Photo: Turn-Key Projects

Safety First

Safety is paramount – both for your renovation team and your family. If you’re doing the work yourself, make sure you have all the right tools and protective equipment before you start. You should also have all the right permissions and be able to come up to code.

You also need to follow these tips:

• wear the right clothing – if you’re spraying paint, herbicides or any other potentially hazardous compound, you should be covered from head to toe, ideally with boiler suits and masks;

• wear ear defenders or earplugs if some of the work will be noisy;

• look after your eyes – you should wear safety goggles if you’re drilling, spraying, chopping or sawing;

• respect your ladder – follow the four-to-one rule – for every four feet of height, the bottom of the ladder should be one foot away from the wall, and

• follow your city’s safety codes in your renovations – your bright ideas might not be as safe as you imagine.

Photo: Turn-Key Projects

Now You’ve Started

Now you’re all prepared and ready to go, you should still be careful. If you’re painting, you need to have good ventilation, so open windows or use a fan. Some paints have volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause dizziness and lung problems.

Beware Of Dust

If you’re knocking down a wall, or using drywall, sanding or installing insulation, there will be dust that can irritate lungs and skin. It’s a good idea to put up safety signs to warn people about these hazards.

If you’re undertaking a dusty job, make sure you shake your clothes off, wipe your feet and maybe even shower off with a hose before going back into your home.

Stay Away for the Night

Some jobs take a few days – painting and sanding in particular – so why not stay in a hotel for a few nights? It’ll help your lungs and your stress levels as you won’t be tempted to stay up late perfecting that wall…

Photo: Turn-Key Projects

End on a Safe Note

Just because the work is finished doesn’t mean you can relax on the health and safety – has all the dust gone? Have you cleaned all air vents? Look at this checklist before you consider your work done:

• clean the walls down – go over walls and moldings with a soft brush or towel;
• vacuum all carpets several times to pick up any dust or particles and mop any tiled or wooden flooring;
• store your tools away safely, including ladders, nails and saws, and
• change your air filters, as dust collects here really strongly, affecting air quality and your boiler.

Photo: Temac Development Inc.

Beef up Security

As you’re in the renovation zone, you might want to think about installing motion sensors around your outer entrances, as well as lights to deter would-be thieves. Replace broken or burnt-out bulbs in your backyard, too, as thieves hate light!

Add a peep-hole to your door – most people don’t think about this, but it’s such a simple way to increase your security. How many times have you opened the door without being certain who’s there?

We put SO much love into our homes, so it’s not surprising that many of us develop the property improvement bug. With thousands of fabulous and easy DIY projects on the web, it makes us want to try everything to make our homes look the best. Even when you move into a brand new space, it’s rare to think that everything is perfect – there’s always something you can do to put your mark on it. And if this is your home for years, changes can be made as your kids grow up and your tastes evolve.

Since summer is one of the perfect times to start a home reno project, we’ve searched the web for some of our favorite inspirational ideas. Check them out:

A Balcony Pergola Retreat

If you have a large balcony, deck, or patio, installing a pergola is a smart way to create a magical atmosphere and transform your outdoor space. Pergolas create shade, add ambience and are perfect for climbing plants and wrapping twinkle lights around. Roll out an outdoor carpet, arrange comfy looking outdoor furniture and you’re on your way to paradise. No vacation time? No worries, this will be your own at-home outdoor retreat.

Photo: Lucy Interior Design

Powder Room Makeover

A powder room or guest bathroom is a easy home reno project that makes a big impact. You want your guest bathroom looking it’s best to give off a great impression to visitors. Not to mention, it’s a fun place to decorate! If you have your eye set on a expensive wallpaper, no worries you won’t need to buy much of it anyways. Choose some new pretty light fixtures, a glamorous looking mirror and some shiny new cabinet hardware and you’ve got yourself a bathroom reno in a snap!

Photo: Lucy Interior Design

Easy Mirrored Kitchen Backsplash

Ever since debuting in the kitchen of Kris Jenner on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, mirrored backsplashes have been all the rage. We LOVE this look, and it’s a super easy way to give your kitchen some instant glam-factor. This kitchen reno project is simple – order mirrored tiles and stick em’ on. Find a few tutorials online to help you along the way, but this is definitely a project you can tackle yourself.

In an interview for HiPages, celebrity home renovator Cherie Barber shared some of her top tips for people planning renovations to sell their homes. According to Cherie, the way the bathroom or kitchen is designed and fitted can often be the clincher when it comes to selling a property. So if you are planning on selling your home, the kitchen is definitely one place to plan your next reno!

Photo: Home Bunch

Create Your Own Glam Room

Glam rooms are every girls must-have! If you are blessed enough to have a spare room or even a bigger sized closet area or bathroom, you can create your own glam room. Full with a mirrored wall, makeup lights, makeup chair and all of your diva essentials, you will leave your home feeling like a celebrity, ever time.

Photo: Architectural Digest

Install a Wall Unit

Wall units are a practical, and stylish way to display your books, artwork, prized possessions, and sneak in some much needed storage space. Believe it or not, but you can create your own wall units using Ikea bookshelves. Look up: “wall unit Ikea hack” and you’ll see what I mean! For a fraction of the cost, you can make your own customized built-in wall unit. If you plant to sell your home, this can also be another high-point to boost it’s value. Wall units are expensive, and if you can cheap out on your own customized version you’ll save lots of money in the long run!

Photo: Sita Montgomery

Dress Up Closet Doors with Molding

Add some glam to plain closet doors with cheap molding! You can buy this strip molding at your local Home Depot and cut it to form any shape you like. Just glue it on and paint your whole doors in a classic white color for some serious glam on a budget!

Photo: Driven By Decor

Under Stairs Storage

Take advantage of every square foot of your home, even under your empty stairs! Under stairs is the perfect place where you can install convenient storage space that is practical and out-of-the-way. For example, if you’re short on storage space, you could get creative with the space under the stairs and turn it into a series of pull-out cupboards, where you can store anything from children’s toys to the family shoe collection. Alternatively, add a built-in bookcase to the side of the stairs to create a mini-library.

Photo: Terracotta Design Build

BDB Tip: Before your start your home reno, make sure to plan out all of your costs and set a time frame. And when you get to the point of refurbishing and need expert help, source local tradespeople through sites such as HiPages. Make sure to use the site’s search function to filter down just the person who will help you for the job you need done.