You have probably heard that the kitchen is the busiest room in the home. While that may be true, the living room has to be the runner-up. Many people spend a lot of time in their living room, which makes it a popular choice for renovation. Before you jump into a renovation, there are some tips you should know.

Working With a Contractor

When dealing with a contractor, you should be aware of overbilling. This is beneficial to a construction company when managing covenant ratios. Because construction is notoriously slow when it comes to payments, companies attempt to get ahead of cash flow concerns and the negative impacts of late payments. To do this, they may bill you for the labor and materials before the work is completed. You may need to be prepared to make payment sooner than you realize.

Expand the Living Room

Over half of the houses in the U.S. were built before 1980. This means that your home may have a compact floor plan. While it had a purpose when it was built, the need for more space today is causing homeowners to want to open up their space. If your living room is attached to the next room and you do not mind losing that separate space, you can knock out the wall to create a large living room. It is critical that the wall is not load-bearing. You can also use features like glass walls, half walls, columns, and pillars to create some small amounts of separation in an open space.

Update and Improve Lighting

You want to create a welcoming space within your living room. You can do this with light, especially natural light. You can kill two birds with one stone if you replace or add some windows to your home. When your windows are in need of replacement, doing so not only makes your home energy efficient but provides more light to your living space. Having natural light stream into your living room is a great way to feel energized.

Rehab Your Flooring

Depending on the age of your home, your flooring could need an upgrade. No matter if you choose carpeting, wood flooring, or another option, if your floor is cracked, stained, or in need of some other repair, now is the time to give it a facelift. About 51% of the U.S. flooring market is carpeting. Not only will new flooring completely change the look of your home, but it could also increase the resale value. If you are not sure if you are ready to give up carpeting and make the switch to hardwood floors, you can always get wood floors but add area rugs.

Add Some Color With Paint

The color of the living room in your home is important. You spend a large amount of time in this room, so you want it to be a color you will enjoy. The color of the walls is important, but so is the overall color scheme. This is a low-cost way to improve the way your home looks while increasing its resale value. In addition, if you are planning to sell your house soon, you may want to select colors that will appeal to potential buyers.

Refresh the Entryway

Consider getting a new door if your living room is in the front of your home or faces the front door. This is a minimal amount of effort and cost but can drastically change the appearance of your home on the inside and outside.

There are many ways you can refresh the living room in your home. Not only does it make your house more welcoming to you and your guests, but it increases the resale value. Consider starting with these tips for your living room refresh.