Take It Outside

One of the best parts of owning a home is the freedom to decorate it just the way you want it. In essence, making it your own and putting your own personal touches on it so that it’s a natural expression of your own style. And seeing as to how the weather is finally warmer and it’s actually feeling like spring, this is the perfect time for homeowners to turn their attention toward their outdoor space. Extend Your Living Space With more and more homeowners desiring space within which to entertain, the search for additional space often times moves outside. Maximizing your living space beyond the confines of your interior walls is not only relatively easy and affordable, but makes good investment sense, providing a great return on investment when it comes time to assess your home’s value. But where to start? Consult With a Professional Contractor First things first, see about scheduling an initial consultation with a home renovation contractor. Most reputable contractors such as Green Remodeling offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss some of the details regarding what your goals and objectives are for the space before offering up an estimate for the project. Consider the Location You’ll want to take several things into account before choosing a final location. A contractor can consult with you to determine the best location for your outdoor space. Of course, you’ll want to find a spot that’s not only close to the house, but offers optimum views, shade, privacy, or any combination of the three, depending on what your preferences are. You might also want to take into account the position of the sun during the various times of day that you’re expecting to hang out in your new outdoor space. Consider The Details What do you want to do in that additional outdoor space? Aside from just getting out of the house, what do you envision will be taking place in your new outdoor area? If you’re looking to entertain, perhaps you could add a fire pit, benches for simple built-in seating, or a large TV for movies and sporting events. Do you enjoy cooking? If so, outdoor kitchens are all the rage now. You can have your very own gourmet outdoor kitchen, complete with professional appliances. Keep in mind that your budget and your imagination are your only restrictions when it comes to planning your dream outdoor space. And when it’s time to begin the planning process on your dream space – whether it’s outdoors or indoors – Green Remodeling can help you go from dream to reality. With a full suite of contracting specialties, professional general contractor, Laura Green, and her team of home renovation and remodeling experts have spent nearly two decades satisfying the desires and dreams of hundreds of homeowners. Contact Green Remodeling about transforming your outdoor space today!  

Fire Pits: Year-Round Outdoor Enjoyment

With home prices on the rise, it’s a wise move on the part of homeowners and homebuyers alike to try and stretch their living space as far as they can. Extending to the outdoors to either create a new patio space or renovating or expanding a current outdoor area are both great ideas that not only give you the increased space you’re looking for, but also increased home value. Fire Pits Without a doubt, you’ve spent a time or two huddled around a fire on a cold winter’s night. Perhaps you were just sitting and chatting with good friends and family and enjoying the clear night sky or you and the kids were hanging out and roasting marshmallows or making s’mores; either way, who can deny the year-round enjoyment you’d get from a skillfully designed and crafted fire pit and patio/deck area? Safety Safer than a simple, loose bonfire on the ground, a fire pit will contain the fire, keeping it secure and manageable, allowing people to get close enough to it without being in harm. In addition, they can be made to accommodate an actual wood fire or fueled with propane or natural gas. Beauty Using any of a multitude of natural and man-made materials, a fire pit can be professionally designed to match any decor or environment. With a consultative approach, the outdoor remodeling pros at Green Remodeling will work with you first to determine how you wish to use the space in order to incorporate key features in the design of your fire pit and outdoor space to create the unique environment you desire. Speaking of unique, they can also help you with landscaping, lighting, water features, and other enhancements such as gazebos, pergolas, and other luxurious additions to create the space of your dreams. Green Remodeling Whether you’re looking into making the most of the area outside your home or looking to enhance the space inside your home, the renovation experts at Green Remodeling are the ones to trust with even the most personal spaces you and your family use daily. Green Remodeling has established a strong reputation as specialists in the areas of basement finishing, kitchen and bath renovation, and most every other area of your home. For additional information about Green Remodeling and their full list of contracting specialties, you may contact them to schedule a free consultation.

