Gutting the walls of your home until there’s nothing there is an intimidating process. But when you need a more functional and gorgeous home, renovations are the way to fix these issues. You need to know several things before starting a home renovation so you’re properly prepared for the immense task at hand.
Renovation Goals
You can’t start a home renovation without knowing what aspects of the house you want to change. Examine each room of the house. What do you dislike about each one? Which rooms need a complete gut and renovation?
The most common areas homeowners renovate are the kitchen, bathrooms, primary bedroom, and basement. Consider the current functionality and the presentation of each of these rooms. This will lead you to develop your renovation goals that you can clearly communicate to a contractor. If you’re looking to add more space or bring more light into your home, consider adding a sunroom. You can search for “sunrooms near me in Richardson, TX“, or similar, to find a local specialist for this type of project.
Firm Budget
A project can’t begin until the budget is set in place. Save up over time until you finally reach your financial goals to start this home renovation. You also understand which parts of the home need an upgrade, so your budget clearly reflects those changes. A professional will assist you in determining renovation costs and which projects are more essential than others.
Prepare yourself for unexpected expenses within your budget. It’s recommended to save an additional 20 percent of the original budget to give yourself that additional buffer. Maxing out your budget without any wiggle room may force you to take shortcuts or abandon aspects of the renovation altogether. Sometimes, the home needs structural repairs, or items break during the job. While you can’t predict these occurrences, you can leave room in your budget for them.
DIY or Hire a Contractor?
Not everyone is cut out for do-it-yourself home repairs. As you look at your renovation goals list, evaluate which projects you can and can’t do yourself. Most in-depth home renovations require a highly experienced contractor to properly reconstruct your home.
One easy repair you can do yourself is painting the walls, then properly disposing of the house paint. You can install small fixtures, paint or refinish cabinets, and refinish hardwood floors.
Other aspects like electrical wiring, plumbing, and structural repairs are items that contractors will know better than the average homeowner. Think through which renovation projects you should try yourself and which to leave to the professionals.
Communication
Do your best to ensure you and your contractor are on the same page. Be very clear about the exact features you want to see implemented and the features you want gone. A simple, “I want a brand-new kitchen!” won’t translate when speaking to a contractor.
You need specific ideas, like, “I want to tear down this wall to connect the living room and kitchen spaces.” Have ideas about the style and color palette you want so that communication with your contractor develops into the home of your dreams.
Create a Timeline
Life gets busy, and a home renovation is complicated to work around at times. When you hire your contractor, they’ll help create a realistic timeline for the project’s completion. If there are renovations you decide to complete yourself, communicate that with your contractor.
You also need to know before you start your home renovation if there are times throughout the year that are more hectic for you than other times. Perhaps you typically celebrate the holidays at your house during November and December, so you need the renovation completed around September or October.
Allow room for delays. While contractors try their best, product shipment delays and unexpected complications may postpone progress. Be patient and learn to do your best to help in any way possible for this project.
Candid Mama
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