It’s safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every area of our lives. From grocery shopping and working out, to our daily 9-5 and nights out, we’ve really had to adjust. If your remote workforce is slowly transitioning back to your office space, some renovations will likely need to take place to minimize the spread of germs and maximize safety. The building owner and business owners can collaborate in order to reduce disease spread amongst employees by integrating specific renovations that can prevent widespread circulation.

If your commercial property is in need of a few COVID-friendly updates and office renovations, here are 3 things you might consider as you begin your reopening efforts.

1. Create Distinct Spaces To Promote Social Distancing

As offices reopen and people return to working in a building together, there will definitely be a need for more space for physically distanced “bubbles”. Creating distinct rooms might mean that you spread out cubicles, divide break areas, update your current benching systems, have separate conference rooms, and use more substantial partitions than what was used in the past.

New, enclosed spaces can ensure employees maintain proper distance and have their own space to work safely. An office renovation should see separate areas as a major focus in order to limit contact between employees. Rearranging desks, creating separate benching systems, and putting up barriers can act as a physical reminder to adhere to COVID guidelines and distancing.

The main goal for this renovation is to naturally facilitate physical distancing between employees and guests by spacing out the office.

Another space renovation that can be considered is to dedicate separate rooms for visitors, deliveries, and other guests. These rooms can help adequately spread out people and reduce outside traffic in the commercial or office space.

2. Install Hygiene Systems For A Cleaner Environment

If there’s any time to make some upgrades to your sanitation systems, it’s now. Ensuring that the air and the office environment are as clean as possible is a vital step that should be taken as you return to work. No matter what kind of commercial space you have, HVAC systems are definitely something to consider.

Upgrading HVAC systems can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in your office space. Since COVID is a virus that travels through air particles, it’s important to carefully filter the air in your commercial space so that you are breathing in and spreading clean air. Installing tools and safety equipment like HVAC systems can help curb the spread of the virus amongst office workers and can boost the health of the office.

Another consideration when it comes to office renovation is lowering high-touch surfaces. While many spaces now use automatic doors activated by buttons or sensors, there are still updates that can be done to lower the number of high touch areas in the office. This can be done by installing more motion sensors on doors, door handles, bathroom hand dryers, or faucets. For surfaces that can’t be automated, use easy-to-clean materials so that you can maintain the cleanliness and hygiene of the office.

3. Upgrade Current Technology In Office Space

Boosting office health and energy doesn’t stop at hygiene and social distancing. Another renovation consideration involves upgrading your technology in order to accommodate seamless collaboration between in-person and remote workers.

The pandemic has made remote teams the new normal. With most employees working from home over the past year, it is likely that many of them will continue to do so in the coming months or even the rest of the year. In order to enhance virtual collaboration, now is the perfect time for technology in the office space to be updated.

Technology updates would include upgrading your space’s wifi connection, installing large monitors in the conference areas and moving around the other office furniture in order to make collaboration possible.

When you rearrange existing furniture, you are showing your employees that teamwork is essential and needed, regardless of where your employees are. The main goal here is to make working in teams still a reality, even if some employees are working remotely.

Honest Renovations

If you’re looking at getting your commercial or office space ready for your employees, we’ve got you covered! Based in the Hamilton area, Honest Renovations is your one-stop shop for home and office renovations. We serve clients in Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford, Oakville, Mississauga, Niagara, Stoney Creek, Dundas Flamborough, and the GTA! Our team of building consultants will help you cover all your bases and aid you in overcoming any challenges these renovations might bring.

If you are thinking about renovating your house, you could be thinking about removing a wall or two. It is important to identify a load-bearing wall before you begin your project. At Honest Renovations, we have lots of experience with load-bearing walls, and will explain what a load-bearing wall is, what it does, tips on how you can identify one, and more in this post!

What Are Load-Bearing Walls?

First, a load-bearing wall (also known as a bearing wall) is a wall that is critical to the structural support of the rest of your house. They help transfer the wall load, bearing the weight from the roof, through the walls, and down to the foundation of your house.

Load-bearing walls will exist on every floor of your house, often right on top of one another. This is because loads (the weight) are transferred from one level to another, meaning that the framing posts holding up your room on the top floor are redistributing the weight down to the first floor and foundation of your house.

Removing a load-bearing wall can cause serious structural issues to your home both in the short and long term. To ensure that you do not remove a load-bearing wall, it is important to know how to identify which wall is load-bearing and which is not.

The Structure of Load-Bearing Walls

If you remove a piece of the ceiling or, even better, look at the blueprints to your building, you should be able to see the layout of your walls and floor joists. This provides crucial information to determine what are bearing walls.

When the wall runs parallel to the floor joists above (they run the same way), the load is typically not load-bearing. If the wall runs perpendicular to the floor joists (meaning they run the opposite way), the wall is likely load-bearing and is redistributing the weight from above it.

Another way to tell is by looking at the floor joists. Typically, if the floor joists do not span entirely across the wall, it may be load-bearing. This is not a certain determinant in whether walls are bearing the weight of your house or not. It is best to consult a structural engineer to determine what walls are load-bearing.

Exterior Walls

Exterior walls are the outermost walls of a building. Typically, exterior walls are load-bearing because they support the roof of your house. Think of it this way – what are the first walls that are built during construction? Exterior walls’ posts are always built into the foundation of your home to support the roof that is constructed on top.