Decked Out

For the average American, a house is the most expensive purchase they will ever make. In addition, any improvements made to a home add to its value, enriching your investment and increasing your equity. Not all improvements are created equal, however. Some improvements are considered a better investment than others. Traditionally, kitchen renovations, roof, window or siding replacement are all improvements that tend to recoup more, on average, than other home improvements. Another one that does well in helping you recoup your investment at resale is the addition of a deck. Why a Deck? In addition to adding value to your home, adding a deck beautifies the exterior while providing a great functional space that adds great living space to your overall house. Given its importance and permanence, it’s vital that you get expert help in even the earliest stages of planning and preparation. That’s where Green Basements & Remodeling comes in. Green Basements & Remodeling has been making homeowners’ dreams come true for over a decade now and they’ll do the same for you with the addition of a new deck or any other home renovation project. Why Green? Green Basements & Remodeling takes a consultative approach to building you the outdoor deck of your dreams. In addition to the basics regarding size and location, they’ll ask you more in-depth questions about how you intend to use the space and what’s most important to you in terms of materials (wood or composite), styling, and additional features. Green Basements & Remodeling will also work with you on your project budget to ensure that you’re maximizing your investment while keeping a close eye on the bottom line. Since one of the biggest factors homeowners must consider when building and installing a deck is the cost, the deck pros at Green Basements & Remodeling will consult with you on the four major cost-altering factors in deck construction – size, location, material, and design – to keep your project in time and on budget! Contact Green Basements & Remodeling today for the very best in professional consultation, design, craftsmanship, and world class service. They’ll work with you all along the way to help you make the deck of your dreams a reality.      

Spring Preening: Repainting Your Home Exterior

Quick – when was the last time your home’s exterior was painted? Chances are, if you can’t recall, perhaps it’s been a little too long. Experts recommend that wood siding get a fresh coat every 3-7 years while stucco can go anywhere between 5-6 years between coats. If you’re doing the math and finding that your house exterior is due for repainting, here are a few reasons why there’s no time like the present to repaint your home. Spring Means Optimal Outdoor Conditions Just as the blooms come out in spring, it’s recommended that the paint, brushes, and rollers should, as well. Springtime – especially late spring – brings along with it the best outdoor conditions for painting your home’s exterior. First off, exterior latex paint provides the most protection and durability and is best applied when the temps are neither too hot or too cold. Secondly, spring tends to be a little drier, meaning that there’s less moisture, humidity, and precipitation, both enemies to a successful repainting job. Pre-empt Costly Future Repairs Repainting your home’s exterior welcomes in the unique opportunity to give the outside of your home a great and detailed close-up look that you don’t always get. Preparing the house for a repainting can uncover the smaller, sometimes overlooked, issues that require attention before a coat of new paint is applied. Issues such as wood rot around doors, windows, and chimneys and fastening loose shutters should be addressed prior to repainting. Provides a Protective Coating Without a proper coat of durable paint, your house is susceptible to the fierce climatic conditions without the necessary protection, leaving your house to essentially fend for itself when it simply cannot. The swing between hot and cold temps stresses paint, causing it to potentially crack and peel, therefore exposing the sensitive wood underneath, then allowing moisture in the form of rain, snow, ice, and frost to permeate, shortening the life of the wood dramatically, inviting mold and mildew in. Keep it covered with a fresh, thick coat of durable exterior latex paint that’s professionally applied. Boost Curb Appeal When people think about spring cleaning, thoughts often lead to the interior of the home. But just as necessary is the upkeep of the outside of the home. Curb appeal is essential when you want your house to look its very best. Without the time and financial expense of renovation, the easiest and cheapest thing you can do for your home’s curb appeal is to give it a fresh coat of paint. It instantly boosts curb appeal (and helps to increase home value) and its wonderful results should never be underestimated. Green Remodeling understands all too well the need for repainting the exterior of your home. Not only do they realize how important it is to the life and well-being of your house, but how important it is that it’s done in a professional manner under optimal conditions so as to give it the best look and protection possible. At Green Remodeling, we don’t cut corners and don’t take shortcuts. Our skilled painters have the experience and seemingly artistic ability to transform your home exterior from drab to fab. Contact Green Remodeling today for a free estimate and consultation before the hot, humid days of summer kick in.    

