Being a homeowner has its fair share of annoying responsibilities.
Sometimes, your home will be in desperate need of remodeling, and if you haven’t had any experience with it, chances are you’ll feel like you’re in way over your head.
That is why we’re here.
We’ve come with a list of six tips that are guaranteed to make your remodeling project a success and a breeze:
Stage 1: Planning and calculation
First of all, you will have to grab your trusty clipboard or notebook and double-down over it. That sheet of paper (or several), will be your absolute go-to during this whole process.
It needs to contain the following:
- What you want to achieve with the remodeling (helps keep things in perspective)
- How much money you can set aside for it
- Listing all the work that needs to be done, from major to minor
- An assessment of how much everything will cost
This is just a part of the preparation stage, and while of course, it seems unnecessary that we’ve brought it up, we simply want to emphasize the importance of having everything written down.
Stage 2: Prioritizing
Once you have everything on paper, see how you can prioritize.
Odds are you can’t afford to have everything done, so why not decide which works have precedence over others?
Maybe you want to work on the insulation rather than renovate your kitchen, considering all the money you can save on heating long-term.
Prioritizing will make it easier to get a perspective on the condition of your home. It helps you manage your finances smarter and more effectively.
Stage 3: Find contractors and help
Depending on the work that needs to be done, you’re looking at either things you can do yourself, or things you’ll need professional help with.
When it comes to larger-scale projects, hiring an architect or an engineer to look over your plans is always best. That way you’ll save yourself any expensive mistakes. Also, pay attention to research and book your contractors in time.
Lastly, when it comes to heavy-duty tasks, forgo calling your friends and neighbors to help. Instead, get professionals involved, whether it be heavy-lifting cranes, reliable electric forklift trucks, etc.
Stage 4: See what YOU can do
On your list of priorities, there must be something that you can do yourself. A DIY project of sorts.
It usually doesn’t demand hired hands and is instead focused on you and perhaps some help from friends and/or family. You can use this remodeling opportunity to repaint your interior, to refurbish old furniture, or change around its arrangement to liven up your space.
Also, take the time to declutter your space. It’s almost a guaranteed way to remodel your home with as simple a change as decluttering.
Stage 5: Prep accordingly
Both DIY projects and those that require contract work have their own preparation stages. We’re talking plastic sheets (or fabric) for your furniture, cardboard on the floors to avoid scratch marks or hard-to-remove stains.
Find out what “hazards” every renovation step will bring with it, whether it’s paint stains, sawdust, glue residue, or other.
The kitchen will be your best friend as well, as you can also set up a mini-camp, where you stock up on sandwiches, snacks, cold drinks, and a coffee maker, to have everything quickly on hand.
This eliminates the need to fret over what to eat when your house is being renovated and your mind is elsewhere.
Stage 6: Clean up
One important step you cannot forget to account into your planning stage is the clean-up.
Think in advance about the possible mishaps mentioned in stage 6, and prepare accordingly.
Anticipating these damages will help in deciding which cleaning products to buy, or if you’ll need to hire a cleaning company.
Also, if you live in an apartment, or a densely populated neighborhood, put up a notice for noise, and try to contain the debris to your lot. If it does happen to enter your neighbor’s lot, offer to clean up.
A few last words
Remodeling your house can seem like an impossible feat. That is unless you follow certain steps.
The most important thing is to remain disciplined. Make a list, prioritize and see in which areas you’ll need help. Think about your neighbors, possible noise complaints and in short – expect the unexpected.
The more prepared you are, the less stressed you’ll be if something does go wrong.
