected expenses. Unfortunately, neglecting to do so can leave you clamoring for money towards the end of your renovation. Also, as the project progresses, reanalyze your budget and make proactive changes before any serious money issues begin to form....

A great question. Something that many homeowners who are ready to begin a big project may be asking. The short answer is, if you didn't see this coming, yes. A  general contractor  is an important facet to getting a big job done, organizing all the details, managing the sub-contractors, and ensuring the quality of work.  General contractors work in a different realm than sub-contractors. They use the "big picture," and have their hand in every pot going on. Their specialty isn't relegated to simply electrical, plumbing, or building, they have years of experience coupled with vast knowledge of the entire building process. They step in to make sure the job's done, and will not leave until you are satisfied. Self-Contained If you chose to hire a general contractor from the onset, what you get is a complete and organized team. That's because general contractors typically have their own crew, who are...

If you have been trying to come up with a reason to remodel your bathroom, then look no further. In this post, we'll outline, detail, and help you come to the revelation that a  bathroom remodel  is exactly what you and your home needs. Here are 5 reasons to remodel your bathroom. Reason #1: Resale While a bathroom remodel will no doubt benefit you, the homeowner, for personal reasons and luxury, it will also help you in the future when it comes time to sell. Remember, bathrooms sell houses. Even if the rest of the house is top notch, if a potential buyer thinks a bathroom is outdated or will be too much work, they may shy away from buying. Reason #2: Added value You have probably already thought of the costs of remodeling, but have you considered how much value a newly remodeled bathroom can add to your home? We're...

Planning  home remodeling  in your kitchen, bathroom or another room is fun.  You get to create the image of the room you want.  Making it come to life isn't a fairy tale.  It's going to take days, weeks or months piecing every element together and you're not ready for it.  It's not going to be easy when you have children, noise and unexpected, nosy guests coming to a head too.  You must keep it together.  Combat the stress with knowledge, organization and patience. Knowledge: Contact a remodeling professional that's experienced, licensed and priced within your budget.  Talk to the contractor or remodeling professional about the route they're going with this project.  Make sure you get a systematic outline of the task.  You'll know how far along they are and how much is left.  Talk about supplies and should you bring anything.  If the task must finish by a certain date for...