Whether you’re just getting a small bathroom remodel completed or a complete barndominium for company, family, or guests, any home improvement has the potential to wreak havoc on your home and lifestyle. Fortunately, when you work with experienced remodelers and take the time to plan the process, you’ll find that it goes much more smoothly than you might otherwise expect.
The Ultimate Guide to Home Remodeling: Tips and Tricks for a Successful Renovation
Start with a Budget
The best basis for any home renovation is your budget. Though it’s always best to start any renovation with money you already have saved, in the real world, it’s not always that easy. If you’re expecting life changes, sometimes you need to work around what you have. In some cases, a home equity loan can help, or you can look at a personal loan to help cover the difference between what you have and what you need. However, make sure that you’re able to pay off the loans as quickly as possible so that you can avoid paying any more interest than you have to.
Explore Possible Home Remodeling Firms
When you’re talking with a home remodeling or renovation company in Rochester, it can be difficult to determine whether they’re the best fit for your needs. However, any construction company that is worthwhile investigating as a possibility for your home remodeling project should be happy to provide you with a written estimate, as well as work with you to develop your plans while managing expectations. Contact several home improvement companies and take the time to get a feel for how the industry works before making a decision.
Be Flexible
Are you considering a complete kitchen remodel or just need a cabinet painter in for a few hours to brighten up the space? When it comes to home remodeling, the more that you change, the higher the cost will be. When working on your budget, consider what you’re willing to compromise on to get the entire project underway. Perhaps trading painted cabinets for those amazing must-have granite countertops is a fair trade? Similarly, you’ll want to leave some room in your budget if you do change your mind on a few things, because that extra is often what will allow that change in design to take place.
Consider the Depth of Change
How far are your home renovations going to go? If you’re turning a cookie-cutter house into your dream home, it may take a lot of time, money, and effort to make it happen. If you need to rip everything out for new drywall installation, coffered ceilings, and wainscoting, you may want to take the time to figure out whether you’ll recoup that investment when you sell your home down the road. If not, it may be a better bet to have a custom home built or to move into a home that will not require significant renovations to turn it into the home of your dreams.
Make it Adaptable
Don’t get completely hung up on what’s in style right now, or how your lifestyle is right now. If you’re adding to your family, do you have some kid-friendly features in your basement remodel? If you’re heading out of your empty nest years into retirement, have you considered whether that new bathroom floor will be too slippery in a few more years? What about the stairs to your upstairs bedroom? If you have a strong family history of joint replacements, it may be time to add a main-floor master suite as part of your plans or incorporate space for an elevator installation down the road.
Do a Virtual Walkthrough
Though most construction companies don’t yet have the virtual or augmented reality tools to actually do this, take the time to go through the plans and visualize going through your day in the new space. This is especially important when you realize you can’t open the drawer next to the sink because of the size of the stove handle, or that the shower door will bang against the other wall whenever you open it. By mentally walking through the plans and thinking about how everything will work together, you can make changes to your design before it requires real-world changes that are much more expensive to make.
By keeping this home remodeling and renovation guide in mind, Rochester homeowners will be better prepared for the reality of the process as it happens. If you’re ready to undertake a home remodeling or renovation project in Rochester, or need home remodeling tips and tricks, the experienced professionals at Maressa Remodeling are here to help. Please feel free to reach out today to schedule a free consultation with one of our friendly, experienced construction professionals.
