But you’ve saved for years to prepare for a home renovation, and you’re finally ready to kick off your big remodeling project. These tips will help you design rooms that serve multiple purposes, assess your home warranty coverage needs, and hire a great contractor team.
Make Value-Boosting Renovations
Maximize your home’s value with strategic renovations. Consider updating key areas like the kitchen and bathroom or adding energy-efficient features, which not only modernize your home but also attract potential buyers.
Be sure to save receipts so that you can quantify your home’s value increase. Remember, each improvement is an investment, enhancing both your living experience and your property’s market worth.
Assemble a Contractor Team
Before hiring contractors, determine exactly which roles you need to fulfill on your project. If you hire a general remodeling contractor, they may be able to bring on an electrician, plumbers, roofers, and other professionals as subcontractors.
Talk to your local friends who have recently renovated their homes to see who they would recommend.
Share Your Vision
How can you explain your project vision in detail to your contractors? VELUX notes that a great idea is to create a renovation vision board with examples of your preferred fixtures, finishes, and materials, as well as photos of some interiors with a similar aesthetic to your personal vision.
Stay Organized
Maintaining orderliness during the renovation project is crucial. It is essential to emphasize the significance of effectively managing all renovation-related documents, including receipts, forms, notices, letters, and any other pertinent materials.
Rather than juggling multiple files, consider employing a tool for you to combine a PDF to consolidate all your documents into a single file. This streamlined approach will save you valuable time when searching for specific documents.
Moreover, after merging PDF files, you can easily rearrange the pages to ensure that your records are organized in the desired sequence.
Determine Your Timeline
If you’re only remodeling a limited space, your project timeline should be relatively short. But if you’re renovating several important rooms, such as your kitchen and bathroom, you’ll probably be looking at a longer timeline — and you may need to stay somewhere else while the contractors are working.
If you’re not sure where you should live while renovations are ongoing, CORT notes that staying with friends or relatives nearby, booking an extended-stay hotel room, or even going on a long vacation if you have the budget are good ideas.
Before you start any home remodeling – such as a kitchen or bathroom remodeling, adding an addition, building a new section onto the home, and other major renovation project, run some financial numbers to determine whether the renovation is a smart investment.
The numbers include the estimated costs, home value assessment, financing costs, and other related calculations.
Review these cost-related issues to remodeling vs. buying a new home.
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| analyze the numbers | |
| estimate the cost of your project | |
| start assembling a budget | |
| get your home value |
The 2nd step for planning your home remodeling is deciding what you would like to do.
Will it be a –
- remodeling your kitchen or bathroom,
- converting the attic or basement,
- adding an addition or extension to the home,
- changing out your deck or patio into an all-season room,
- upgrading the home with new windows, doors and flooring,
- redesigning your landscape with new features,
- or something else.
You can find other home remodeling ideas by referencing our home renovation analysis and topic directories (opens new win)
| view remodeling design "ideas" directory | |
| view latest "topics" for home renovation | |
Step 3 is sketching your ideas on paper (or digitally) and developing the spec plan.
The spec plan determines what type of home remodeling materials, items, and design considerations that will be needed. It will also contain the product specifications for each renovation element.
You will use the spec plan and architectural design to bid the project out to a contractor.
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| developing the spec plan | |
| sketch remodeling plan | |
| design considerations |
Step 4 is finding and negotiating the contract with a remodeling contractor.
Give your home remodeling ideas and specs to a contractor for review and bid analysis. Use the local network (aligned with HomeAdvisor) to find the right contractor for your project.
Review guides for contractor selection and negotiation.
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| search remodeling contractors | |
| selecting your contractor checklist |
| contractor negotiations | |
| contractor evaluation form |
Step 5 is arranging financing once you selected the contractor and finalized the contract for your project.
Using the equity value in your home is one of the best financing option for home remodeling. Start with a home equity line of credit or use the bank equity program.
Other options may include cash-out refinancing, personal savings, and/or financing from home improvement contractors.
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| financing options | |
| getting qualified for financing | |
| negotiate rates |
Step 6 is where the project begins.
It starts with setting up the work area, removing everything that needs to be replaced, installing electrical and network connections, putting in the final touches, etc.
It also means working with the contractor, managing the project, and getting the home remodeling project inspected before releasing any funds.
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| working with the contractor | |
| managing remodeling project |
| about a home project inspections | |
| find home inspector |
Plan for Multi-Use Spaces
How can you make the most of your home renovation investment? Focus on turning rooms into multi-purpose spaces to maximize their use!
For example, think about how you can transform your kitchen into a comfortable space for hosting and entertainment or how you could create a home office that does double-duty as a guest room. You can purchase a pull-out sofa, use ottomans and cabinets to store bedding, and even add a full-length mirror to one wall.
Register for Permits
You don’t need to obtain permits for every possible home renovation project — but if the law states that you need a permit and you move forward without one, you could end up facing legal and financial consequences. Talk to your contractors about your permit requirements before jump-starting any projects.
For example, in most places, you will need a permit for renovations like fencing installation and repair, window installation, plumbing, and electrical work, any structural changes that require removing or adding walls, additions like building a garage or large shed, and HVAC maintenance tasks like installing a new hot water heater.
Consider a Home Warranty
After your renovation is completed, you may want to look into taking out a home warranty policy if you haven’t already. You can research policy options during the renovation process to see if the cost is justified.
A policy like this will provide coverage in case you have problems with your home systems or appliances. Prior to spending money on a warranty, learn how to integrate this into your strategy. Go over your home inspection report to see if any of your appliances are already under warranty, as well as the extent of the coverage.
Overseeing a home renovation can be stressful. Spending extra time planning out each stage of the process can help you navigate these projects with ease.
other related articles of interest:
How To Tackle The Obstacles During Home Renovation
Unlocking the Keys to a Flawless Home Renovation: Essential Factors for Success
By following these guidelines, you’ll be ready to establish multi-use rooms like a home office combo, invest in a home warranty plan that provides the coverage you really need, and outline a reasonable timeline for your entire renovation.
Find Home Remodeling Services Additions Major Remodels Minor Remodels Disability Needs Plumbing Drain Clearing Appliances Electrical top-rated, pre-screened local contractors FREE: download contractor selection enter zip code – powered by HomeAdvisor ™
Image credit: tasks you’ll need to tackle your home renovation by envato.com
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