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Angie's List: Remodeling Your Home

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Do you love your home, but feel like you just don't have enough space?  Remodeling might be a good solution for you.  In this week's Angie's List report,  Jim Donovan has information you need if you're thinking of a big renovation job at your house.

The latest trend in remodeling is taking walls down to open up space.  But don't consider knocking anything down unless you know what you're doing.

"The idea of opening up space in your house might seem like a simple project, but it's actually pretty tricky because when it comes to taking walls out of your home, you want to be sure you know exactly what you are doing. Consulting with a professional, like a structural engineer, to make sure you're not taking out a load bearing wall, which could lead to disaster," said Angie's List founder Angie Hicks.

It's also important that have a good understanding of what you're trying to achieve.

"I think that the primary thing that you need to do is you need to make sure you have a decent understanding of how you like to use your space more effectively. You don't have to have all the answers, you just have to understand what your needs are and be able to effectively communicate them to a company like ours," said contractor Geoff Horen.

And keep in mind you don't have to do a major remodel in order to gain space.

"If you're looking to open up your space and you don't have a lot of money to invest in remodeling, you could think about some simple things. Maybe you have an entertainment center or bookshelf that are taking up a lot of space in living room. You can consult with a remodeling about adding built-in bookshelves and an entertainment center which would give you more floor space and more storage as well," said Hicks.

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