How do I Choose Home Building Materials?
- 1). Choose your priorities. If your main objective is to add value to your home, select more high-end materials like hardwood and granite. If budget is an issue, low-end materials like vinyl and plastic laminates are more fitting, or you may be interested in environmentally-friendly building materials like bamboo or cork that look nice and wear well without depleting natural resources.
- 2). Do your research. Certain materials have specific traits. Laminate and thermofoil cabinetry is cheap, and you can find it easily and have it delivered the next day, but it isn't as durable as maple and doesn't lend itself to formal looks.
Similarly, concrete counter tops are certainly durable, but they're also custom-made, costly, and take time to cure properly. Concrete is not the option if you are in a time-crunch. Granite or soapstone might be better choices and will add terrific value to your home in the process.
By knowing the overall traits of the materials you select, you'll save heartache and added expense down the road. You'll also end up with a finished product that best suits the way you live. - 3). Set your budget. Cherry cabinets are beautiful. They're also costly, as are hardwood floors and natural stone counter tops. You can achieve similar looks and styles with less-expensive materials by adding cherry stains to oak cabinetry and choosing laminate flooring that mimics the look of real hardwood.
Once you know how much you want to spend on a project, you can narrow your choices to the materials that fall within your budget, saving you the time it would otherwise take to look through the endless selections available on the market today. - 4). Coordinate your design. If you are working toward a total remodel, you should at least do all the planning at the onset. Designing as you go can lead to a hodgepodge look. By planning it all out ahead of time, you can choose materials that work well together and complement each other in color and style. Sleek black granite counter tops may not look right under rustic pine cabinetry, and just because you happen to love them both does not necessarily mean you should pair them up.
- 5). Take all your measurements at the onset, and record them all together in the same notebook. This information is essential when you are shopping for cabinetry, especially.
- 6). Shop smart. Never buy your materials at the first supplier you visit. Taking the time to comparison shop will net you better deals on the same materials.
Take advantage of low-inventory and overstock sales, but don't stray away from your original plan. If your research has pointed you to butcher block counter tops, don't change your whole plan because you find a great deal on ceramic tile. Look for sales on butcher block and butcher block only. Stay focused and stick to the plan.