While some outer walls may not be completely load-bearing, parts of them are still used to support the structural integrity of your house.

How To Tell If A Wall Is Load Bearing

If you have an interior design or renovation project that you would like to take on, there is a chance you are wondering how to know if a wall is a load-bearing wall or not. Unless you are familiar with home construction and structures, it is a good idea to contact a professional builder or structural engineer. They can easily help you determine which are load-bearing walls and which are not.

Open Your Wall To Inspect The Trusses

A great way to figure out if a wall is load-bearing is to remove the drywall so you can see the wood beams. This may not be possible for everyone, but if you are renovating several rooms in your home.

When the wall is open, you can look at the beams ceiling/floor joists above it are perpendicular to the walls. If the joists are parallel to the wall, then it is non-load bearing and the wall could be removed.

Take a Trip To Your Attic

You can figure out the structure of your walls without needing to tear up your ceiling! If you have an attic, you can easily figure out what point of your wall is structurally important.

Your attic will allow you to look at every beam in your ceiling. This is important because a beam can tell a lot about each wall. If a beam has braces from the rafters of your attic, this is a tell-tale sign that the wall would be holding the weight of your building.

Go Underneath Your Home

You can identify a structurally important wall through your unfinished basement just as you would a ceiling. Visit your basement or crawlspace to inspect your floor’s joists without needing to rip it up. You can see if there is a wall or other supporting infrastructure (beam, column, jack posts, etc) that are directly below and following the wall above.

Just like load-bearing walls, a beam or jack post is bearing wall load sent from your roof to your floor.

Before Opening Up Your Space, Call A Professional

Load-bearing walls play an important role in ensuring that your home is structurally sound, but they can be difficult to point out in your home. If you want to determine if a wall is holding the weight of your home, it may be best to hire a structural engineer’s services. This is especially true if you want to remove a load bearing wall.

When it comes to transforming your home, there are many benefits of a finished basement. An unfinished basement can feel cold and uninviting whereas a fully finished basement can be welcoming and a nice chill space for you and your family. Creating a finished basement can be tricky, but it’s worth it to get that home office, extra bedroom or secondary living room.

For residents in Hamilton, Ontario, homes with finished basements are a hot-ticket item and learning how finishing a basement can positively impact the value of your home can help when it comes to selling. Taking on a project that helps finish your basement can help you lower your living costs and helps you invest your income long-term. The benefits of a finished basement are endless, but these top reasons may make you decide to take the plunge and contact trusted basement finishing professionals.

1. Gives You Extra Space

The main benefit of a fully finished basement is the extra storage space you’ll get. Finishing your basement allows you to use the space in your basement for storing various items you may not use year-round. By finishing your basement, your adding room and creating a functional space in your basement that you’ll want to spend time in. You could even put up walls and add a new bedroom to increase space in your upper levels too, which could help you earn extra income.

2. Reduces Your Energy Bill

Another one of the main benefits of a finished basement is that it adds insulation and warms your cold basement in a short timeframe, which ultimately reduces your overall costs. If you currently have a concrete floor in your basement, consider the benefits of putting tiling, vinyl, laminate, carpeting or other great basement flooring options down. In terms of added insulation, a new floor can help keep you comfortable and lower the energy bill in your home.

3. A Finished Basement is Versatile

Finishing a basement is a great way to add additional rooms in your home that you can use for a multitude of reasons. You could use your new basement as a storage space, workout space, or you could finish your basement and utilize the area as a large new master bedroom. Many people are using the extra space in their finished basement as a home office or a recreation room for their family to spend time in. Finished basements are one of the most versatile spaces in any home and having a space that can transform into a variety of spaces will ultimately add value to your home.

4. A Nice Space To Spend time

When you create a beautiful living space in your finished basement you create a cozy atmosphere and a great place to spend time with your family. Basements are a place people want to watch movies or for children to play. An unfinished basement can get in the way of spending quality time with your family and taking advantage of the added space can help you make the most out of your property. Creating a functional area in your basement that adds value to your home and makes you want to spend time in basements.

5. Increases your Home value

The best benefit of taking on a basement renovation project for homeowners is the value that gets added to your home. Finishing your basement is an easy way to increase the value of your property and many buyers are looking for homes that specifically have finished basements. Completing any renovation is a great investment for homeowners but working to finish your basement or add an extra room may be the best route to take if you’re looking to seriously up the value of your home.

Reaping The Benefits Of A Finished Basement

When it comes to basements, you need trusted professionals who help take your unfinished basement and turn it into a great space by adding high-quality details to transform your living space. Simple things like adding insulation, creating an extra room or building a new storage area can add value to your home and positively impact your life. When it comes to working on your basement, consider what you want the overall outcome to be, and contact trusted professionals to give you an honest quote. Finished basements are in, and it’s time you got in on this trend! 

You have probably watched some home renovation shows, such as “Good Bones,” “Flip or Flop,” “Fixer Upper,” and “Rehab Addict.” These TV shows are about fixing up damaged, old fixer-uppers and transforming them into beautiful homes for a living. After watching a lot of these series, you might be tempted into buying a fixer-upper house. Read more