Every year, we shake our heads in disbelief when we are looking forward to the next 365 and what it might bring. Seriously, we need to stop blinking, because time just seems to zoom by whenever we do. We think we’ve probably filled our “broken record quota” discussing the wins from 2018 and how thankful we are for our valued community of customers. We’re also pretty sure that you get the message that it’s a time for celebration, giving back and enjoying the company of those closest to you. Phew.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s turn our heads towards 2019. It already feels odd to write, but we suppose that we better get used to it.

A big part of planning for the new year, is knowing what’s to come. A big part of being the best-in-class company that we are for restumping, reblocking and underpinning is staying ahead of the game in the industry. It’s why we do our homework. It’s why we attend tradeshows and have conversations and read and touch and feel the products that could really elevate your experience when reinforcing the foundation of your home. Bottom line – we’re all about ensuring that your home is safe and comfortable. But with the help of this blog, we are also able to showcase other elements of both our industry and homes in a broader sense, that we’re passionate about. It’s a win-win. We get to wax lyrical about what interests us best, and you’re set up for success, knowing as much as you possibly can.

In this vein, let’s take a look at some of the upcoming home renovation trends for 2019:

• Natural elements – the irony here is that there are so many options on the market for both exterior design features and interior fixtures, but 2019 seems to promise an uptick in leveraging materials straight from Mother Earth. Not only will you potentially save money this way, but you’ll also be giving back to the environment and limiting your carbon footprint.
• Copper accents – Doesn’t it seem like every few years, there’s that one material that everyone can’t get enough of? Apparently in the coming year, that will be copper. Do your homework here, to ensure that you’re not misusing it and caring for it properly, so it won’t rust.
• More colour – Gasp! Right? Sorry neutrals, your time is not right now. Doors, shutters, even the entire exterior of your home is now a pallet for you to be an artist with. A couple of things to keep in mind here… first of all, it’s your home – have fun with it and do what makes you happy. On the other hand, if you’re planning on selling any time soon, we recommend that you read up on what homes in your neighborhood are selling best and more importantly, ensuring that you stay in the guidelines of your area’s associations.

Questions? Comments? Let us know. The Restumping Melbourne team would love to hear from you.

Welcome back to the Restumping Melbourne blog! We’re thrilled to have you here and to share our passion for reinforcing the foundation of your home. We want to truly support you from the ground up and firmly believe that that begins with knowledge and know-how about all things home building and home renovations. In order to make this happen, we invite you to take advantage of our blog. This is your go-to hub for information about us, our services and the industry at large. If you tuned in for our last post, you know that we’re currently discussing two hot topics—buying a home and renovating a home. Sometimes they go hand-in-hand but sometimes it’s a scenario that you probably want to avoid. Let’s dive back in to discussing renovations that you may want to avoid when purchasing a new home.

In our last post, we covered off on the three “R’s” – rewiring, restumping and roof repairs. (Guess that’s technically four). Today’s first item of business is your heating and HVAC systems. These again are maintenance repairs that don’t have the glitz and glamour but are entirely necessary for your home to be safe and comfortable. The best way to mitigate these costs is to be through in your home inspections. Spot any issues early and talk to the current home owner about it. They will probably be comfortable covering these costs in order to close the deal, which takes something else off of your plate.

Next up is pipes. You can’t see them most of the time, but they are the driving force behind the water that you drink, shower with, cook with… the applications are many. When they’re broken, not only can you not access water, but there may be issues in between the walls without your knowledge. Mould may build up and ruin walls, floors and ceilings. Common causes of burst pipes include frozen pipes and pipes that are just outdated. This is not a renovation that you want to take on if you don’t have to and if you do, make sure that you’ve budgeted accordingly. While worth every penny, this can be an expensive one.

We can’t forget about the great outdoors. Sometimes buying a new home means a blank canvas for your landscaping. But sometimes, there are existing components of the backyard that you know need to go in order to make your vision work. While this may not be cost prohibitive, it can be a time investment if you need to demolish a deck or rip out entire plant beds. Don’t let this be a deterrent if you’re excited for an outside do-it-yourself project.

Hopefully that helps give you a framework of renovations to avoid if you’re purchasing a new home. Questions? Comments? Let the Restumping Melbourne team know. We’d love to hear from you and help turn your house into a home with the help of a reinforced foundation.

