Although not all tradies are out to rip off their customers, there will always be a few who are. Here are the two most common strategies they use and how you can avoid falling for their sneaky tactics.
The problem – Extending the Price
Tradies frequently extend the price by ‘creeping the scope’ of a job. Although you might have started out with a good idea of what you wanted done, by the time the tradies finish quoting, the job has changed. When the first tradie quotes, he suggests a few things you hadn’t thought of. When the second tradie turns up, he also adds a few different options to your original idea. By the time the third tradie quotes, you’re second-guessing yourself and the scope of the job has gotten bigger. Of course, the quote has also gotten higher in line with the size of the job.
The solution
Before you get any tradies in to quote, ensure you know exactly what you want and can articulate it. You might get someone like Hotspace to create you a Renovation Design Plan or you might decide to do it yourself, but it is essential that you have a precise and well-articulated document before you get quotes. We go room by room, articulating every single thing that will be renovated or affected by the renovation. This includes things like exterior colours, products and features/landscaping etc, interior flooring, wall colours, lighting, kitchen layout and cabinetry design/colours/bench-top/splash-back/appliances, bathroom decisions such as layout, tiles, vanity, shower, bath, window dressings. And the list goes on!
When the tradies come to quote, remain firm and don’t change your mind based on what they suggest unless they come up with legitimate options that suit your purpose. If you do decide to incorporate their ideas, adjust your scope and spec and get them back to quote on the new scope and spec. Ensure subsequent tradies also quote on the same thing.
Get prices on the products, fixtures, fittings and appliances you intend using and then get the tradies to quote for installation based on those exact items.
The problem – Overquoting
If you’re new to renovating, tradies might take advantage of the fact that you may not know how much things should cost. They pad out the quote so that it’s higher than it should be and you are none the wiser.
The solution
Ring a few tradies or retailers or jump on the internet to get an idea what things should cost before you get a quote. If a quote comes back well over what you thought it should be, you can ask the tradie to justify his/her pricing. If they have a valid reason for quoting so high, you may have to compromise on your initial ideas. They may also have priced high because they aren’t keen on the job or are trying to inflate the price. If you have done your research and you know what things should cost, you will be less likely to make a costly mistake.
Having a common contact is also a good idea, so ask for referrals from friends, family or retailers. Human nature being what it is, a tradie will generally try harder to look after you with the price if you have contacted him because someone has recommended him. If he thinks you have just found him through Google, there is a good chance he will charge more because there’s no one in the background to answer to, and therefore no risk of losing other business.
If you are still feeling daunted by hiring tradies or you need some help with your renovation action plan, we would love to help. Check out our Before and After photo gallery here.
Do you have a brick home that’s in need of a bit of a facelift? Perhaps the colour or style of brick is starting to look a bit dated and in need of modernising. Most homeowners assume the only way to update a brick home is by rendering it, but there are other ways.
A good start is to paint the trims, fascias, gables and bargeboards. Your colour choices here depend upon the colour of the bricks, but aim to contrast and accent rather than blend; blending results in a ‘blocky’ feel to the house, making it one big, dark blob without any contrasting features.
If you have dark coloured bricks, aim to accent and brighten by painting the trims in a lighter colour such as a fashionable beige or light grey to. Avoid white window trims as many older brick houses have this and it can look dated. If you’ve got light to mid-coloured bricks, use a darker colour such as charcoal, grey or black.
First impressions count, so pay attention to your entrance door, especially if it’s at the front of the house. You could install a modern timber door or paint the current door the same colour as the trims. Alternatively, create a focal point by painting it in a contrasting colour.
Brick is a visually heavy material. (If you don’t understand this concept, compare the look of a timber house to a brick house – you’ll find the timber house looks visually lighter than the brick.) Because of this, you need to anchor the brick visually, and one way to do this is through smart landscaping.
While I don’t recommend using flowers as part of your landscaping plan, I do recommend a mix of colour. If your house is a dark brown brick, use predominately mid to light coloured plants so they stand out against the brick. If you’ve got a lighter brick, use darker shades of plants.
