Do Some Research Before Starting a Home Renovation…
Renovation of a home is not a small undertaking. It’s time-consuming and usually turns out to be more expensive than you expected.
In order to have a sense of what you’re getting into, here are some of the essentials you’ll want to do when you research the task.
1. Gather Useful Resources
First, collect a few trustworthy resources for your homework. The Internet offers plenty of helpful resources, but of course not all of them are credible. If you choose to consult online resources, a blog from an interior design or construction site is most likely have the kind of information that will best fit your needs.
You can also look into print resources, and those tend to be a little more trustworthy. Books and magazines will offer useful articles that can help you plan and execute your project and maybe how to preserve your patience and sanity while it’s happening.
2. Calculate the Average Cost
You may not get very far if you don’t have a plan for how you’re going to spend your money. Most renovations are expensive, and once they’re underway, you can run into problems that cost more than you initially planned.
You’ll want to research the average cost of the job you’re planning, but then give yourself a healthy margin for unexpected developments. This is especially worthwhile if you’re preparing to open up walls, work on plumbing, or just renovate an old house in general.
You can almost guarantee you’ll encounter something you couldn’t have expected.
3. Craft a General Timeline
It’s a fact that some projects can be completed in just a day or two, but many may last for weeks. Knowing your potential timeline won’t make the project go faster, but at least it can help you prepare for what’s ahead.
Depending on the job, you might have to make outside arrangements for cooking, showering, and so on. Sometimes, you may have to move elsewhere during at least a portion of the work.
If you know what’s coming ahead of time, you can limit some of the surprises and make the process more bearable.
4. Avoid the Common Mistakes
Dozens of articles, both online and in print, talk about the biggest mistakes made during a renovation. If you study such resources, you can learn from the mistakes of others before you plunge in yourself, and raise your odds of having a successful renovation project.
You’re likely to run across some of the following advice as you research:
- Don’t ask friends and family for help if they don’t have experience.
- Don’t ignore building codes.
- And Don’t try a project that’s beyond your depth and experience.
- Don’t expect a quick renovation every time.
- Don’t hire just any handy contractor.
- And Don’t budget to the exact dollar amount; there will be surprises.
5. How to Settle on Your Contractor
A common mistake that too many home renovators commit is to employ a contractor who’s under-qualified, not professional, slow to execute, or not worthy of trust. The time it takes to research and interview a prospective contractor may slow things down, but it’s well worth whatever time you devote to it.
Reading online reviews and testimonials is useful, but that shouldn’t be the only research you do. Because certain contractors have been known to pay someone to post positive reviews for them. Such a practice is certainly unethical, but it’s not illegal.
A good contractor should readily provide you with a list of references who are willing to be questioned about the job they commissioned. You can also sit down for an interview or a free consultation with a potential contractor and get a possible feel for his or her personality and scope of experience.
6. Interior Designers
You may have a vision for your home after the job is done. But imagining something and making it happen are different propositions. Your contractor will have some ideas about how to make your dreams a reality. But that might not be what you’re looking for, either.
An interior designer can listen to your ideas, hunt up or create pictures, and sketch a blueprint of what you want before the contractor goes to work. The designer will set accurate dimensions and specifications, and factor in space planning as well as décor.
You could hire the designer to oversee the entire project. But if you’re on a budget and would prefer to oversee the project yourself; you might request just an hour or two of the designer’s time to create a blueprint.
The designer will hand off the blueprint to your contractor. And that will be the extent of his or her hourly service.
7. Building Codes and HOA Rules
A good contractor will conduct this research for you, but you’d be smart to be prepared. Every city in the US has building codes that must be followed during construction.
Some are universal and others vary by city or state. Research your local codes with care to avoid unpleasant surprises once you’re underway.
You should also look into HOA rules. Some homeowner’s associations don’t allow building extensions beyond a certain point, trees or landscaping, or painting the house a certain color.
If you belong to an HOA, this is another essential facet of research before you renovate.