Restumping is an important investment that the Restumping Melbourne team is passionate about. It’s the reason that we got into this industry – we wanted to turn houses into homes, into comfortable spaces that you feel confident about spending your lives in. We want to increase the comfortability of your house, as well as the safety. We’re dedicated to reinforcing the foundation of your home, truly improving everything from the ground up. This means that we’re educated about every aspect of home renovations and builds – we have to, in order to do our job effectively. So, we try to share whatever nuggets of knowledge we can on the broader industry so that you’re well-informed about your home renovations and projects ahead.

Today, we’re kicking off a series focusing on a popular scenario – you’re looking to buy a new home. But the kicker is, it’s not new. In fact, it’s dated and needs lots of renovations. Renovations can be fun, and they can be very stressful when not executed properly. Add that to the stress of moving into a new place, and the result can be overwhelming. Some people thrive in these environments. If that’s you, then we congratulate you! If it’s not, you’re in the vast majority and we support you. We want you to go into the home purchasing process with no stress, so if your potential property has any of the following issues, think twice before signing on the dotted line.

Our favourite… restumping. While if restumping is the issue, we know a company that can help. But if this is one of several necessary renovations, then it may make more sense to look at a new property. The thing about restumping is that it’s non-negotiable. Not doing it only leads to issues further on down the road, which will amplify over time. If you’re totally sold on the house that you’re looking at and it needs restumping, make sure that you factor this into your budget.

Next up – rewiring (we’re focusing on renovations that begin with the letter “r” today). Most houses older than 20-30 years would at least benefit, if not need, rewiring. Because this is an invisible change, most people don’t think about it or they neglect it. Don’t let that be your problem. While it doesn’t add curb appeal, rewiring is necessary for your safety and comfort.

Finally, for today, roofing. There are a bunch of tasks that need to be completed in order for your roof to be up to code and well maintained. Do the homework, do the math and determine if this is a trade-off for you. It may not be cost-prohibitive, but you’ll want an expert to validate that. You may need to totally replace the roof, which equals far more dollar signs than minor repairs or repainting.

Stay tuned for future posts discussing more renovations to keep your eye on. Questions? Comments? Give us a shout. The Restumping Melbourne team would love to hear from you.

The Restumping Melbourne firmly believes that a strong foundation is what turns a house into a home. It’s the glue that holds your home together and if it’s shaky or unstable, it can cause a whole host of other problems. These radiate up through the top of the home and can be incredibly detrimental to its value, later on down the line. There’s huge value in reinforcing your home, because sooner or later, you’ll have to turn it loose on the market. There is so much science in what adds value to a home, especially during the selling process and this changes year-over-year. After all, it’s hard to keep up with architectural and interior design trends, but someone has to do it! Luckily for you, that’s us – the team at Restumping Melbourne. We’re always big proponents of sharing information with our valued customers and today is no exception. We’re a little unique in the sense that we like to maximize the cash in your pocket, and that’s why the theme of today is the small shifts you can make which will still add value to your home.

First up, clean it up

You can’t over-sell the power of a clean home and in it has more long-term benefits than you can imagine. Think about the difference it makes when you clean your hardwood floors on a regular basis, than doing the monthly cleaning that takes hours upon hours. Your home becomes more conditioned to be clean, and it’s just a good habit for you to have in your back-pocket. Make it part of your monthly routine and you’ll find much more pride and joy in your house.

Take a look at your curb appeal

While you may have the most beautifully designed home with the best fortified foundation, that’s not what passersby will notice. We are younger and younger generations with shorter and shorter attention spans. If you can’t command the attention of those walking by, they’ll move on to the next property. This again, doesn’t need to be a big investment, of either time or money. Instead, just think about a few plants that will add colour or unique ways to make your front door pop.

Patch and paint

This combines both of the above. It’s functional and aesthetically pleasing. And it can add thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to your property. The paint on either the exterior or the interior of your home may not even need updating. It could just be a good colour update for the season. However, if there are issues with the walls, the ceiling, or the roof, patching is an important component of this equation. Just make sure that you’re consulting an expert if you’re exploring this space, because you want the work done right.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Ready to reinforce your foundation and take your home to the next level. Give the Restumping Melbourne team a shout. We would love to hear from you, anytime.

