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Pro Spotlight: Tips for Taking the Mystery Out of Remodeling
A Calgary expert shares how to get the answers you need before tackling a renovation
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Who: Mike Lee of Talee Renovations
Where: Calgary, Alberta
In his own words: “There are no stupid questions. Lean on the experts and ask about your options and trade-offs.”
With so many materials available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when remodeling your home. Stainless steel or porcelain? Tile or hardwood? A good strategy for narrowing your choices is to ask your contractor about which options suit your house and your budget. “People are focused on making their house look pretty, but we think about what’s going on behind the walls,” says Mike Lee, who owns Talee Renovations in Calgary. He helps clients select designs and materials that are affordable, durable and easy to maintain — and that look great.
Where: Calgary, Alberta
In his own words: “There are no stupid questions. Lean on the experts and ask about your options and trade-offs.”
With so many materials available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when remodeling your home. Stainless steel or porcelain? Tile or hardwood? A good strategy for narrowing your choices is to ask your contractor about which options suit your house and your budget. “People are focused on making their house look pretty, but we think about what’s going on behind the walls,” says Mike Lee, who owns Talee Renovations in Calgary. He helps clients select designs and materials that are affordable, durable and easy to maintain — and that look great.
Building excitement. While working in commercial insurance for contractors, Lee came to the realization that his clients were enjoying their work more than he enjoyed his. So in 2008 he switched fields. The remodeling industry suits him far better, he says: “Building is a lot more interesting than insurance. I like to help homeowners bring their ideas into focus.”
Exploring possibilities. Lee advises gathering ideas on Houzz, taking photos of features you like and bringing all of your ideas and questions to the table. “I want people to explore,” he says. “Don’t limit your possibilities. Walls can be moved. Hallways can be opened up. And often you’ll find out you can do it in a budget-friendly way.”
Lee offers the following tips to get the most out of your discussions with your contractor.
Lee offers the following tips to get the most out of your discussions with your contractor.
1. Ask About Materials
Contractors work on dozens of projects every year and have experience installing and maintaining a wide variety of materials. Take advantage of their knowledge to inquire about the advantages and disadvantages of various materials, especially those that are relatively new. For example, Lee’s experiences have led him to caution clients against using relatively porous natural stone in bathrooms, where it can easily be discolored or etched by water, chemicals and makeup.
For countertops, Lee prefers granite and quartz. In this downtown Calgary condo, his team remodeled the bathroom using a quartz vanity top. It also used multiple types of tile throughout the room. “Ceramic and porcelain are not only easier to maintain, they’re less expensive to install,” Lee says.
See more of this project
Contractors work on dozens of projects every year and have experience installing and maintaining a wide variety of materials. Take advantage of their knowledge to inquire about the advantages and disadvantages of various materials, especially those that are relatively new. For example, Lee’s experiences have led him to caution clients against using relatively porous natural stone in bathrooms, where it can easily be discolored or etched by water, chemicals and makeup.
For countertops, Lee prefers granite and quartz. In this downtown Calgary condo, his team remodeled the bathroom using a quartz vanity top. It also used multiple types of tile throughout the room. “Ceramic and porcelain are not only easier to maintain, they’re less expensive to install,” Lee says.
See more of this project
2. Find the Right Light
Your lighting decisions will be easier if you list what people will be doing in each room and work with your contractor to match your fixtures, switches and outlets to those activities. “Most rooms should have a mix of lighting,” Lee says. “You want pots on the ceiling to disperse light and task lighting in areas where you’re going to work, such as undercabinet lighting in the kitchen or makeup lights on either side of a vanity mirror.”
While task lighting should be bright, illumination in areas where you socialize can be softer and warmer. When the Talee team remodeled this Calgary kitchen, it provided three types of lighting: ceiling pots, undercabinet task lighting and contemporary pendants over the eating area.
See more of this project
Your lighting decisions will be easier if you list what people will be doing in each room and work with your contractor to match your fixtures, switches and outlets to those activities. “Most rooms should have a mix of lighting,” Lee says. “You want pots on the ceiling to disperse light and task lighting in areas where you’re going to work, such as undercabinet lighting in the kitchen or makeup lights on either side of a vanity mirror.”
While task lighting should be bright, illumination in areas where you socialize can be softer and warmer. When the Talee team remodeled this Calgary kitchen, it provided three types of lighting: ceiling pots, undercabinet task lighting and contemporary pendants over the eating area.
See more of this project
3. Look Beneath the Surface
Your remodel is likely to reveal some surprises, depending on what has (or hasn’t) been done to your house. “If your contractor is reluctant to use a particular material or design, ask why,” Lee says. “It might require leveling, waterproofing, special supports, additional insulation or vapor barriers before it can be guaranteed — and that additional work could be expensive.”
This Calgary bathroom remodel included a 400-pound cast-iron vintage bathtub — more weight than the flooring could support. The client authorized Talee to do additional work to reinforce the floor joists.
More: For more information on Talee Renovations and examples of its work, visit the company’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Your remodel is likely to reveal some surprises, depending on what has (or hasn’t) been done to your house. “If your contractor is reluctant to use a particular material or design, ask why,” Lee says. “It might require leveling, waterproofing, special supports, additional insulation or vapor barriers before it can be guaranteed — and that additional work could be expensive.”
This Calgary bathroom remodel included a 400-pound cast-iron vintage bathtub — more weight than the flooring could support. The client authorized Talee to do additional work to reinforce the floor joists.
More: For more information on Talee Renovations and examples of its work, visit the company’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
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Valoración de Tian Cai:
Mike and his team did an excellent job in our home renovation which included kitchen remodeling, flooring, wall painting, and plumbing. They are not shy about sharing their opinions and lessons, make ...Más