Renovating a home is a rewarding and exciting experience for many homeowners. There are many reasons homeowners do this, one of the most common ones being to increase the home’s value. What is most important and makes a massive difference is the material chosen for the project and its quality. There are different materials to think about and consider depending on which part of the home the contractor will work on. Material selection is critical, and we will look at why below.
Durability
Durability is a critical factor to consider when choosing materials for renovation projects. Both homeowners and contractors understand that different materials have different lifespans and therefore last for different lengths of time.
Picking the right durable material means that the structure or home will not only stand for much longer but that you will save a lot of money and time which would have been spent on repairs and maintenance.
Additionally, a lot of materials are backed by the manufacturer. Selecting the right material that has a long warranty, sometimes up to 30 years in the case of roofing materials, means you do not have to think about the material until it is about two-thirds through its warranty period.
Keeping Costs Reasonable
You will undoubtedly notice differences in cost once you start looking at different construction materials. If you do not have construction experience, you might lean towards buying the cheaper material to save some money that you can spend elsewhere on the project.
Although price is not always an indicator of material quality, it usually is. Cheaper materials are not substandard per se because they have to pass certain inspections and checks before they land at your local hardware, but they are not the highest quality materials either.
You need to take into account the lifespan and utility of any materials you choose for your construction project and balance that with the cost of the material. Typically, you can get a happy medium between lifespan, durability, and cost. That means you get materials with an adequately long lifespan but that do not cost too much.
Selecting the right materials can also have a significant effect on transportation costs. Consider the differences in weight between metal corrugated iron sheets and plastic roof sheets. Plastic roof sheets are much lighter which means their transportation costs significantly less.
Providing Aesthetic Appeal
Every homeowner has different needs, specifications, and tastes. For this reason, what one might consider aesthetically pleasing might not be for another homeowner. Only a specific homeowner knows the kind and level of quality they expect from a completed project.
For example, a homeowner can select aesthetically pleasing materials such as MDF melamine sheets, which not only fulfill their desired design and appearance preferences but also offer practical benefits like slip resistance and affordability. This flooring material can fulfil other needs such as not being slippery when wet and for the budget they have. Design, appearance and aesthetic considerations are important in such cases.
The materials you choose will determine the final appearance both inside and outside the renovated home.
Ensuring Enough Natural Light in the Home
Another very critical consideration when completing a home renovation project is natural light. Naturally, the obvious place to start is with the selection of the window and the materials it will be made out of. For many homes, the window frame is made out of wood and the panes are made out of glass. These materials are not the most durable and this is why many homeowners are turning to new ones.
They are turning to window frames and panes made out of PVC and polycarbonate. PVC window frames do not have the issues associated with wood frames, such as rotting and insect attacks, while polycarbonate panes absorb more impact and do not shatter as easily as glass. These materials are also lighter than their older counterparts meaning they do not put a lot of dead load on the structure.
Of course, windows are not the only source of light into the home as homeowners can also consider the benefits of allowing their roofs to let in some light when it comes to conservatories and extensions. Homeowners can achieve this by using a clear or tinted polycarbonate sheet that lets light into a structure while letting little heat through. These corrugated roofing sheets are perfect for low-budget projects. Using clear plastic roof sheets is an especially good idea where the direction the home faces does not allow the windows to let in a lot of natural light. In these instances, polycarbonate roofing sheets from the Clear Amber Shop can help and allow much more natural light in than a window would.
Reducing Environmental Impact
An increase in the demand for construction materials comes with a surge in the industry’s carbon footprint. Many people now recognise this and this is the reason why the demand and use of sustainable construction materials is on the rise.
Choosing the right construction materials helps reduce the economic impact of home renovation projects during and after the project. The use of reusable materials reduces the demand for new materials thus further reducing the environmental impact of such projects.
How the contractor transports, installs and fixes these materials can also influence how much impact they have on the environment. Sourcing locally reduces transportation distances, while proper installation and fixing can make it much easier to reuse materials so that they do not end up in landfill.
Another key consideration is thermal performance. Materials that let heat in or radiate it into the home lead to higher energy consumption as the homeowner has to cool the home during the hotter summer months. Materials with higher thermal conductivity also “pull” heat from the house when temperatures fall thereby leading to the home requiring additional heating.
Materials with insulating properties to keep the home warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot provide a happy medium for homeowners who want to reduce their carbon footprints.
Ensuring the Required Performance
In many instances, home renovations typically involve shifting loads as parts of the house are removed and new ones added. All the materials chosen should perform as expected when it comes to sustaining and bearing the different loads they are expected to carry.
Such considerations come into play when working on parts that apply dead loads on the house such as the roof. The structural materials used should bear the weight of a roof and all its support structures. Even in cases where homeowners use lightweight materials like polycarbonate roofing sheets, there is still a need to consider the supporting structure when choosing materials for load-bearing structures.
Increasing the Value of the Home
Another benefit of selecting the right material is that it can affect the home’s value, which is an essential consideration for homeowners renovating to sell the home. Cheap materials do not look as good as more expensive options, and neither do they stand the test of time. Newer materials that are sustainable, ensure the home is energy-efficient, and make the home more sustainable are especially attractive for new homeowners. They can, therefore, make the home more valuable for these reasons.
A renovation project allows you to create a perfect home or one attractive enough to buyers if you wish to sell. The materials you choose for such projects will determine if they can serve these purposes.