The holidays have come and gone and now it’s time for planning ahead for 2018. If you’re newer to the Restumping Melbourne blog, we’re happy to have you here. Consider us a one-stop shop for all of your foundation needs, not just now, but always. We come to the table with decades of experience in building and fortifying your foundation so that you can get back to focusing on what really matters – creating generations of memories with your friends and loved ones.

A popular topic among the team these days is how we’re going to get after the New Year. If you’re visited our little site recently, you know that we have big plans for the year ahead and that they’re all focused on you. We’re going to push new boundaries in process efficiencies, we’re going to reach new heights in the ways that we serve you and we’re going to get after lower prices and shorter timelines so that we’re in and out of your house with as little fuss as possible.

That’s the update on our end. But today, we want to focus on you and how you can set your annual planning up for success. There are a couple of things to keep in mind-

How much time do you have this year to dedicate to projects and home renovations?

As with all of these questions, there is no wrong answer. That being said, it is important for you to have realistic expectations. If you were to put 20 different home renovation projects on your docket, you would inevitably not be able to apply the same level of care and understanding to each. Not only that, but all too often, budgets don’t stretch nearly as much as we would like them to. Pick a handful of projects that you know you’ll be able to give your 100% too. You’ll feel far better during and after the project is complete.

How much money do you have this year to dedicate to projects and home renovations?

Again, a key question. And there is no wrong answer. What we recommend here, is that you buffer. Even if you think a project will cost $300-$350, budget $500. This way you’ll either come in at budget, or you may have a little bit left over. The worst feeling in the world occurs when you’re 80% done with a project and you just don’t have the funds to bring it to completion. The Restumping Melbourne team wants to help you avoid that.

What projects will provide the best ROI for you?

If you’re unfamiliar, ROI stands for return on investment and is a great way to gauge how much bang you can get for your buck. Even if you invest $80k in a bathroom remodel now, you could end up tacking on upwards of $100k to the selling price of your home. Keep in mind that this is far more applicable if you plan on moving in the next five years.

Questions? Comments? Give the Restumping Melbourne team a shout.

Here’s a request that we get all of the time. Can you provide additional insight into how a home is built? Simple, but important. And we’re more than happy to answer. Because Restumping Melbourne is committed to reinforcing the foundation of your home, we understand how important homes are. We want to treat them with care, set them up for success, ensure that you and your loved ones will be safe and secure for generations to come. But why haven’t we been able to step back a little bit, take a gander at the bigger picture and provide this valuable insight to our customers? Well, today’s the day ladies and gentlemen. Over the next couple of posts, Restumping Melbourne will be walking you through these important steps. Let’s take a look at how you can build a home:

Build the foundation

Make sure that the site is prepared and pour the foundation. A lot of pre-work takes place before this step, but it’s a step near and dear to our hearts. This is where Restumping Melbourne shines, ensuring that the foundation is poured using only the best materials and smartest practices. This is also the step when footings (what connects the house with the earth) are installed.

Complete all rough framing

What on earth is rough framing, you ask? Rough framing is the roof systems, the walls, and the floor—they create the skeleton of the home, also known as the shell. This is also the step when the sheathing (plywood or strand board) is affixed to the exterior of the walls. Next, it’s time to install the roof, the windows and the doors. All of the sheathing is covered with a house wrap, which does not allow any liquid to infiltrate. No rot or mold entering this home!

Complete the roofing and siding

With the shell and the house wrap in place, you can begin to complete the roofing and the siding. This is a busy step, with lots of different players involved. It’s time to say hello to your electrical and plumbing teams, who can begin to run the necessary pipes and wires throughout the property. You finally have the room to drop the larger fixtures like bathtubs and sinks, so this is when these arrive and are installed, as well. Your HVAC team will install ductwork, as well as a furnace if necessary. Once your roof is in place, you have yourself a “dried in” house (layman’s terms—the trendy lingo you’ve been looking for!). One item of note—you’ll want to ensure that all plumbing and any HVAC duct work is completed prior to any wiring. It’s a little bit more tricky to run pipes and ducts around wires.

It’s important to note that many of these steps are bookended by important inspections by a variety of team players and organizations. Your neighborhood and city councils will definitely weigh in at some point. There are many different provisions in place for both your safety and the safety of those around you.

Stay tuned for future steps in How to Build a Home.

