What to Know Before Starting a Home Renovation
Dear CJ,
We purchased our home knowing that we would renovate some of the rooms once we settled in. Now that we’ve lived here for several months we have a clearer idea of what we want, so we are anxious to get started.
Initially, we want to renovate our master bedroom & bathroom & possibly our kitchen. We will be keeping the same footprint in the kitchen but for the master bathroom, we want to borrow some more space from our master bedroom.
What should we know before starting our home renovation?
Looking forward to your feedback.
Kindly,
Abby L.
Dear Abby L.,
Thank you for reaching out. Right out of the gate, you’re off to a good start by asking a professional, because many people won’t. With so much information on the web, it’s easy to assume you will know what to expect.
I like to compare taking on a renovation project to having a baby. It’s a very exciting time in your life, but until you go through it yourself it’s impossible to foresee every challenge you will be faced with along the way.
I will tell you… that it will be worth it.
With close to 29 years of working with clients on their renovation projects, I have sound advice to offer you.
here is what I’ve discovered…
Have a Clear Plan of What You Want to Achieve
Renovation projects can quickly get out of control unless you have a clear plan of what you want to achieve. You can easily start adding line items to your contractors’ list to do without realizing how much more time & expense it will add to your bottom line.
Start off with a clear, concise concept of what it is you want, like this…
We want our master bathroom to have a clean, modern look that’s simplistic. We want color tones that are light & cheery. We want to have it completed by May of this year & stay within our budget of $xx,ooo.
Be sure you & your spouse are in agreement on what your end result will be. Be realistic about the completion date. You have to factor in your time for selecting your fixtures, the lead time for your cabinet/s, & your contractor’s start date.
Keep in mind that if you do want to renovate the master bath & kitchen at the same time that will be a major disruption in your daily life. If you decide to do those areas together, I recommend that you find a place to stay during the demo & construction period which could be 6-8 weeks or even longer.
If you happen to have a finished basement that has a second kitchen, a bedroom & a bathroom then that will work to get you through until completion.
When taking on 2 major rooms at a time it’s like having twins. You’ll have double the decisions to make. Sometimes it makes sense to get it all done at the same time & sometimes it’s better to do the projects one at a time. Your family lifestyle will play a key role in this decision.
Don’t add more stress to your daily life than you can handle.
Interview 3 Contractors
Selecting a contractor is like selecting a pediatrician for your newborn baby. You’ll be placing your trust in this person. They will be in & out of your personal spaces on a daily basis.
You want someone who you can depend on to show up each day, on time.
Someone who is qualified & comes highly recommended by someone you know & trust or has good reviews & references from recent projects.
Do not choose your contractor strictly on cost. The best contractor for your renovation project is likely not the cheapest one you will interview.
How do they handle payouts? Be sure you are comfortable with this. I prefer a contractor that requires 3-4 installments.
Will they be doing all the work themselves or will they be bringing in other tradesmen? Make sure you know this ahead of time. If the contractor is unsure who will do the electrical or plumbing, I would shy away from them. You want someone who is confident every step of the way.
Be sure they will use plastic & tarps to prevent dust & dirt from being spread into other areas. Do they clean up at the end of each day? That’s what you want.
Ask them how they will communicate changes in the schedule. Do they have someone in their office that handles that or is that something they do themselves?
Because contractors are out in the field most of the time they don’t have a lot of time to sit at a computer & send out e-mails. Be sure you have communication nailed down before you hire them because it can be extremely frustrating when they don’t show up & you have to track them down.
Your goal is to find someone that you feel a good connection to, has your best interest in mind and that you will feel good about referring to a friend when the project is over.
Be Prepared to Face Challenges
When it comes to renovating a home, there will be unknown factors that pop up during the course of the project. It’s impossible for even the best contractors to foresee what’s behind the walls that might throw a wrench into the plan causing hours, days, or even weeks to be thrown off course.
My daughter had this happen when she & her husband were replacing their staircase. They discovered that the installation crew had to cut into the plaster walls which meant they were disrupting the lead paint. It might not have been a major problem, except she was pregnant & they have another child who was almost 3 at the time. The dust from the lead paint caused them to have to bring in a lead abatement company. Yes, inhaling the lead dust can be just as dangerous as ingesting a paint chip. This added another week to the project & caused them to have to move out during that time. In fact, they moved in with us. That’s what family is for.
If your home is in the U.S. & was built prior to 1979 chances are you have lead paint on your walls. It’s not a problem until you disrupt it. Be sure your contractor is or works with someone who is certified for working on homes with lead paint.
Cloth wires can be another surprise. Older homes that have cloth wires will want to update to the current industry standards for your area. If you don’t know this ahead of time, it will be a factor that adds time & expense to your budget.
Then, there is also black mold which I won’t get into right now. Maybe another blog.
Before you start your renovation project it’s important to have a realistic approach that is adaptable to the changes in the plan that will come about. Each & every project is ONE OF A KIND.
Once again, I’m going to compare it to delivering a baby. Every labor is unique.
Make up your mind in the beginning not to let these disruptors throw you off or rattle your demeanor. Don’t start pointing fingers & playing the blame game because it honestly makes everything worse.
The best approach is to accept it as a learning experience & be grateful that the improvements will make your home a safer place for you & your family.
Set Your Own Budget
Only you know what you can afford. Be realistic & do your homework. Before you even delve into the project do some searching for plumbing fixtures you like or any other major piece of the project. Educate yourself on the costs so you’re not blindsided.
Although a contractor might give you a budget to work with, it’s usually pretty generic.
Some years back, when Mike & I were doing a major renovation to our home, the contractor’s budget did not include the professional-grade appliances we wanted or a steam shower for our bathroom. It was helpful that I had already put together a budget of my own so that we were realistic about the end cost.
Once you get quotes from your contractors you can add their fees to your total estimated costs. Add 20% on top of the total, because there will be unknowns.
Stay on top of your budget as you progress. Use a Google Doc or an Excel Spreadsheet to track & add any extras. You’ll feel in control when you manage your own costs.
Hire a Professional Interior Designer
I know this sounds like a plug for me & my industry, but honestly, even if you have wonderful taste & know what you want, it’s nice to have a set of trained eyes to help you tweak the look.
A professional interior designer can provide visual tools for tile layout and other important details, as well as guidance with the scale of the lighting fixtures & other selections you will need to make.
I find that my clients who hire me when they are still in the planning process have the process go much smoother & the end results better than expected.
Although, I was able to do this for myself when we did our renovation, so often I wished I had someone to bounce ideas off of. At that time I didn’t have any other designers working for me but it would have been nice to have a fresh, professional perspective.
Have a Good Understanding of What to Expect
This might sound redundant but if you expect the renovation process to go as smoothly as ordering your household items on Amazon, you’re in for a surprise.
Be sure you get a schedule from your contractor & are aware of the order you will need to select & order the products for your renovation project.
I recommend that the demolition does not start until the cabinets & plumbing fixtures are completed. The less downtime you have, the smoother things will go.
Talk to friends & family about their experiences that might help you with what to know before starting a home renovation. Although every experience is unique, their experiences can help improve yours.
Abby, I hope this gets you started on the right foot for what to know before starting your renovation project. If you haven’t already, be sure to read my earlier blogposts, Creating a Spa Bathroom & How to Update Your Outdated Kitchen. These will help guide you on the selections you will need to make along the way.
Good luck with your renovation and enjoy the process.
If you’re still struggling, consider my Local or Online Design Services! My “Pick My Brain” package is perfect for getting started.
I’m here to help!
Your Home Loving Expert,
CJ
