Renovation Companies And The Challenges Of Style And Materials

Home renovation companies are at the forefront of our modern home designs. There’s a real tussle between style and modern material choices that you need to have a good understanding of. Some clients want more traditional homes, but they don’t want to have the baggage that comes with it, such as less economical and sturdy. Yet, homeowners that want contemporary materials, don’t want a home that is too cold and lifeless. The challenge is to select materials that both fit the style of the home and achieve the best efficiency. In all honesty, this is a difficult task to accomplish because there are some styles of homes that just cannot be brought into the 21st century. Here’s how you can choose the best materials for the job.

Mixing it up

Of all the materials that are still highly loved, concrete is by far the top dog. It’s consistently evolved to become lighter, easier to use, easier to apply and take off. Home renovation companies need to know the best mixing materials because they want their concrete to stretch as far as it can but not have to pay too high a price for it.

One of the top choices is sodium gluconate because it reduces the water consumption of the concrete. This helps you to make a consistent and strong batch of concrete every time. It also means it improves workability, your workers won’t feel like they’re dealing with sloppy material, instead, it will be sticky and easy to manipulate.

Because it absorbs a lot of the water and makes it more workable, it can be left on project sites for a few days without the concrete hardening. This is vital for large complex projects. It saves your company a lot of money by not having to throw away concrete which you haven’t used by the end of the day.

The sand, of course, is the main mixture that is used because it extends the concrete. However, the finest sand should have no more than an aggregate of 4mm. This is something that you have to specifically buy from concrete merchants. It should have no more than 4% of the slit, which will stop the concrete from becoming too coarse. This in-turn prevents air bubbles from forming inside the mixture.

Traditional flooring

A customer rings you and says they would like a hardwood floor but they don’t want it to be cold. How can you manage to give them both? Well, wood is naturally insulating, because it has multiple layers and is a very dense material. It also has wood and oil in its structure so the heat stays in the wood for a very long time. But some wood is better than others.

Black walnut: This has a density level of 40lbs per cubic feet. With an average moisture content of 8-12%. It has a high modulus of rupture rating (kpa) at 101,000. Just 4,000 shy of mahogany. It has one of the higher compression to parallel grain ratios of 52,300. This is a great material to choose because it has above average performance and it’s not as pricey as the higher woods like birch and maple.

Cherry: A cheap and cheerful wood that is mostly bought for its aesthetic appeal. It has a moisture content of 8-12% as well. Its modulus of rupture rating is 85,000 and it’s compression to parallel grain is 49,000. Its density level is 35lbs per cubic feet. This is a type of wood that you would use for places which weren’t going to be used by high foot traffic, such as for patio decking or front porch decking, etc.

Both of these wood types have great value for money, but they have good insulating qualities as well. They can absorb heat and expand while still staying sturdy. Learn more about the different wood types to give your customers the best options.

The types of glass

Heating efficiency is a major part of a home’s renovation. Because windows are difficult to set and take out, they will usually only be changed once every 20-30 years. So making the right choice for your customer is very important.

• Privacy tempered glass – This is a kind of shaded glass, which is made into an opaque tint. It can be used for vehicles as well, but this is mostly parts of the home where you want the most privacy, such as bedroom, conservatory, garage, or indoor swimming pool room.
• High clear tempered glass – The highest quality tempered glass which you can buy, usually only bought for high-rise skyscraper projects. The oleophobic coating makes it fingerprint-resistant and will hardly allow any smudges on it at all. This is a type of glass you could offer affluent clients.
• Tempered laminate – This is a glass that is scratch-resistant, great for homes that have large families with kids that like to play rough. It does make the view to the outside of the home more opaque and the coloring is made duller. But, it’s also rainwater-resistant so you won’t get those dry water lines.

Stainless steel grades for homes

Stainless steel is a very important material for modern homes because customers want their furniture to be rugged and last a long time.

• Type 440 – is great high-grade steel that has more carbon and will allow for more edge retention. This is because, the steel has been heated treated and hardened, sometimes up to Rockwell 58 level. This is very hard steel and should be used for dining tables, structure support, and can also be used for things like garages.
• Type 430 – Can be used for decorative purposes such as the lining of a bath or perhaps the bathroom mirrors which you hang up during your renovation. It’s more flexible and can be polished to a high standard.

Renovation companies need to know what kinds of materials they can use to fulfill any particular style of home clients want. It’s very important to know different wood types so you can offer style and comfort.