We know that the weather isn’t optimal, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun (and prudent) to dream early about your warm weather home renovations like your deck. In fact, you can save hundreds of dollars, just by choosing your contractor, your chosen materials and your overall style, ahead of the summer curve.

Part of the fun here at Restumping Melbourne, is that we get to geek out over all of the trends coming down the home renovation pipeline. These aren’t just specific to our restumping work. After all, part of the reason that we got into this line of work, is to ensure that your homes are sturdy and comfortable. But part of the reason we got into this line of work, is what you do next with your home and your yard. We want to create the foundation for you to get creative and embark on projects that will drive lasting memories with those closest to you.

So whenever new trends come down the pipeline, you can bet that the Restumping Melbourne team gathers together to analyze. Once we decide if we endorse or if we recommend against, the next step is clear. Share with our valued customers and blog readers, of course! Here are several trends for your outside deck, that we’re hearing whispers about:

Underlay your deck

We’re talking twice the bang for your buck here, and we know that Restumping Melbourne customers like that. More and more homeowners are looking at adding their outdoor decks on the second or third floor of their home. This can be a great extension to social spaces, or even your master bedroom. The bonus here is, that when you build these patios at higher heights, you have an additional blank canvas belong the deck for a second patio or outdoor space.

Use composite materials for your deck

What is a composite material, you may say? Valid question. A composite material actually combines plastic with the fiber of the wood, which creates more of a plank-like material. The resulting material is more durable and it’s less likely to fade over time. These are just two of the factors, which make it the ideal investment for your outside deck this summer.

Explore deck exterior lighting features

The fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down, in the Restumping Melbourne world. So why should you have to head inside, just because it’s getting darker? Enter the plethora of available lighting solutions that you can integrate into the design of your home. LED lighting especially is very trendy now—it’s easy to install, doesn’t require much maintenance because the bulbs last so much longer, and it’s more cost-effective than the majority of the options out there.

Feeling your curiosity piqued? Ready to embark on your next home renovation project? Be sure to reach out to the Restumping Melbourne team with any questions that you may have. Though it may seem daunting at first, these projects can add exponential value to your home and your quality of life.

It doesn’t matter how into a home renovation you are, the dollar amount is an important factor. You can throw all of your passion behind the update to any room, but if the budget isn’t there—how excited are you really going to be? It’s tough to put a specific dollar amount at it, to plan ahead for the year, but lucky for you—Restumping Melbourne has your back. Thanks to our decades of experience in the field, we’ve pretty much created the algorithm for proper home renovation planning. And if you know anything about us, you know that we love sharing our expertise with our valued customers Here are some things to keep in mind:

The questions

There are a couple of questions that you’ll want to ask. They include- whether or not you should renovate at all, how much can you afford and have you budgeted to spend on said remodel, and where should the money be allocated—whether by room, or on specific project. These questions are particularly important if you’re living in your first home, you haven’t built up the expertise to make informed decisions based on past experiences.

The mathematics of home renovation

Good rule of thumb? Don’t spend more than 5% of the price you paid for the home, on the total of renovations. Equation time! If your house cost anywhere up to $500,000, don’t go over $20,000 for your home renovations. On the flip-side of this, if you plan the home renovation well, it can add up to 10% in value to your home. This means that the same home could be worth up to $550,000 post home renovation, when it’s time to put it back on the market. We don’t want to hurt anyone’s heads, but that means that you’ve recouped your $10,000 and then some! This is the kind of mathematics that everyone likes, right?

The decision to or not to

As noted above, the question of whether you should renovate at all, is a big one. That’s why Restumping Melbourne likes to leverage the use of “pros” and “cons”. Standout pros include the aforementioned resale value and improving the overall quality of living for yourself and your loved ones. On the other hand, the Restumping Melbourne team frequently sees families and individuals which overspend and max out their runway or timelines to complete their home renovations- turning the entire investment into a bit of a waste. Other cons include the fact that you may need to relocate during said renovations… unless you’re partial to a bit of dust and potential mayhem.

The chosen rooms for home renovation

Look at your home as a giant lump of putty or play-doh. It’s malleable, it’s versatile, it’s a blank canvas for you to do with what you will. This means you’ve got some decisions ahead of you as far as where your dollars will go. Be selective, keep the above factors in mind, and get excited! One or more of the areas of your home are about to get a major upgrade!

