Buying your first house is a massive achievement. Once you settle in, though, you may want to change things up to truly make it a home.
Remodeling the kitchen, bathrooms, or even living room is common, but it can seem at first like a daunting task. Experts agree on a few simple tips that could help you in your first remodeling venture.
If you are curious about what to look for and what to avoid, follow these pro tips. They can help keep your remodeling on track and under budget.
Hire a Trustworthy Contractor
Your choice of contractor can determine everything about your project. Some companies can take advantage of your naivete and overcharge you, use cheap materials, or ignore deadlines. This can lead to months and months of dissatisfaction with the state of your home.
In order to ensure you are working with someone who has your best interests in mind, be sure to ask your contractor for references. Their website may show photos and videos from their portfolio of prior work. Speaking with those who have used his services though can be even more helpful. Call and arrange tours of those past projects with time to speak with the residents or owners.
If all else fails, try spearheading the project yourself. Getting a contractor’s license without any experience is not as difficult as you’d think. Getting your license could end up letting you achieve the hands-on leadership you were looking for.
Expect the Unexpected
This one is often the most important advice anyone about to begin a remodel can receive. As much as you can assume the process is straightforward, there are always complications. Remodeling a room can end up with dozens of complications, delays, and unexpected costs or errors. Even a simple bathroom remodel can lead to a discovery of mold in the pipes or uneven flooring.
For this reason, it is important to stay calm, and remember that this is all part of the process. Setbacks are to be expected. If you begin with a clear mind and the understanding that the unexpected will happen, it will be easier to roll with the punches and keep moving forward instead of hastily scrapping the project there and then.
Pre-plan with a Flexible, Functional Budget
When remodeling a room, it is essential to know what you want before you start. Decide on the features that are important to you at the very beginning, so that you can decide where to skimp and where to splurge. Allocating money may seem easy at first, setting values you hope to spend on each feature. Along the way though, you will want to splurge on a more expensive tile that you love, or a wider window. That might just not be in the budget.
Rather than cheat on a well-planned budget, build your budget flexibly. Start with your total that you can spend on the project. Then find estimates for the cost of each feature including construction, transportation, and installation. After this, figure out which features you care the most about. If floor tiling is essential, perhaps allocate more money for tile. If you feel that you might repaint this room in a year or two anyway, opt for a lesser quality of paint.
The Bottom Line
Whatever project you hope to undertake, there are several considerations to spend time on.
Hiring a trustworthy contractor, expecting the unexpected, and pre-planning with a flexible budget are all great ways to make your remodeling project run smoothly.
These tips from seasoned experts will help anyone who is undertaking their first home remodel to plan a stress-free, successful, affordable home renovation.