Are you thinking of joining the 55% of people that decided to remodel their home in the past year? 

Don’t start your whole home remodeling project before doing a little research!

There’s a lot involved with taking on a home remodel project.

It’s easy to make what seems like a simple mistake that ends up affecting the entire project.

However, with a few planning tips, your new home could end up being a dream come true.

Keep reading to find out what to do when considering a home renovation project!

Set Your Budget

Whether your budget is $5 thousand or $5 million, you need to set a home remodeling budget.

A budget helps you understand where your money is going.

It also helps the people you hire know when to come to talk to you.

If money is no object, that’s great!

Have a conversation with a contractor to help determine your budget based on your vision.

If you know what you want to spend, set it beforehand.

This way, your contractor and interior designer have something to follow.

Leave wiggle room for any unexpected things that pop up.

While you may not find out that you have termites and need to replace an entire room of your home, your budget should include money going toward permits, labor, decorations, etc.

A budget isn’t just about how much you want to spend.

It includes how much you allocate towards each part of the process.

Write Out Your Vision

Think about what it is you want for your home.

What is your end goal?

You get to create the house you want and envision.

You can imprint your personality and lifestyle through layout, design, and finishing home features.

Even if you hire out because you don’t necessarily have a vision, they still want to know about you and your taste.

Think about how you’d like your home to flow, what kind of lighting you like, and hone in on colors and design.

A designer can help you narrow things down, but ultimately you want your home to suit you and your needs.

It’s best if you know a few things ahead of time and write them down.

As you see ideas on TV, magazines, or websites, notate them before you forget.

Write down little annoyances you have with your current home that you would like to be different.

These notes help when it comes time to make decisions with your contractor and interior designer.

You don’t want to see the finished product and wish you would’ve remembered a key detail.

Choose the Right Contractor & Company

The right contractor for your home renovation is absolutely key.

You want to find someone that has experience with full home remodels to help make the process that much smoother.

A few other key things to look for are…

  • License
  • Insurance
  • Reviews
  • References
  • Proof of Past Work

When searching for a contractor or contracting company, first ask them if they are licensed and insured.

Never work with someone that isn’t.

If injuries happen on your property without insurance, you are the one paying for it.

Workers comp and general liability are essential.

They need to be willing to show you their certificate of insurance.

Any person or company that refuses to do this is one that you shouldn’t hire.

Ask to see previously completed work so that you know what to expect from them.

Check out their website to look at pictures and reviews.

If you ask for a list of references, the right contractor should have some they can send you.

You want to trust whoever you hire to work inside your home.

Know Your Timeline

As much as you want to be in control of when your project is completed, there’s only so much that you can do.

Hopefully, you’ve selected a contractor who is realistic and honest about how long they expect work to take.

Even in the best of circumstances, sometimes things still take longer than you’d like.

Understand that your contractor isn’t the only time factor.

Materials and appliances don’t always show up when they say they will.

Building permits often take a while to be approved.

It’s not uncommon to run into issues with older homes.

Expect the unexpected when it comes to renovating your whole home.

What you can do is talk with your contractor and set a start date and an estimated end date.

Have this end date account for any holidays, as well as some wiggle room for issues that pop up.

Ask Questions

Find out what your contractor thinks about your budget, timeline, and materials.

They’ve likely been doing their job for years and have ideas, solutions, and wisdom to help.

Ask them what’s expected of you and what they don’t do.

Do they handle all of the clean-up or do you need to plan for waste removal?

The more prepared you are the better.

Final Whole Home Remodeling Project Tips

If you don’t plan on living in the home for years to come, consider how your home remodel affects resale value.

As much as you want to personalize your home, there is good sense in making some decisions based on longevity in the design world.

Some designs are trends that pass in a couple of years, while others are here to stay.

An interior designer may help you to know the difference!

If you are looking for someone to handle your whole home remodeling project from A to Z, we can help.

Take a look at our luxury home renovation details and schedule a design consultation today! 

Tired of your home but hate the thought of moving? How about a whole home remodeling project? We have proudly been serving and supporting valley homeowners for 20+ years with custom luxury remodels and home building projects.  Contact us to set up a consultation. Call (602) 694-7030 today!