6 Things You Need To Know Before A Home Renovation

A home renovation can be an exciting time that you might have looked forward to for years. Whether you are redoing a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or the whole house, a home renovation can be extremely stressful. Fortunately, you can minimize that stress by being prepared for some of the inevitable things that you will face. 

If you are in the beginning stages of a home remodel, here are six things that you need to know and plan for:

1. Vet Your Contractor

Asking friends and family members who they recommend to be your contractor is great, and it should be your first step. However, you really need to do a little more digging into your contractor’s credentials before you make a commitment to any particular company or individual. Don’t just take their word for it. Make sure that you have proof of their contractor’s license, certificate of insurance for general liability and worker’s compensation, lien history, as well as  their bond number and certification. 

You also want to take the time to interview potential applicants because you will be spending a lot of time with them. Choose High Point remodeling contractors, or contractors in your area, that you believe you can work closely with and someone who communicates their ideas clearly. 

2. Come Up with Inspiration

Before you start any project, you need to have an idea in your mind of what the finished project should look like. Come up with an inspiration board that shows the types of materials you like, the overall finished look, and any ideas that you want to bring to the table. This helps keep the project on task and prevents you from wasting your contractor’s time at the very start. It also ensures that you will be happier with the outcome. 

3. Decide What Happens to Your Appliances

Appliances can eat up a lot of your budget right from the beginning of your project. You need to decide upfront whether you will be replacing your appliances or trying to get a few more years out of them. This allows you to budget accordingly and can help avoid nasty surprises at the tail end of the project when you decide you want that new refrigerator after all. 

Before you head out to the store, you need to know what to look for when buying kitchen appliances. The best thing you can do is to check out reviews of the potential contenders before shopping. Ask friends and family members to review their own appliances while you also search the internet for good consumer reviews. You want to know how often it breaks down, what features are worth paying for, and if the appliance is worth the overall price. 

The next thing to do is to go through the manual and make sure you understand all of the features. There is no sense in purchasing an appliance that’s too complex - one where you will never be able to make heads or tails of the features you paid for. This is also a great time to compare models, including the price differences between them. 

4. Have Wiggle Room in Your Budget

Unfortunately, too many projects end up with unexpected costs somewhere along the way. The best thing you can do to prepare is to have a little bit of wiggle room in the budget. Pad your budget a bit so that you won’t be shocked when you have to spend an extra hundred dollars on tile or light fixtures. This padding can help keep you from utter despair during a long remodel project. 

5. Figure Out What is DIY and What is Done Professionally

Many handy homeowners feel that they can perform some of the remodeling work themselves. While this is certainly true, there are some areas that you want to allot some extra money to so a professional can handle the work. Your electrical system is definitely one of these areas. If you need a few tips for hiring electricians for your home renovation, this link is a good starting point. 

Always check out a potential company’s licensing and credentials. Every province has their own requirements, so make sure you educate yourself about what an electrician needs to safely work in your area. You also need to check on their experience to see if they have taken on projects similar to yours in the past. This is a great time to ask friends and family for recommendations and to ask the company itself for a referral. 

6. Prepare for Dust and Dirt

There is no way around the fact that a home remodel is going to be messy. It may annoy you to be constantly cleaning up dust, dirt, and debris. Unfortunately, there really is no way to avoid it entirely. You might be able to minimize the effects by hanging plastic sheeting and sectioning off the rooms that are under construction. However, this is not a fail-safe plan and can still let dust pass through to the rest of the home. Embrace the chaos for a little while, knowing that you will have a beautiful (and clean!) home when you are finished.