Remodeling My Vacation Home

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Added: Fri. Feb 10, 2012 6:37pm
Posted in: DIY & Home Improvement

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Ever wonder why so many retirees move to Florida (or another warm region of the country) the minute they retire? It's because of the convenience of living in these areas-- no snow shoveling, no leaf raking and no need to pour salt on the driveway. To younger homeowners, these tasks may just seem like slightly annoying chores, but to older retirees, they can be both physically and mentally exhausting.

 

Where you move can contribute significantly to the comfort of your retirement, but many retirees fail to recognize how much the maintenance of the home itself can make a difference in the level of comfort as well. As an experienced retiree, I've learned that remodeling your vacation home a certain way can have a dramatic impact on the level of enjoyment you will get out of it, as well as the amount of maintenance you will have to put in to keep it looking great.

 

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Carpet Flooring

 

I'll admit, carpet flooring does come with some pretty appealing advantages: it's soft and warm against your feet, it tends to insulate the room more effectively and it can add a touch of color and unique style to your home in a way that alternative flooring options may fall short. Although these perks may sound tempting, they may not be well-suited for a retiree's vacation home. First of all, carpet flooring requires much more maintenance than hardwood flooring-- maintenance that may not be practical or even possible for a home that you only spend one-fourth of the year in.

 

According to ABC News, carpeted areas should be vacuumed a minimum of once per week. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) further recommends having your carpet professionally cleaned at least twice per year. Conducting proper carpet maintenance in your summer home can not only be a burden for bad backs and weak knees, but can also get to be pretty expensive for retirees on a budget.

 

Although your personal reason for cleaning the carpet may be to spruce up the home for a family dinner party, neglecting this necessary chore can have more serious consequences than just rude remarks from your sister. The EPA claims that carpet flooring can pose serious health risks to residents of the home because it often accumulates dust, dust mites and other pollutants that can irritate allergies and cause other respiratory complications. Carpet flooring is also much more susceptible to mold growth if exposed to moist environmental conditions.

 

Why I'm Glad I Chose Hardwood Flooring

 

Considering all the hefty disadvantages that come with carpet flooring, I knew right away that hardwood flooring was the way to go. My wife and I had just moved into our vacation home in Arizona and wanted to create some extra space for family and friends to have somewhere to stay when they came to visit. When we added the guest room, we were faced with the decision of choosing between carpet flooring and hardwood flooring.

 

The decision was tough because we wanted the room to be as comfortable as possible for our guests, and carpet flooring seemed to come with this extra level of comfort. However, further research into the decision (as explained above) convinced us that the slight comfort the carpet might bring to the room just simply wasn't worth all of the maintenance and health risks that came with it.

 

So, instead we chose hardwood flooring and we haven't had a single second thought about this decision ever since. Looking back, hardwood floors were always the superior choice. Even the most expensive wool carpeting doesn't come close to the elegance and beauty of authentic hardwood flooring. Our guests are constantly impressed with the upscale aesthetic quality of hardwood flooring, and we even find ourselves constantly impressed with the durability of the flooring as well. Our rambunctious grandkids can run and play without causing a single scratch, scuff or stain, and we can enjoy a dust-free home without breaking our backs on the vacuum cleaner. Just a quick sweep and Swiffer every couple of weeks and our hardwood flooring is good as new.

 

Final Considerations

 

I believe that as a retiree, you have an inalienable right to be as lazy as you want to be. Your retirement, and especially your vacation within this period, should be about relaxation and truly enjoying yourself. That being said, you should set yourself up for ultimate relaxation by tailoring your vacation home to be as comfortable as possible, while ensuring little upkeep to maintain this high level of comfort. Although installing hardwood flooring is the number one way to implement this idea into your vacation home, you can also make your home retiree-friendly by taking the following measures.

• Say No to Swimming Pools: In warm climates, such as Arizona, taking a dip in your own swimming pool can be heavenly, but you're likely to spend more of your time removing debris, sanitizing and performing general maintenance for your pool than you will actually swimming in it.
• Choose Bamboo or Cork Flooring for Bathrooms: According to experts at HGTV, bamboo and cork flooring are both two excellent options for the bathroom because they are durable, moisture-repellant and resistant to mold, mildew and bacteria. This means you can enjoy a clean and hygienic bathroom without having to scrub after each shower.
• Install Chrome Faucets: When it comes to faucets, shower heads, and other metal water spouts in your home, choose corrosion-resistant materials, such as chrome and brass, instead of less-resistant materials, such as bronze and nickel. Chrome and brass are less likely to rust, which means you won't have to clean them as much and they are more likely to last longer.