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6 things you wish someone told you before You renovated Your Home
November 24, 2022
Home renovations are exciting projects. You can take your vision for home improvements and make them into a gorgeous reality. It’s time to make your home feel brand new.
But it takes a lot of work and planning. In fact, there are so many hidden elements to home renovating that you wish you’d known before beginning.
We’re here to provide you with that advice. Keep reading to get some home renovation tips that don’t get talked about much.
Have the Design Blueprint Before Anything
Just because you have the idea of what you want the finished design to look like, you only have the idea in your head. You don’t have everything necessary to make that idea come to life as of yet. Even if you did, it’s a long process getting it done yourself, and can be costly if you make a mistake.
For this reason, don’t immediately jump right into hiring a contractor. Instead, hire a designer first. Their job is to create the blueprint for the project. They do the space measurements, factor your furniture, recommend material and/or color choices.
It’s key that you work with a designer first so you have that blueprint to show to your contractor.
Get a Feel for the Home First
Whether you’ve lived in your home for years or you just bought the home as a fixer upper project, you need to get a feel for the home first. Take a good, long time studying the space you want to work in. See how the results look in your brain.
Some ideas you have may sound good in your mind but it may not be feasible in reality. When you spend enough time getting a feel for the home, present your ideas to the designer to see whether your ideas are possible or not.
If you have a fixer upper, not only should you get a feel for it, you should think through which renovations need to be made first. Some renovations that you may want to start with might be something you should hold off until later.
Read: Got a Fixer Upper? Prioritize These Renovations First.
Additionally, there are some choices that you may think you want to make but shouldn’t, or at least not yet. Primarily, this applies to paint color choices. You don’t want to choose the paint color before the renovation because you likely will have a change of heart in the middle of the process. Patricia Shannon of BHG has some tips on selecting a paint color when you’re ready.
Compare Multiple Contractor Bids
There are two things to keep in the forefront of your mind when searching for contractors:
- Don’t look for the cheapest bid
- Don’t accept the first bid you get
Read: What to Look for in a Home Addition Contractor
We understand that renovations can get expensive. You may even have to make budget adjustments mid-project (more on that later). But hiring the cheapest contractor is never a good idea.
There’s most likely a reason their bid is so cheap, whether it be lesser quality material or subpar performance and results. Settling for cheap work could lead to expensive mistakes in the long run that would cost you more than you budgeted for.
The first bid isn’t always going to be the best bid, either. The contractor may offer everything you want, but you may not have a good feeling about them. Or another one might leave out an element you want, but they provide elite results for a good value. Obviously the second option would be the better choice.
Narrow your selection down by reviewing portfolios, seeking recommendations from previous work, and thoroughly interviewing for credentials and reference checks.
Embrace the Unexpected
You can have all of the details ready to go, the timelines from the contractor, and the materials all in place to work on the renovation. Something can, and probably will, set you back somehow.
You need to embrace and prepare for changes in the plans.
Changes in Time
One hiccup you could encounter is a delay in the project. And this can happen for a multitude of reasons. The most common include:
- Issues with getting certain supplies
- Staffing dilemmas with the contractor team
- The season and its climate you do the project in
Although, another key impact on time is setting unrealistic expectations for your project. Some elements of a project just can’t get done as fast as you want it to. For example, the kitchen is one of the longest elements of the home to renovate; you can’t expect the contractors to rush through that part of the renovation, especially if it’s beyond cosmetic.
Read: How Long Will My Kitchen Remodel Take in Pickerington, Ohio?
Budget Adjustments
When shopping for supplies, you need to consider the market. During some times of the year, materials will be cheaper and less in demand. Other times, everyone is doing some kind of project.
Prices for material –and contractors– will go up in the warmer months (late spring to early fall). Those months are prime time for home renovations and upgrades. If you do your renovation in these months, prepare to spend more than budgeted for supplies.
One good way to minimize budget changes is to get price estimates from contractors in writing. This will ensure you’re not unexpectedly overcharged for something.
Communicate
Before you begin ANY stage in the process, ask every question that comes to mind to everyone you work with. Don’t skimp out on any detail just because it seems a little redundant or pointless to ask.
High communication is an essential trait in a good contractor. They should be open and transparent about every element of the project plan. If you feel like the contractor, their crew, or the designer isn’t being communicative, that’s a red flag.
Only work with people you feel comfortable asking several questions and they answer them all. It’s your home; you deserve to know what’s going to be happening to it.
Make Your Home Yours Without Errors
Regardless of the intent you have with the home or renovation, this is your home. Make it the way you want it to be. And do it without the unexpected now that you have this list as a preparation guide.
If you’re ready for your home renovation, reach out to our trusted, expert team of home builders today!
Heitmeyer Building & Design is a Construction company with over 100 years of experience in commercial construction and residential construction located in Pickerington, Ohio.
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