Whether you are undertaking a home renovation with the aim of transforming your house into the home of your dreams, or you are just doing renovations to improve your home value, renovating houses has never been easier.
To help you make the process easier, we have compiled together home renovation tips to help you get started on the right foot.
Home renovations require prior preparations and attention to detail. If you have a clear plan in mind of what is needed and how everything will be executed, then you can spare yourself some of the headaches that come due to lack of proper planning.
Here are some of the tips to keep in mind when planning a home remodel;
1. Determine Your Budget
One of the very first things you need to do when planning a home renovation is determining how much you are willing to spend on your home renovation process.
We call it a process because it involves planning and execution. Therefore, your budget should include costs of obtaining permits as well as material needed, labor costs, and relocating costs since, in most cases, you will be forced to go to another place until the renovations are completed.
When planning your budget, make sure to set aside at least 10% of the total budget to cater for any unexpected costs.
Also, we can advise you to set your budget after requesting estimates from contractors and interior designers. This makes it easier for you to eliminate the projects you deem not urgent in case the estimated cost to renovate the house exceeds the maximum amount you were willing to invest in your renovation.
Make sure to get estimates from multiple contractors and remember to include any additional costs that revolve around home renovation, such as relocation costs and permits.
2. Choose Contractors to Work With
If you are undertaking serious home renovations, then you need to work with a contractor. An experienced contractor not only helps you save time but also ensures you get professional results.
When budgeting for contractors, expect to spend between 10% – 15% of your total budget on their costs and fees.
The good thing about working with contractors is that they can help you draw up your plans on what order to do home renovations and also ensure your renovations comply with building regulations in your locality.
When choosing contractors, don’t base your selection solely on the fees alone. Here are some of the things you need to consider;
- Experience. An experienced contractor might be costlier, but he/she may be safer to work with than one who is new in the business
- Licenses. A professional contractor needs to have all the required certification needed to execute their work. Therefore, make sure to verify the licenses to ensure you are not working with a quack contractor
- Insurance. Contractors should have liability insurance for the work they perform as well as workers’ compensation. Failure to work with an insured contractor means that you will be liable for any loss or injury that will occur in the course of their work
- Payment terms. It is important that you discuss the payment schedule with a contractor before the renovation process begins. That’s why when vetting contractors, ask to know about their payment terms
- References. To be confident that the contractor delivers, it is important that you request references and give them a call.
By using this checklist to hire contractors, you will be able to narrow down your options with ease.
3. Create a Detailed Plan
Now that you have settled down with a remodeling contractor, it is time to detail the steps of remodeling a house. This includes designing your project and outlining any work that should be undertaken.
Make sure your home improvement project plan has sketches and blueprints of how your finished project should look like, a list of materials and tools needed to complete your project, and the expected duration the project will take.
Your plan should also be consistent — you don’t want to have a lot of modernization when you are looking for a rustic finish. Therefore, when detailing your plan, keep in mind the ultimate look you are aiming to achieve and plan accordingly to ensure everything you add to your house complements the look.
4. Create a Flexible Timeline
After you detail the plan of how the whole process of renovating a house will proceed, the next thing in your renovating a house checklist is to come up with a timeline.
First, you need to agree on a start date with your contractor, and if you have a specific time when you would like the project to be completed, mention it to them.
An experienced contractor should not have a hard time determining how long the project will take. Also, when creating a timeline, discuss the home renovation steps to know which tasks will need to be completed first and those that can run concurrently.
Don’t forget to include the time it will take to clean up your home as well as time for delivery of materials. Also, your contractor should indicate the days he/she will not be available so that you can account for all this in your timeline.
However, even after setting the timeline and indicating the completion date, it is important that you include an allowance of a few days to cater to any unexpected issues.
5. Avoid Taking a Lot of Renovation All at Once
Sometimes you may need a complete overhaul of your home, but it is always advisable to undertake the renovations one at a time.
This is because there are projects that may require a little bit of time to complete than others. Also, doing one project at a time helps to reveal things that would have otherwise been ignored if the work proceeded concurrently.
Also, when it comes to decisions regarding major makeovers, such as how many bathrooms and bedrooms should be added to your home, it is important to analyze the future to avoid “over-capitalization.” You don’t want to get into debt because of renovating a home you are not going to spend the next 10 years in.
Bottom Line
It is quite impossible to eliminate all the inconveniences that come with the home renovation process, but you can make things easier by preparing in advance. We do hope that our guide has taught you a thing or two about renovating a house step by step. Hopefully, you will enjoy your home after the makeover is done.
By Admin –
