Being a homeowner, one thing you can’t avoid forever is the need for renovation. Regardless of the durability of materials you used when building your home, at one point they will wear out or become outdated and you’ll find the need to renovate or replace them. People have also remodeled their homes to increase spaces in their houses to accommodate their changing lifestyle for more comfort, increase the house value for sale or conform to the ever-changing home architecture and designs. Regardless of your reason for home renovation, you need to take ample time to plan everything since this is a huge home investment and to avoid wasting money on some unreliable services. The following are crucial things you need to remember and put into consideration before embarking on this project:
1. Check your state building codes and get renovation permits
Some states are very strict with home building codes. Before you commence with this project you should first inform the relevant authorities of your plan to undertake the renovation. They will check your project renovation details to know if you deserve to get a license for renovation or not. Small renovations such as replacing of house window panes or doors do not require any license permit. Make sure you’re compliant with your state’s building codes before making any major commitment to the renovation project.
2. Formulate a detailed renovation plan
This plan should clearly highlight the main goal for this renovation. With this, you’ll be able to plan everything with respect to the ultimate renovation goal. Bearing in mind that not all renovation needs require advanced technical skills, you should, therefore, divide the project to things that require DIY and those that require a professional. Make sure your project plan clearly highlights the wants and needs of the project and stick to the plan while allowing room for any adjustment.
3. Come up with a project timeline
Time is another important factor you should never undermine while planning a home renovation. Nowadays everyone works on strict time schedules. The project should be able to fit in your schedule and everyone in the house to avoid unnecessary inconveniences. Communicate with your contractors and request them to give you an estimate of the renovation duration on certain parts of the home and whole home in general. In respect to the timeline, you should also pay attention to the weather patterns depending on your location because any unexpected change in the weather condition can have negative consequences on the renovation process.
4. Consider the budget
Before embarking on this huge project you need to have a reliable financing source. Take into account the project permits costs, labor, materials needed and decoration costs to be able to formulate a nice budget for the project. After explaining all the details of the project to your contractor, he/she should be able to provide you with a free cost estimation to help you set the budget. Make your budget flexible enough or set about 10% of the budget to handle unexpected costs. Look for project lenders with special discounts on products bought in bulk. To be assured of the durability of the product, you should consider asking for warrants.
5. Look for a professional contractor
The success of your renovation project depends so much on the contractor’s professionalism. The contractor will be able to make sure all your ideas and plans for renovation are implemented accordingly. Choose a contractor within your location and make sure he/she is well qualified for the work. He/she should be well trained and experienced having handled similar projects before. Check his qualification credentials and accreditation to make sure they are legit. Further, to separate mediocre experts from real professionals you might want to check their state licensing and insurance documentation to be assured of professionalism.
6. Choose your materials and colors keenly
All the materials that the renovation project requires should be chosen with caution with respect to durability, energy efficiency, the lifestyle of the homeowner and cost. For all building plastic needs such as land drainage pipes or guttering, you should make sure you’ve got a reliable supplier. All the building plastics you might need are in stock at easymerchant if you’re looking up to save the most on your planned budget and get quality products as well. The choice of paint colors is dependent on the home owner’s taste and preferences. Choose paint colors that complement the house architecture and design whilst paying attention to the house lighting because colors affect house lighting.
7. Get a contract for all the services offered
In order to have a drama free home remodeling process, you should always make sure all the services offered are in the form of a written agreement/contract. This contract should be well detailed, having all the major parts of the project and services offered including warranty details if any. Getting into a contract with your contractor indicates that you mean business; hence there will be seriousness in the work done. The contract will also act as legal evidence in case of any future disagreements with the parties involved that require a court judgment.
8. Make a quick reality check
When planning this home renovation project, you might have included some renovation projects which are not feasible hence the need for a reality check. After a reality check, you’ll be able to notice projects that are not crucial with respect to your budget. For instance, some plumbing work might turn out to be a budget buster because of that specific work requirement. Therefore, before commencing with this project, it’s always wise to seek recommendations from an expert such as a contractor or an architect to get an insight on which projects will be feasible.
Whether it’s your first time undertaking this home renovation project or not, you can never underrate everything that comes with it. The idea of it is always great which makes some homeowners over-excited thus forgetting to take home renovation considerations seriously. There are a variety of things that several people tend to assume which can influence the success of this project to satisfy a homeowners renovation needs and interest. This article discusses everything you need to know before commencing with a home renovation project.