Landscaping does not have to be symmetrical, but it does need to balance the house in other ways. You could try using visually heavy plants at the base of the house or either side of the entryway to anchor the house. However, often the location of the plants is less important than the density of them; don’t choose plants that are light and spindly like roses, and steer away from spiky plants. Instead, choose something with a bigger, thicker leaf and use a combination of plants of different species; it will soften the entire appearance and make it more appealing.
Take a look at your fences, awnings, portico and porch to see if there is anything you can do here to further modernise and soften the exterior. If you have a fence with palings, consider painting the palings the same colour as the house trims so there is a sense of cohesion. If you don’t have a fence, consider erecting one along the front boundary line to break up the blocky look of the front of the house.
The aim is not to cover but to contrast the harshness, density and fullness of brick with lighter, visually softer materials.
Window dressings on the interior of the house can also have an impact on the exterior. If you’ve got curtains on the front windows, it can present as a big, white block from the street so go for something more linear such as timber blinds, white wooden blinds or a combination of blinds and curtains.
So, there are a few ideas to get you started. If you want an in-depth plan or some further information, give me a call (1300 908 890) or email me (jane@hotspaceconsultants.com).
Renovating your home to suit your style can be fun and satisfying. It can also be a little daunting. If you aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Developing an interior design to suit your home and lifestyle can be done in five simple steps.
1. Define your style.
Is your home a Mid Century Modern, Edwardian, Cape Cod, Dutch style or Queenslander? Not sure? Thankfully, there is a plethora of online resources that can help you figure out what you already have and what you like. Browse through pictures on websites like Houzz and Pinterest, where you can save ideas that appeal to you for later use. Spend some time with interior design books and magazines until you have a good idea of what you would like for your home.
Once you have defined the styles and colour schemes that you love, you’re ready to move forward with a plan for your home. Don’t feel comfortable moving forward on your own? Consult a Brisbane interior designer for professional assistance with your home’s style.
2. Choose a colour scheme.
Colour can bring together any styles that you have throughout your home. Choosing one coordinated group of colours to use, rather than selecting colours on a room by room basis, will feel much more unified and welcoming. While you may have fun with a room, such as a child’s bedroom, in general you will want to unify your design.
3. Use elements that you love.
You can create a focal point in a room or give it a special touch by adding pieces that you love, no matter what their style. While you will want to limit the number of styles that you combine and be careful not to create chaos, a unique piece can add to your design by surrounding it with pieces that create unity between styles, such as accessories, light fixtures and fabrics.
4. Consider the details.
These are the seemingly small elements that bring your styles together. Using the same material, such as timber flooring, throughout the home creates cohesion in the same way that your coordinated colour scheme does. You can also create unity with matching fixtures or wall accessories.
Blend textures and materials to develop a warm, welcoming atmosphere, whatever the style. Use lighting to set the right mood and fabrics that invite visitors to reach out and touch.
5. Look at the overall effect.
You may love that ultra-modern metallic splash-back, but if you are living in a Victorian home with traditional cabinetry and rustic floors, it simply may not work. But consider how you can create the same effect with a material that will work. Maybe a tin ceiling can add the touch of metal that you are looking for in a way that blends better with its traditional surroundings.
Other blending of styles works can work well. For example; A single modern piece of furniture surrounded by cosy, overstuffed pieces or a piece of abstract art in a traditionally decorated room offers contrast without style confusion.
If all of this just sounds like too much and too hard – consult the Brisbane Interior Design gurus Hotspace Consultants. We would love to help you!
We all love a spacious, airy bathroom, but not every house has the floor space to accommodate one. Everyone knows that lighter coloured walls help a space feel larger, but did you know that wall hung, handle-free vanity does too? Subtle tweaks to the walls, floor, shower screen, vanity, toilet, bath, taps and even lighting can contribute to how a spacious a room feels. So if space is at a premium at your place; be sure to employ all or some of the following design tricks into your new bathroom.
