Remodeling your new or existing home is a project that should not be taken lightly. Whether you’re working with a contractor or taking this up on your own, there are important things that you should do, while others you should avoid doing all together. While you can’t entirely predict the outcome, sometimes the decisions you take, or don’t take can have a negative impact on your home renovation project. Want to help your home remodeling project? Continue reading below our list of home remodeling do’s and don’ts.
Home remodeling do’s and don’ts
Do’s
- Decide whether it’s worth to remodel
Before taking on any big project, you must first ask yourself, is it worth it in the long run? Some homes require so much work that it proves to be more productive to just sell the home, and invest in a new property. Carefully consider your options, it will help shape your remodeling plans, and perhaps help you avoid large, unnecessary expenses.
Pro Tip Pros and cons of buying a new home
- Set budget
Although, it’s common to exceed the initial budget, setting a budget will give you a realistic idea of what you can expect to achieve with this remodeling venture. Can you splurge on those fancy, mosaic tiles for your bathroom?
Pro Tip Create a realistic contingency fund in the case that the work you wanted to do costs more than expected.
- Set schedule
When remodeling home it is very important to set a realistic schedule to help you stay on track, and get organized. A contractor will provide a work order, and a tentative
schedule. Although it is highly likely the schedule will adjust in one way or another, make sure it doesn’t interfere with any big themes in your life.
- Expect the unexpected
When things can go wrong, they will. Remodeling home is not an easy, and straightforward task. Setbacks can become a theme during your renovation process. Equipment breakdowns, lack of supplies, and delays can occur. Create a back up plan in the case something does malfunction, or you run out of supplies.
Pro Tip Have a back-up for your back-up plan!
Don’ts
- Delay decision making
Be sure to make important decisions pertaining the work that needs to be done to your home before it actually starts. This is of great importance if you wish to avoid running into any unforeseen delays. Even the smallest things like paint, or a bathroom fixture, if undecided on when work begins, can cause delays later down the line.
- Change your mind
Change in preferences is common when it comes to remodeling your home. Although, change is sometimes inevitable, it will most certainly result in added costs, and delays. To change something will require a change in order, and time spent on reevaluating the original the decision. Even the smallest changes can potentially disrupt the order of the job, resulting in delays.
- Remodel a run down home
Please consult with a professional contractor before taking on any large, and rather expensive remodeling projects. If the overall integrity of your home is undermined, think twice before you embark on a new kitchen renovation, that will set you back thousands.
Pro Tip Consult with a contractor to make the best decision.
- Underestimate your budget
It is very common for an individual to start out with a solid budget in mind, only to see it increase as the job progresses.
- Live in your home while remodeling
Avoid living in your home during the remodeling process, as it can get rather messy, and even unsafe. Remodeling home can be rather expensive. If you cant afford to stay at temporary housing during renovation, designate a clean, and easily accessible area within the home where you can comfortably reside during the entire process.
- Don’t remodel without a floor plan
A lot of elements come into play when remodeling a home. Although, not all jobs require a floor plan to be completed successfully, creating a floor plan will allow you to see any possible problems beforehand.