"Home Remodeling"....the very words strike fear into the hearts of many. With planning, research and a good team, the process can be almost painless.
Not only do I help my clients with their remodels, I just finished one on my own home. I have previously built two homes, but a remodel is a whole different animal. You need to have a good relationship with your contractor and his crew, because as you stagger bleary-eyed to the breakfast table at 7am with your morning coffee, they will be the first faces you see. They won't live with you, but it will feel like they do!
The first step in a remodel is deciding what your house is lacking that a remodel can fix. Just want a facelift? More space for a growing family? Fixing up to sell? Make a list. I'm big on lists! Then decide what your priorities are - what is a "must have" and what are the extras that are not a necessity, but would be nice to have.
Next up is the budget. Decide what you can realistically spend either through savings or financing. Call several banks and get some preliminary rates. What would make the most sense for you? An equity loan? Line of credit? Construction loan? Your banker can explain your options.
Now comes the best part - finding a contractor! The best advice I can give is to GET RECOMMENDATIONS!! Talk to anyone you know who's done a remodel and find out what they liked and didn't like about their contractor. Call your Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been lodged against them. Ask your interior designer if you already have one. Interview several contractors and get preliminary estimates - what is included in the price (materials and labor), time frame for starting and completion of the project and time frame for disbursing of funds. If he wants all his money up front - RUN!!
Don't pick a contractor solely on price. Are they open to your ideas? Can you communicate effectively with each other? Did the contractor promptly return your phone call? (My biggest pet peeve!) If you have trouble now, it won't get any better during the process. Pick the contractor you "click" with. Our contractor, Mike, called a few minutes before our initial appointment to say he'd be ten minutes late. That one phone call earned him a lot of points!
To Be Continued.....
"It's not about the destination. It's about the journey. Enjoy the ride!"
She is awesome! I have been to both of my "cousin's" homes... Both of which are designed by her,..beautiful homes, both showed her love for design....warmth, cozy,smart placement of furniture....Any one of her creations should be pictured on Homes Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! I'm in the middle of a renovation project now and you nailed the process! It's so very true that the first people you see in the morning (ready or not) are the carpenters, electricians and plumbers. Keep the great blog coming...........always in need of great ideas!!!
ReplyDeletethank you for the very well written post about the remodeling process. your words echo my own when talking to potential clients
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