What to Expect When Renovating Your Home
Are you excited to kick-off a big home project? Awesome, you should be! You should be both enthusiastic AND feel prepared for your home renovation. Getting ready with these helpful tips can make the remodeling process smoother for you, your family, and your construction team from start to finish.
Create a Wish-List
When planning a big project like home renovation, it’s important to set realistic expectations for yourself. Creating a wish-list for your home will help both you and your contracting team. First, determine if your plans for updating are short or long-term goals. Are you planning on flipping a a house, or reap the rewards from selling your home down the road? Next, narrow down your renovation goals into two groups; must-haves and nice-to-haves. This will help you prioritize and set the stage for multiple projects.
Build a Budget
Make sure you are financially prepared for any project. As with any big price tag, shopping around will help you budget appropriately and find the price that works for you. LHS’s Pricing Guide provides you with multiple pricing tiers for kitchen, bathroom, and basement renovations. Whether your project is focused on making your life easier, updating the aesthetic, and/or adding value to your home, you need to determine what you are comfortable spending to meet your vision. After you get an idea of constructions costs, consider charges that are not directly associated with the project itself. For example, if you are re-doing your kitchen, your costs for eating out will be higher than normal.
Expect the Unexpected
Speaking of budgeting, be prepared for unexpected costs or changes to the project. Jean Brownhill of Sweeten (an app designed to connect home owners with contractors) suggests cushioning an additional 15% of the renovation cost if demolition is not needed. If demo is on deck, hold onto more than 15% of the cost just in case. Costs of materials and their availability can change. Additionally, your construction team may discover issues like water damage or spaces that are not up to code. Both of which will impact your initial quote. Keep in mind, the team at LHS stays close in contact you every step of the way. We keep you updated on any of these changes and work through a plan of action according to your budget and needs.
Plan for Life During the Actual Renovation
Life at home during renovation will be louder and messier than what you are used to day-to-day. Are you capable of staying elsewhere during your home renovation? In some cases, it can be easier for you, your family, and your contractors to stay out of the house. Would it be beneficial to get a storage unit to keep furniture out of the way? As a reminder, staying at a hotel or renting a storage unit would be another indirect cost to consider and plan for. Additionally, think about what time of year your home will be undergoing renovation. If the project takes place during warmer months, your construction team can likely do a lot of the messier work outside. If it’s during the winter, you may want to consider what additional space they can occupy in your home as a shop space.
We’ve covered some of the big pillars of home renovation preparation. For additional small-but-mighty tips, you can check out this helpful guide from HGTV.com. We do our best to not impede on you and your life during renovation. Our team at LHS Remodeling & Design will provide a clear construction plan and schedule according to your lifestyle. We’ve had the great pleasure of working with many different types of people, making us creative and experienced to accommodate varying needs. Call us today for a consultation to kickstart your project (734) 270-6960.
