However, before doing any work, there are plans to do, hire contractors, permits to withdraw, etc. all of which takes time. The most important aspect of the planning process is making sure you have enough money to pay for the project, regardless of how big or small the scope of work is. So, the second step of home remodeling planning is to make a simple list of the work you want to do and decide if it's something you can do yourself or not.
Once you have your plan in place and you've chosen your contractor, it's time for demolition to begin. To make way for the new, we must first eliminate the old. This involves not only demolition, but also debris removal, so you will likely have to rent a large rolling container to handle the waste. This will minimize risks and clutter during your demolition project and allow you to finish it as quickly, safely and smoothly as possible.
If you decide to do any of the demolition work yourself, be careful and follow all safety precautions. Demolition can be very dangerous, especially when done randomly. Once the demolition work has been completed, you can begin the process of “preliminary assembly”. Because rewiring and plumbing are likely to be necessary, handle all the preliminary work before flooring, drywall and painting work as it could be damaged in the process.
Once all plumbing, electrical and HVAC updates are addressed and signed, it's time to tackle the frames and drywall. Painting is something you can do yourself, but it can also be a tiring job. The first step is to develop an idea of what you want to do with your home remodeling. Write a prioritized list of your needs and wants.
There are many sources to find design ideas for your home remodeling project. Browse magazines and websites and pick up photos of homes or remodeling projects you like. The more clearly you can imagine the project and describe it on paper, the better prepared you will be to make your decision. Even if you follow the essential tips we've been giving for years, you build a 20 percent cushion to cover up unpleasant surprises, get references from contractors and review them, banish words from your vocabulary, it's hard not to end up spending more than you want.
Do-it-yourselfers can make big savings with recycled or lightly used building materials and accessories. Habitat for Humanity operates around 400 reStores nationwide, offering recovered materials at half the prices of the centers. If your addition requires a clapboard coating, for example, you can save more in the long run if you buy the pre-primed and pre-painted variety now. It costs 10-20 cents more per foot, but you'll end up paying half as much paint jobs in the future, says Paul Eldrenkamp, owner of Byggmeister, a design-build remodeling company in Newton, Massachusetts.
Don't schedule your reindeer in the middle of summer or between September, when children return to school, and Christmas. That's premium time, explains Lisa Stacholy, owner of LKS Architects, in Atlanta, Georgia. Suppliers tend to be busier, labor is scarce and deliveries are slower. Virginia-based contractor offers discounts of between 4.5 and 5.5 percent (based on overall budget) on projects during their downtime, right after the new year.
Fortunately, we've worked with many homeowners in central Ohio on all of their home renovation projects, and we know how much detail it takes to do a complete home renovation properly. We love to plan, design and build our customers' dream renovations and, over the years, we have developed a general whole house renovation checklist to help our customers better understand the process. So what are the general whole-home remodeling steps you should follow? And what kinds of things should be on your home remodeling checklist? Here are our top tips for planning and organizing your renovation. The scope of this step is largely due to your plan.
You may need to rebuild extensively, or maybe this is just framing a few new walls. This step includes all the “behind the scenes” elements and is usually performed simultaneously with the reconstruction and framing. Basically, anything that needs to go inside floors, walls or ceilings will be completed in this step. It could include some minor adjustments to plumbing and electrical, or it could be a complete rewiring or remodeling of your home plumbing.
Once everything has been redesigned and rebuilt, all the mechanical elements are where they need to be and the insulation is in place, the drywall can rise. It will be necessary to glue it with tape and mud, then the mud will have to be dried and sanded. Once the walls are smooth, they are ready for priming, painting or other finishes. Many contractors like to paint at this point to avoid dripping or overspraying on final finishes.
A whole-house remodeling or renovation project can be an extremely large and overwhelming undertaking. There are many decisions to be made and many aspects to consider. Even the choice of how much of the house to remodel and the purpose of the renovation is a big decision. Despite all these decisions, the important thing to remember is that remodeling is an investment.
Any home improvement you make, no matter how extensive, should not only raise the functionality of your home, but it should also increase the value of your home. And the best place to start is to make a plan. . .
