Are you about to embark on the biggest adventure of your life? Are you planning to renovate your home? Well, there is no better time than now. Many believe that it is one of the most stressful things you can do. But it does not have to be that way. If you approach renovations with a plan and prepare yourself for what’s ahead, the renovation process will be much easier for everyone involved.
Renovating homes can be a source of stress and anxiety, no matter how small the project. But with some preparation and attention to detail, they can also be an excellent opportunity for growth and personal enjoyment. Whether you’re planning a complete overhaul or just one or two upgrades that will add value to your home, it is essential that you carefully consider each step in the renovation process before you take action.
TIPS TO KNOW WHEN RENOVATING YOUR HOME
Create Wishlist
To gauge how extensive a home renovation will be, it’s essential to decide what you want before starting the renovation. Usually, your renovation will aim to accomplish the following:
- What are you doing to make your family’s life more comfortable for generations to come?
- Do you want to increase the value of your home by improving it?
Plan your renovation needs and wants by sketching out your vision. In addition, you should research the projects in your neighbourhood to determine which ones will yield the best return. Please make a list of what you want and need and prioritize it. It is much easier to decide how to allocate your funds, as well as how to deal with any surprises that may arise, if any, with a detailed list of your desires.
Know Your Goal
You need to know how you will use your home before deciding how extensively you will renovate it. Do you plan to remodel your home to increase its resale value, or is your intention to stay in this dwelling for many years to come? Know what renovations will make a good return on investment in your neighbourhood, which will be overdone. You can decide how deeply to go with your project if you set a plan for the future.
Set a budget
Now that we have a project plan, we need to create a budget for the project. Online templates can keep you organized, but your goal should be to go through each part of the remodel one by one and find a realistic estimate. It would be best to consider obtaining permits, obtaining the necessary materials, and the expected labour charges.
You probably have an idea of how much remodelling will cost you if you’ve been dreaming about it for a while. You can use these costs to determine if the figure you had in mind was realistic. Otherwise, you may want to make some changes to your design plan or consider saving up for a while longer. The good news is that you can get help from a professional architect like Lizben Consult so that you can get through this rough patch with ease.
Look for a contractor.
Contractors can book up quickly during busy seasons like spring, summer, and autumn. Look for contractors early. Comparing multiple bids can help you save money. Despite this, price is not the only factor you need to consider when looking to hire a contractor. Here are a few questions you should ask when interviewing contractors:
- What is your level of experience in this field?
- Is your license for contracting available for inspection?
- Could you please provide me with a copy of your certificate of insurance?
- Are there any references you can send me as well?
- Are you able to provide before and after photos?
Taking a look at the estimated payment schedule after you have narrowed down your list is the next step. You will not be asked to pay the whole amount of the project upfront by a reputable company. When doing your project, the number one rule is to ensure you see proof of work before closing out the payment.
Maintain a clean home.
As a new renovator, you’ll learn how to prepare a house before you start the work. Taking the time to prepare the home for renovation is essential. To minimize your exposure to dust and other allergens, you may want to do some site preparation yourself.
Here are some steps:
- Get rid of anything that can collect dust, such as curtains and other things in the house.
- Consider duct cleaning.
- Put protective covers on furniture.
- Don’t leave items that are fragile or expensive lying around.
- Use dust cleaning equipment to remove debris.
- Remove piles of clothes and junk around the house.
- Keep essential things in a storage box easily accessible for easy access.
- Empty cabinets and closets of stuff you do not need.
Create Drawings
A permit for a home remodel probably requires some form of drawing. You don’t have to be an engineer to create job drawings. You should note the area, the height and width of the doors and windows, and the location of any utilities like electricity, gas, and water.
Apply for Permits
Many homeowners consider building permits a necessary headache that can slow down renovation projects. However, they can backfire if they are not obtained. For your house remodel to be structurally and fire-safe, a building permit is essential. When you don’t comply with codes, inspectors will make you rip it out. You may face a costly headache in the future if you decide to sell. When it comes to the process of getting a permit, it’s always a good idea to figure things out in advance.
Renovation: What Should I Spend?
If you’re going to renovate a couple of rooms, don’t spend more than half the house’s value – it probably won’t add much to its value. It would be best to look at your monthly budget to figure out how much money to spend on a home renovation.
Living in a $250K house and earning $80,000 a year is hard to imagine. The ideal renovation would be to renovate a few rooms and remove the squirrels from your attic, as well as fix the raccoon damage to the roof. In the event you were to save $2,500 a month to commit to renovating your home, you would be able to tackle half of it in the first year after you begin saving!
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about renovating your home, there are many advantages to doing it. Not only does it boost the value of your house, but it can also help you save money on heating and cooling bills. In addition, a renovated home is often more comfortable too! Are you planning on renovating your home? We’d love to help with our services if so. Visit Lizben Consult today to learn more.
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