—
It’s probably dawned on you that remodeling is no easy project. Where do you begin? The kitchen is a natural starting point, and it rolls on from there. The project can be exciting as you see the interior transform from shoddy and drab to contemporary clean-cut lines. Then, of course, there’s a disruption to one’s lifestyle with dust and contractors upsetting family routine. Finally, the reality hits that a budget is in the mix, and you have to draw the line somewhere.
However you look at it, the project costs thousands of dollars. Kitchens alone start at $30,000 and go to more than $100,000 (if you decide to change up to everything of the best). Nothing about it is straightforward, especially if you have to knock walls down, upgrade plumbing, replaster, expand the lighting, and more. This article aims to provide some guidance and help you set realistic expectations.
An innovative approach
Instead of telling you which room to begin and end with, your starting point should be selecting a remodeler. Why? Because for the following number of weeks, perhaps months, you need a partner. You can’t do this yourself, and allowing a loose-knit team into your home can spell disaster. It’s crucial that you select a project leader who knows what he’s doing and has the skills and experience to complete the job on time and within budget.
Talking about budget, if you share the dollar number with an expert installer, it’s likely to result in a realistic construction program. For example, a whole-house renovation is a magic wand wish – money being no object. However, limitations on the purse strings converge on making decisions about priorities. Numerous errors will likely appear without objectivity in the mix as you spread the money too thinly. As a starting piece of advice, it’s better to do less and realize your entire vision for those aspects than try for more and end up with a half-baked result across the whole home.
What to expect from your remodeling contractor
As mentioned above, pragmatism and a touch of sanity, notwithstanding that you – the homeowner – cannot escape your emotions. That aside, the ideal partners should demonstrate they have:
- A physical office nearby signaling neighborhood knowledge(i.e., not operating the project from afar).
- Close connections with reputable suppliers of construction materials and can get you builders’ discounts.
- Some architectural skills, but no problem working with a professional architect if things look exceedingly complicated.
- A team of permanent qualified artisans, but access to the relevant skills if not available in-house.
- Proven processes around receiving supplies in the home, checking them against invoices, and storing them safely until ready to be deployed.
- An approach that saves you money at every corner instead of getting you to spend more.
- Connection to your budget, deadlines, and, most critically, your vision.
The list above is pretty specific on vital focus areas. There’s no liking one item more than another. Indeed, everything must integrate to deliver the entire package.
Is there a partner interview process a homeowner should follow?
Due diligence on credit, licensing, and insurance are the very least you should cover before diving in. The most reliable guiding light is common sense. Overall, you must feel good, even excited, about partnering with your selected remodeler.
One of the best insights is reviewing past jobs and hearing what other customers say about your shortlist. Try to talk directly to past clients; ask them all the questions that focus on the checklist above. For example, how did the contractor deal with:
- >Change orders.
- Staying within your budget.
- Finishing on time.
- The mess, workers in and out.
Also:
- Were you happy with the materials they recommended?
- What happened when everything arrived on your doorstep?
- Do you think you overpaid or got value for your money?
- How did the remodeler react to you coming back for fixups after everyone left the project?
Experience and track record count a lot in any home renovation, so look for the answers to the above in reviews left by clients. Don’t stop at one testimonial; read them all.
Another great kickstart to the process is to begin your search at online marketplaces that specialize in remodeling. The latter provides substantial due diligence and warrants that the reviews and credentials you see are factual. In a few cases, the marketplaces guarantee the work for a limited value. However, read the small print around these if you’re relying on them for your peace of mind.
No amount of due diligence is enough when it comes to remodeling.
You’ll probably see numerous quotes if you follow the process outlined above. You should filter each one through a detailed overview. Finally, also go to their websites and see what’s there. If they don’t have one, it’s a flashing yellow caution light. Every significant operator today backs their marketing with online promotion. You should also look at their social media communications.
Horses for courses
You may find that remodelers quoting you are specialists. Not everyone is equipped for a whole-house renovation if that’s what you have in mind. An expert company in the renovation arena will recommend the best route to get the biggest bang for your buck. Assuming you want to do this room by room, the two spaces most people start with are the kitchen and bathrooms. So, we’ll focus on those rooms for most of the remainder of this article.
Kitchen and bathroom renovations
Kitchen remodeling is arguably the most expensive of any space and the most magnetic for entertaining friends and arranging family dinners. This boils down to the high cost of new appliances, state of the art metals that go into hoods, refrigerators, ovens, and stoves. Also, exotic materials, complex lighting arrangements, ventilation considerations, and plumbing configurations invariably enter the equation.
Bathrooms align with kitchen remodeling contractor thinking, but without the appliances. You’ll likely source the cabinets and countertops from the same suppliers, so these two renovation arenas tie in. There can be no better place to start than bathrooms and kitchens from a lifestyle viewpoint. The primary thing to look for when these rooms come under focus is specialist experience. Generally, entities with strong capabilities here will be excellent for the rest of the home if or when the time arrives.
Other spaces and functions when renovating
You can rebuild your entire home from within, budget allowing. A project like this embraces the rooms mentioned above, bedrooms, of course, passageways, staircases, and in certain cities, basements. Then there are:
- Summer kitchens
- Living rooms
- Gyms
- Theaters
- Dining areas
- Atriums
Perhaps it’s not remodeling spaces but interior design specifics that cover:
- Flooring
- Wiring systems
- Storage & closets
- The latest in smart electronics
- Additional rooms
- Framing
To reiterate, it all depends on the budget and your goal. One of the most significant challenges is executing changes that add net value to the property in the medium term. Overcapitalization is a common trap that can add to a lifestyle but loses in the wallet compartment. Remember, it always pays to be the worst house on the best street versus the most impressive one in the least desirable location.
In summary:
Everything points to you locating expert remodelers who:
- Empathize with your needs
- Help you squeeze the last drop out of your budget, not spend until you drop.
- Outline an agenda and routine that adds net value to your home.
- Come with a proven track record.
- Convincingly answer all your most challenging questions.
- Know the best suppliers nearby.
- Organize a clean working environment.
- Administer inventory in and out to match orders and suppress shrinkage.
- Work from a physical office in your neighborhood.
- Preferably come recommended by a recognized marketplace.
- That has done all the heavy lifting on due diligence.
- Provides suitable guarantees of results.
- Have at least kitchen and bathroom remodeling skills.
- Enter the arrangement as a true partner and stick with you past the end.
- Demonstrate versatility in architectural style that encompasses tastes from:
- Traditional
- To contemporary
- To modern
- And everything in between
- With detailed plans before lifting a hammer.
We hope we’ve given you a good sense of balance and set priorities for your next project – big or small.
—
