Remodeling is one of the most stressful times in homeownership, but the rewards can be well worth the effort and the investments. To make it go as smoothly as possible, it is important to ensure that you have created a budget that fits your finances, then expect that you will go over your original estimates, so leave rooms in the budget for overages, get more than one quote and know that the cheapest is that for a reason and may not be the best choice, research any permits and inspections that are required, expect it to take longer than estimated due to problems and delays. Planning ahead for all of the items that you want and knowing exactly what you need and what can wait is key to a successful home renovation project.
Create Your Budget
When creating a budget, ensure that you can pay for all the changes, materials, and labor, as well as any permits that are required and any inspection costs. If a loan is necessary to cover the costs, ensure that it has affordable payments and research if it can be rolled into the mortgage for low interest.
Prepare for Overages
Always add a cushion to your budget for things that will go over budget and ensure that the cushion is over and above any estimate that you have been provided. You will receive quotes that are the best estimate that they can offer, but there are almost always surprises and items that can not be planned for once demolition has begun.
Get Multiple Quotes
Ensure that you get quotes or estimates from multiple companies, usually between 2 and 4 will provide a picture of how much it should take and how long it is expected to take. The lowest cost is often the lowest for a reason, and they may cut corners or use lower quality items to keep the cost lower. For example, you can get some cheap Mexican tiles for your remodel project, or invest a little extra in some Yeomans BC tiles, the difference will be durability and longevity. Pay attention to these details, quality products will cost more in the beginning, but will last longer.
Prepare for it to Take Longer
Though every company will do their best to provide a reasonable timeline and to stay on that timeline, delays of deliveries, shortages of supplies, or in some cases, weather delays, among other occurrences that are unexpected, are likely to occur. When preparing for how long it is expected to take, plan for it to take longer than that and ensure that you are prepared to work around the remodeling or have somewhere to stay the entire time.
Plan Ahead and Check Permits
Planning ahead allows you to choose the things that you want most, allowing for supplies to be sourced and ordered in plenty of time for the project to begin. Ensure that you have planned for where you will stay or how you will live around the remodeling to reduce stress when they are being completed. It is also necessary to check with your town or city to ensure that any permits are taken out on time to start your remodel and whether they are included in the estimates you received or not.