Building a Deck, Porch or Patio

Summertime has arrived which means now is the time to start spending your evenings outside on a beautiful back deck, a well-furnished patio or a charming front porch. At Green Remodeling, we believe that your home’s exterior should be as welcoming and comfortable as its interior. If your home didn’t come equipped with one of these fun, multi-functional outdoor spaces or if your outdoor space has seen better days, Green Remodeling can help. We expertly build decks and patios that are durable, attractive and usable. Give us a call today and we could have your new summer hangout finished long before the end of Popsicle season! Decks A deck is typically defined as a wooden above-ground structure made up of carefully laid planks. They may be stained, painted or sealed. They should not be left completely bare since sealants will help protect the deck from weather-wear and protect bare feet from pesky splinters. We have extensive experience building and remodeling decks of all heights and sizes with all kinds of extras from deck covers to outdoor kitchens. We’re happy to suggest architectural ideas such as custom columns, contrasting deck rails or corresponding fencing. Adding decking is an easy way to add value to your property, visually enhance your yard and incorporate more entertaining spots around your home. Porches Whether you like them open and airy or screened-in and shady, Green can help you construct the porch of your dreams. Fabulous front and back porches are a Southern tradition so here in North Georgia, nobody should live with a sub-par porch space. Porches can be ideal summer getaways because most are completely covered. This keeps them drier and cooler than other outdoor living areas. Large attached porches can even be tricked out with lighting, ceiling fans, custom ceiling designs and even outdoor-friendly hardwood floors. Visit our gallery to see all the different porch possibilities! Patios Creativity is of the utmost importance when it comes to designing a patio. They can be installed anywhere around your house – behind a ground-level kitchen, in a side yard or even underneath a pre-existing deck. Depending on the material you’d like to use, they can also be made in a wide variety shapes. Interesting angles and curves are currently all the rage among trend-setting patio designers but it’s a look that requires skilled workman. When we work with clients to design personalized patios, we’re able to include elements such as stucco, stamped concrete, brick and stone so as to better coordinate the outdoor space with the rest of the home.  

Green Goes Outdoors

Your home’s interior isn’t the only place you can add value to your property. Outdoor living spaces such as patios, decks and porches enhance your home’s exterior, give you a cool new summer hangout and actually add value. For an exterior upgrade that you enjoy for many years, here’s how you should approach your outdoor addition project…

First, consider function.

Are you going to throw a lot of parties outside or use a large deck as a bonus family space? Perhaps you’d rather build a small private patio just big enough for a bistro table. Determining whether your patio will be a gathering place or a getaway space will tell you how it should be designed and built. Beware of under-sizing though. For a deck to comfortable contain 4 or 5 chairs, a lot of square footage is needed. A patio with a fire pit feature also needs more than a little patch of pavement. Think about size and placement. Most outdoor living areas are placed so as to be accessible to the kitchen because that’s where people have their back door. However, a getaway patio can be built off of a bedroom or free-floating in the back of a property. If you currently lack any kind of patio or deck, you should walk around the property to get an idea of all the possible views and orientations your patio could have. The best spot isn’t always the most obvious spot!

Then, add your personal style.

Stylistic deck and patio choices may be partially determined by the site. Aesthetics are just as crucial to outdoor projects as they are indoors because the patio can be seen from inside the house as well as out in the yard. Curved lines are a popular patio trend lately but you may require an experienced construction company like Green to obtain the exact look you want. We can help point you toward building materials that complement the colors and architecture of your house. We’re familiar with all kinds of products including natural stone, stucco, concrete, concrete pavers and wood. We can even install water features to beautify your garden and help block out noises from nearby streets.

And get ready for summer!

Decks, porches and patios are fantastic spaces for entertaining during spring and summer months. Whether you want to enjoy a cool evening by a crackling fire or relax under a pergola for the afternoon, sipping an icy beverage, an outdoor addition makes just stepping outside feel like a little vacation. At Green Remodeling, we can offer designs and concepts to meet your family’s current and future needs. We can expertly incorporate whatever design elements best suit your lifestyle all while exhibiting superior customer service practices. Contact us today for an estimate! But before you do, visit our gallery to get some fresh ideas for your exterior additions!