COLOUR
– To maximise the perceived feeling of space, go for a light colour. Dark colours can make a room look smaller while light colours make a room seem larger.
– For a light, bright effect that’s got some funk, go for mostly white with an accent wall or wall area.
– Keep your ceiling light too. It doesn’t have to be white necessarily, but it should be lighter than the walls.
TILES
– Tiles make a huge difference to the illusion of space. Decide whether you want the illusion of height or depth on your walls, then choose your tiles. Rectangular tiles laid vertically will make the ceiling appear higher, but when laid horizontally will make the room look wider.
– Polished tiles are shiny and reflect light, and so they naturally will make a room feel subtly bigger than matte tiles.
– Tiling the hob and side of the bath in the same tiles as the floor will aid flow and make the room feel more expansive. If you don’t want to use the floor tiles on the hob, use the same colour as the walls rather than introducing a new colour or a new tile. It will give the bathroom a more seamless look which helps with creating the impression that there is more space.
– Tiling all the way up to the ceiling and using a square-set cornice instead of a decorative cornice is another way to add to the feeling of spaciousness in your bathroom.
– Larger floor tiles will give the illusion of a greater floor area; but only if they are still in proportion with the room dimensions
BATH TUB
– Don’t install a freestanding bath tub unless you have a very good sized bathroom already. They’re just too big and need too much space around them to make them a good idea in a small bathroom. If you think you can squeeze one in, aim for a streamlined bath rather than a solid, heavy style. A semi-freestanding bath that hugs the walls could be another option.
VANITY
– If you are willing to sacrifice storage space, install a wall hung vanity. This is a great trick to make a small bathroom feel bigger.
– Choose a vanity that is quite streamlined with discreet or hidden handles. Intricate or detailed indents on drawers and doors can make the bathroom feel fussy and busy.
– Using white for every aspect of your bathroom will certainly make the room look bigger, but it will also make it appear very clinical. Instead, consider installing a light timber vanity or some other touches of timber or colour, to add warmth.
MIRROR
– If you install a medicine cabinet with a mirror, recess it so that it sits flush with the walls. If you are putting up a mirror, mount it flush with tiles. The fewer things that jut out, the better.
TOILET
– Aim for a minimalist look here. Choose streamlined toilets where the outside casing hugs the wall or one where you can conceal the cistern in the wall cavity. Another option is a wall hung toilet.
– Get rid of any walls or half walls within the bathroom that divide room up.
SHOWER SCREENS
– Install a frameless screen rather than a framed screen. Or if your budget is tight, use a semi-frameless screen.
LIGHTING
– Keep your lighting simple. Avoid anything too flashy or any shades that contrast too much with the wall tiles. The aim is not to draw the eye to anything in particular, but to have everything blend.
– Down-lights are a good option as they are quite subtle and streamlined. In some bathrooms, lighting underneath the medicine cabinet is another possibility.
WINDOWS
– Any window dressings (roller blinds, venetians, plantation shutters etc) should sit within the window frame and not protrude into the room at all.
So there you have it! These tips should give you some ideas on how you can trick up your own small bathroom. Don’t forget, you can always contact us here at Hotspace if you need help reconfiguring or redesigning your bathroom or any other room in your house.
Have you ever looked through an interior design book or magazine and thought, “That room looks nice enough, but I can’t imagine living in it? If you have, you already understand that a well-designed home will contain an interior design that combines fashion with function.
You want your home to reflect your personality, be visually appealing and be a space that enables you to do the things you need to do.
These three requirements can be summarized as style, design and function. While these elements may be defined differently by your tastes and lifestyle, some general tips can improve your home’s overall interior design.
Style
This is where your personality and the mood of the room are evident. This is established through several elements. Choose the theme of your room and suit it to your preferences and the mood that you would like to create within the room. For example, you may want to create a beach, garden, Victorian or modern theme, but you also can vary the level of formality and sophistication within that theme to customize it to your tastes.
