Remodeling

I am currently working on a couple of remodel projects, and it got me thinking - what are some things you can do to get ready for a remodel project?

Remodeling can be small, but what about when you are planning something larger? Knocking out walls, moving plumbing? 

The first thing that I recommend is plan out your entire project, even if you are just starting room by room. If you only think about the room you want to tackle first, you could miss out on an opportunity to not only make that room better, but make your whole home function better. 

*When I first started dating my husband, we remodeled his whole house, top to bottom, we took everything out to the studs and started over. We only did it room by room. It took a while to get it done> we were dating, then engaged, then married, then had a baby, and the house still wasn't done! :) It worked out great for our budget, but I had one disappointment when we got all done. We did our bedroom and I loved it, we added a closet that didn't exist before and a vanity area (when we did our bedroom, we only had 1 bathroom, and I wanted a spot to get ready every day). After our bedroom was done, we started saving and came up with our next project... by this point one bathroom was not cutting it. :) Our next project, was to completely remove and rebuild half of the house. We got rid of a yucky "sun room" and doubled the size of the living. By making our main living area so much bigger, we were able to add a dining area and a second FULL bath!!! In the end, I wish we would have done a "master" bath and walk-in closet, had we thought about the whole project, we would have realized that, and done the master bedroom with the rest of it and it would have turned out a bit better. It still ended up being a huge success and we loved it in the end, but thinking about the whole project in the beginning and breaking it up with that in mind, would have helped...*

While planning the project, keep in mind your life style now, and how it will change. Maybe you are a newly married couple planning on having kids in the future. You may not know when those kids will come, but if you are planning on kids in your house, plan with that in mind. Like I said, life changes - with those changes you may have new ideas, new tastes, and new needs. Your overall project may even change. The nice part about bringing in a professional that has dealt with remodels, is that they can look at your home with you and help you figure out what the right changes are for you and help you keep in mind your overall goals with your house. That professional can also help you look at your budget and decide what it the best way to use that money now. It may not be possible for your budget to re-do your whole house, but it may be possible to break it up into phases. 

Another professional to contact is a trusted realtor. They can give you an idea of how much your current home is worth as is and how much in value your remodel could add. If you are not planning on staying in your home, I think talking with a realtor is a great idea. If you are planning on staying in your home for a long time, it might not matter to you if you add value, dollar-wise. Value can also be added in the way you live in and use your home. 

Once you plan your project, pick your materials so that you can get accurate pricing from the before mentioned remodel professional. A kitchen remodel price can vary big time based on the cabinets and counters that you use. 

Once your pricing is done, I think that it is a good idea to keep a separate contingency fund, in case of unforeseen issues. Your remodel professional can give you an idea of things that might come up. If you are just getting new carpet, a contingency fund probably isn't necessary. When walls are being torn down, there is a better chance for unforeseen problems, because you just can't always see into the walls until you start to tear them down. 

Once work begins, try not to stress. I know easier said than done when you are living thru a remodel. Things will happen, good and bad and eventually it will be over and you will be enjoying your new space. I am all about DIY - I think that it is fun to say "I did that". But hiring professionals will help your stress level and the time line!

 

Are you thinking about a remodel in your future? I would love to meet you and go over some ideas. Let me know how I can help you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Megan