Maybe it’s just us, but it seems to be that interior design, architecture and home renovation trends come and go as quickly as fashion trends. What’s popular one day, may be completely out the next. This is probably to be expected as with any consumer industry, but the Restumping Melbourne team sure does love to dive in to whatever the experts are loving. That being said, there are some trends with staying power. We can’t even call these trends. They’re integral parts of the history of architecture. You can see them in some of the most beautiful homes and business structures out there. Today, we’re diving into a combination of the two. A piece of a structure that has stood the test of time. One that has picked up interesting attributes along the way. We speak… of glass doors!

What’s not to love? They enhance the views of the properties surrounding them, they’re great for the environment as they become more and more sustainable, and they let in maximum light and fresh air. Sometimes they’re the star of the show. And sometimes they’re in more of a background role—allowing the rooms around them to be the spotlight.

So what’s changing? Today, we take a look at three different styles that we’re noticing consumers installing in their homes and businesses- hinged single doors, French doors and bi-fold doors. Each has its benefits, let’s take a look:

Hinged single glass doors

This is the style that you’ll see most frequently. It has a hinge on one side of the frame, allowing it to open and close. Benefits include versatility of look and feel, and this style of door is an optimal way to maximize the space in a small room. This is an easy style of door to add a screen to, if you’re aiming to keep bugs out of the space.

Bi-fold glass doors

These are constructed with multiple folding door panels, which can have frames or go without. They can be hinged on one or both sides of the opening in the home or business’ structure. They create an awesome illusion of a larger interior, if you’re looking to make a small space look larger. The important caveat about this style is that they’re most commonly hung from the top. So, if this isn’t the look you’re going for, you’ll probably want to steer away from bi-fold doors. This also means that you’ll need to plan ahead. The structural supports need to be sound enough to hold this weight.

French glass doors

We’re frequently asked why the doors are referred to as French, and while they are historically used in French-style architecture, they’re used the world over. They open away from each other and are used in both the interior and exterior. They’re an elegant choice for social and entertaining spaces. They’re commonly built with PVC, fiberglass, timber or aluminum- a whole range of materials.

As you can see, Restumping Melbourne is a bit of a treasure trove when it comes to fun facts about architecture. Questions? Give us a shout. We’d love to hear from you.

Step one- you bought a home. It was a big deal and there were probably a lot of hoops that you had to jump through, considering the volatility of some of the world’s housing markets these days. Research has shown that buying a home is one of the top ten most stressful things you can do, so before we go any further—let’s stop and give you a pat on the back. It’s a big deal and something to be very proud of.

But we know that here at Restumping Melbourne, that we deal with movers and shakers who like to push boundaries and overachieve. So we’re betting it wasn’t too long after you moved in before you were already thinking about different home renovation adventures that you and your loved ones could embark on. Maybe the enhancements are necessary, maybe they’re not. It’s your home and you’re going to personalize it—dang it! But there’s one home renovation in particular that Restumping Melbourne prides itself on, and that’s building a home addition. We’ve had so many questions asked of our team on what to consider before embarking. Today, we thought we’d share a few:

Current Foundation Status

We may sound like a broken record, but ensuring that the foundation of your home is in good shape, is just our bread and butter. This means that we have to be the first ones to remind you that before you consider updating or adding on, you need to review the current status of your home. You need to identify any issues that need fixing. Adding on to a home where the foundation is cracked or sliding, is like making an ant carry twice as much weight. Ultimately, something will break, and then there goes the budget for your fun home renovation project!

Local Building Restrictions

Yes, you are the owner of your home, but it’s to your benefit that there are local and national government groups and building councils who put in place parameters for your safety and happiness. This means that they’re the end all, be all, when it comes to final approval. We recommend that you research building codes for your area, if your home addition feels outlandish or over the top. Once you hook up with any sort of contractor, they should own that relationship, but it always pays to be overeducated when it comes to manners of the home.

Materials and Design for Home Addition

We saved the most obvious for last. But it can also be the most fun. You should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to both the design and the materials of whatever home addition you’re building. If you have a very specific vision, make sure that you accurately communicate it to your contractors. If you don’t have much direction, but just a general idea, companies like VIC are your partners in crime. You can also take advantage of sites like Pinterest for general aspirational ideas.

Feeling inspired about your next project? Why don’t you give Restumping Melbourne a shout. We’d love to hear from you.