You can select a special piece to create a focal point in the room that sets the stage for your design.
Place accessories around the room or in creative arrangements to display special collections and develop the style of your room.
Design
Your style preferences will be pulled together into an appealing interior design through choices of colour, finishes, and textures. Within your selected style, design elements are used to create a cohesive and visually appealing result.
Furniture will be a significant element of your design that combines the style and function requirements of your space. While fitting into a creative design, a piece of furniture can also establish your style and meet the function requirements of your family.
Lighting is another design element that serves several purposes. The style and finish of your light fixtures will help establish your desired style, but it will also set the mood in the room through the quantity and type of light that you introduce.
Function
Your home design must also be functional in order to meet your needs. A room that is beautiful but unusable will quickly fall into disuse and wasted space. In order to ensure that your space will be as usable as it is attractive, start with a floor plan that will assist you in creating comfortable furniture arrangements.
Make sure that you plan for storage needs, open space, and adequate seating. Consider the traffic that will flow through the room to avoid sharp corners, bottlenecks, and blocking of outlets and vents. Keep in mind that open space frequently appears greater on paper than it does in reality.
If you are unsure, try placing tape on the floor of the room in the areas that you plan to place furniture and see if there is adequate space to move around.
Conclusion
Finally, a well-thought-out home symbolizes not only functionality but also beauty. Choosing the right layout, natural light, and high-quality materials can make your home the home of your dreams. Along with this, it is also important to pay attention to the design of the exterior of the house, i.e. the facade, as it shapes the image of your entire house.
Hotspace Consultants: Revolutionizing curb appeal with stunning modern house facades. Our designs blend aesthetics and functionality, creating homes that stand out. Ready to make a statement?
Keep things simple and streamlined and avoid the fussy and ornate. Anything too detailed or decorative will only add to a sense of busyness which will make the space feel smaller and more crowded than it is.
Go for classic doors with concealed or shark nose handles. Avoid anything protruding too far into the space. Go ‘minimalist’ as much as you can.
A slimline bench-top can add to a sense of spaciousness, so opt for this rather than a big, heavy bench-top. Stone is by far the best option here as it is durable, long-lasting and comes in a huge variety of colours.
Colour
Light colours open a space up while dark colours close a space in. Similarly, colours that contrast too much can also close a space in.
It’s often a good idea to have the bench-tops and base in the same colour, with the splash-back a shade lighter. Grout should be the same colour as the cupboards, tiles or walls.
Overhead cupboards can be in the same colour or a contrasting colour, but don’t go too dark or it will make the space look overcrowded. Whatever colour you choose, keep it in the same colour family as the bench-tops and base cupboards in order to promote a greater sense of space.
Often cabinetmakers and builders advise homeowners to go for a stainless steel colour on the kick strip, but this draws attention to it and closes the space in. It’s far better to have the kick strip in the same colour as the base cupboards so it all blends – and it’s far more 2018!
Texture
With all the streamlined cupboards and smooth bench-tops, you now need to add shape and texture without compromising on the sense of spaciousness. The best way to do this is through the tiles you use on the splash-back. You might use something like penny round tiles, mosaic tiles, hexagonal tiles or pebble tiles; something with detailed texture but not a multi-coloured pattern.
Make it pop
Because the kitchen has so many neutral colours, you want to add something to make it pop, and lighting can do that for you. Your choice of lights can make the space more inviting and interesting to look at.
If you have a lot of white in the kitchen, try some lights that suggest timber, rattan, or some other sort of warm colour to take away the starkness and sterility of the light or white colours you use. Pendant lights can also offset neutral colours and they add a bit of punch to an otherwise plain kitchen.
Lighting underneath the overhead cupboards can add interest while also helping to visually push the space out.
So, there you have it. Use these designer tips and tricks and you will soon have a kitchen that looks and feels more spacious. If you have any questions or you would like some help redesigning or reconfiguring your kitchen, give us a call or drop us an enquiry.
