Interior with Elegance: Renovating a Condo vs. a House

Interior with Elegance has extensive experience in both renovating houses and renovating condos. When we renovated our condo, it was vastly different from the experience of renovating our house, and we learned some valuable lessons in the process. We hope that these lessons will be helpful to you if you are currently renovating a condo or planning to do so in the future!

Share only your best ideas

One of Interior with Elegance’s biggest mistakes was sharing every new idea for decoration, as soon as it came to mind. Every time we had an idea, it just made sense to jump online and share our ideas on social media. While we love connecting to our readership, it's probably not good practice to post about everything we're thinking of doing... It could be that in six months no one cares what kind of flowers you put in your bathroom or what colour you painted your walls. We try not to post too many decor-only updates now, but when we do share an update it’s something special and thoughtful rather than just another day at work on Interior with Elegance’s projects! If you have a favourite interior design website, take some time to explore their social media accounts - chances are they only post really special things (or they don't post much at all). You can learn a lot from how others operate their social media presence. When should I share? What should I share? How often should I share? These are all questions worth asking yourself before diving into social media! Interior with Elegance is trying to find balance between posting fun updates without being too boring or 'filling up' our followers' feeds so that there is room for other great content coming from other sources! The best way to decide how often you want to publish is by paying attention.

Know what’s allowed by your condo board

Ask your condo board before you change anything. In some buildings, condo owners have to get approval for paint colors and kitchen renovations, while others make sure you have approval before you rent out your unit on Airbnb or turn part of it into an in-law suite. If you’re not sure, ask! It’s better to err on the side of caution when dealing with people who hold all kinds of power over your home and savings account—and can fine you for violations. Here are three common rules that apply to condos across Canada:

Confirm all tradespeople are licensed

The Ontario provincial government requires all renovators to be licensed through either of two organizations: College of Trades, or Home Services Council (HSC). HSC and College of Trades are completely separate but accredited organizations in Ontario. It's important to know what organization tradespeople belong to before hiring them so you can ensure they're not only qualified, but also legally allowed to work on your property. For example, electrical work and plumbing require unique qualifications that aren't taught through either organization; if you hire an unlicensed electrician or plumber, it could result in fines and other serious repercussions! Luckily, there's an easy way to confirm that tradespeople have valid licenses by requesting proof from them before they arrive at your home. Simply ask for their Proof of Qualification card or certificate when scheduling appointments—this is often found in their wallet and has contact information as well as information about which organization they're certified under. If you notice something amiss, call us right away so we can investigate further. While we take safety very seriously here at Interior with Elegance, no one is perfect—even skilled tradespeople sometimes slip up—so it’s best to always err on the side of caution. Always remember: If something seems too good to be true...it probably is!

The four steps involved in the interior design process - inspiration, planning, design and completion - must be followed closely together for maximum results.

Learn about green initiatives in construction

Today’s buildings, green or otherwise, can often consume significant resources while they’re being built and after they’re inhabited. Even if you are not building an environmentally-friendly structure or remodeling one, it helps to know about tools and practices that will help your project be more eco-friendly from conception through completion; from what materials to use to how products should be sourced, recycled and reused. Here are some sites you can use as references for learning about initiatives in construction of green buildings: Green Building Advisor, Green Home Builder Magazine, and Architectural Record Magazine.

Ask for referrals when it comes to tradespeople

If you’re renovating your condo, ask people in your social circle who they used and what their experience was like. It's possible that you already know someone who has done renovations on their own home, which makes it easy to get a recommendation (and can cut down on some of your startup costs). If not, start making some calls; others will be happy to talk about their experiences!

Decide on renovations that will add value, like an updated kitchen

Although condo renovations typically cost less than home renovations, it’s worth thinking carefully about how much you want to invest in your property. One of Interior with Elegance’s highest return-on-investment areas is often kitchens; adding value by renovating these spaces can pay off significantly in resale value or a higher rent price if you choose to sell later on. When picking out new appliances, try to stick with timeless designs that will age well and look just as great ten years from now as they do today. The same goes for fixtures like sinks and faucets—it might be tempting to buy something flashy, but instead try to focus on getting items that will last and complement any future design choices you make down the road. In terms of design style, think about what sort of look would fit best into your building—is it more modern? More traditional? The condo board may have certain guidelines regarding colours and materials that are allowed so keep those in mind when planning out your renovation. If you aren't sure where to start or what styles would work best for you and/or your building, ask Interior with Elegance for help!

The most valuable renovation decision you make

Before you hire anyone to work on your condo, make sure that you know exactly what is allowed in your building. This is by far one of, if not, THE most important decision you will make when renovating. Knowing which changes can be made without permission and which require permission is key to avoiding costly mistakes down the road. In some buildings, only an architect or registered designer can change certain things; in others, no changes are permitted at all unless you get approval from a condo board (also known as a strata). Discuss any major plans with your property manager before proceeding with renovations – they’ll likely be able to help clarify what will need approval and give you advice based on past experience in your building about how to proceed successfully with getting said approval for any changes.

There's no such thing as too many quotes

The danger of quoting uninspired famous people is that you start to sound like an uninspired famous person yourself—boring, repetitive, and overly self-aware. Of course, there are great quotes out there—in fact, if you search hard enough, you can find great quotes on just about any topic (i.e., think about how many ways people have said Love conquers all). The problem is finding truly great ones and using them in ways that feel fresh and exciting; don't resort to using tired sayings that everyone knows or understands without thinking them through. For example, one quote I love from comedian Louis C.K.: Sometimes you gotta get lucky. But most of it's just work. As far as I know, he hasn't used it himself in his work yet—but I've heard him mention it at least once while giving a talk live onstage and it's stuck with me ever since. It's one thing to see it written down here and another entirely when someone says it aloud during a performance; there's something so much more powerful about hearing someone deliver their own material than reading something they wrote for you online.