Tips on sprucing up your house

When you bought, or perhaps even built, your house a while back, it was fashionable. But with new ideas  in interior design coming up by the day, it might have started looking a bit old-fashioned and you’re wondering what to do to give it a more modern look.

Or perhaps your house is not particularly old, but you want to incorporate some features that were not available when you acquired it, or just to give it a new lease of life.

Mr Amit Shah, an interior designer, says you should upgrade your house every 15 years to bring it more in line with the times. 

The  Kisumu-based Mr Shah offered some tips on home renovation. The first thing he  pointed out was that, unlike when building a house, where you begin with the foundation and work upwards, when it comes to renovation,  you should start from the top and work downwards, meaning you start with the roof.

The roof

The  importance of having a structurally sound roof cannot be overemphasised since it covers the rest of the house

However, it is important to note that clay tiles, while beautiful and popular, can develop leaks with time. So if you have a roof made of clay tiles, you might want to replace them with galvanised sheets which, though cheaper and more durable, are considered less trendy by some.

Then there are the more modern steel-coated tiles that are very functional. However, to lay them you need timber to add support and align the roof, which will cost you more. But unlike galvanised sheets, steel-coated tiles are more corrosion resistant.

With the wide variety in the market, it is best to do some research and get a number of quotations to enable you to get the best value for your money.  Although steel-coated tiles do not need plain sheeting underneath to stop leaks, you can put some, just to be sure. 

Gypsum ceiling boards

Tired of your plain, boring ceiling?  Why not add some flair with decorative gypsum.  Although it is costly, it makes for a beautiful finish to your ceilings. It is quite expensive and time-consuming, but is well worth the effort. 

Ideally, a 12-mm board is much better than the 9mm one because it is sturdier. And while at it, ensure that you do not fall prey to counterfeits. This is especially  if you plan to use downlights because the fake ones are likely to break if you cut holes in them. 

Also important to  consider is the alignment of the boards because, if not done correctly, you will not get a smooth finish. 

And before you have the gypsum ceiling added, ensure that there are no leaks on your roof since the gypsum will soak up the water and leave unsightly marks. If this happens, you might even have mould growing on your ceiling.

Lighting

The new trend now is LED downlights. You can use them to replace your incandescent  or fluorescent bulbs. LED bulbs are cost-effective and look good, although they are more expensive the other types of bulbs.

Another possibility is Philips hue lighting, which works like any other bulb except that  it connects to your wifi and allows you to choose from more than 60 colours.  But it is quite pricey, with the starter kit going for between Sh25,000 to 30,000 k for about four lights.

Solar

Your house probably has an electric water heater hidden somewhere inside a cupboard.  To cut costs, you can have a solar water heater installed on the roof, where it is not in anyone’s way.  Although quite costly, it makes sense in long the long run in terms of savings. But you might  have to invest in an external pump to ensure that all shower points have adequate pressure. There are plenty of companies to choose from,  but it is advisable to liaise with a competent contractor.

Piping

Most old houses have metal piping which, worse still, it is not well concealed.  You can change to PPR pipes, which you can conceal in the walls. They are light and corrosion free, making them a good substitute for metal pipes.

Bathrooms

If your house has lots of small rooms, separate toilets and showers, you can knock down some walls to create larger bathrooms with enough space for His and Her Sinks as well as large enough cubicles fo rrain  showers. If money is not a problem, you can invest in glass or aluminum partitions. 

Electric wiring

With the increases use of technological devices, there always a shortage of sockets and power points. When replacing or adding the electric wiring, ensure these are all serviced through conduits and hacked into the walls. Ensure an adequate supply of sockets and buy enough surge protectors to avoid damaging your electrical goods.

Note that fridges and cookers use a lot of power, so protect these separately. 

OPTIONS

When redoing your house, you can make major changes, such as replacing the roof, or you can focus on the indoors and tackle the ceiling, lighting, bathroom, piping and electric wiring. You could also do away with the geyser that is almost always hidden in some cupboard, taking up badly needed space and install solar heaters, which are conveniently placed on the roof.