Planning your Home Remodel: Part 2 of Expert Advice Series

OK Friends, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get down and dirty into the nitty-gritty of Planning your home remodel . Kicking off today with Planning Your Home Remodel: Part 2 of the Expert Advice Series. Last week I shared an overview of what we will cover over the next several weeks. If you missed part one click over here to start at the beginning.

Before we get started I want to throw out a few terms you’ll see me use.

I’m sharing this because you’ll also hear people in the industry use these terms as well. Bear with me if some of you already know this. I use the terms home remodel and renovation interchangeably. In the industry they are the same. Initially, I thought our addition was..obviously, an addition. Right? Wrong. To the trades if it’s just a bath or a smaller addition they consider it a remodel. You’ll also see me use the terms trades/vendors interchangeably. Both refer to people you may hire in the industry like an electrician, plumber, etc.

M’kay…Ready.?.Let’s get started

 Planning 

Regardless of the size of your project, a new floor, bath makeover or an addition onto your home, of course you’ll need to plan. When planning your home remodel the more complex the project the more detailed the planning phase will be. I start a new paper file for each project right from the beginning. I put everything in it, contacts, business cards, pictures of what I want my room to look like and products I might want to look at for the remodel. It’s a huge time saver to have everything organized and together in one place when you need it.

Another thing I do on every project is create a detailed timeline of how long each step in the process will take, with a target completion date. I’ve found that writing down the details helps me think of lots of little things I might not have thought of.

Research

A well researched plan will make your life easier, potentially save you money and time. Here are several items to keep in mind while you are in the research phase of planning a home remodel.

Will your home renovation have special considerations? A historical society, home owners association or variance/zoning request can complicate even the simplest of home remodel projects. Do you need a building permit? What will the building code requirements be. Will your build change any items that are grandfathered in your home? For example, We live in a 1950’s home, We cannot add more than 50% of the home’s value to the property or we are not insurable anymore. Here’s another item that surprised us. Our little 160 sq ft addition required we bring certain items up to current building code in the rest of our house. I now need hardwired smoke detectors at certain locations.

If your planning an addition, there might be structural or system considerations as well, like can two roof lines be attached easily? Is your AC system big enough to carry the extra load of your new space. What about your electrical panel, is that big enough? Any one of the items I just mentioned can easily add upwards of a few thousand to several thousand dollars onto your project. Ka-ching! In many cases you won’t know this until you start speaking with potential vendors about your plans to renovate your home. When your beginning to research speak to as many people s you can.

People like to share information…

If I were beginning a new complex project, I’d start with my local government’s building department. Call or stop in. Explain what you are planning and ask them what do you need to know. Be ready to take notes. I’d also call my home owners insurance company, HOA and any neighbor who recently had work done. Tell them what you are planning to do and simply ask, “is there anything I need to know?”. You’d be amazed at what you can learn.

Timing

An important item to consider when planning a home remodel is the time of year. Planning around  seasonal issues like the hurricane season, frozen ground or outside temperatures can limit when certain projects take place. Lining up the trades during high season can add lots of extra time to your project as they work to fit you in their busy schedule of jobs. This could bring your build project to a screeching halt while your waiting for one vendor to get your work done before the next can come to complete their part of your project.

Another big consideration in timing a home remodel is planning your family’s life. I’m going to throw lot’s of thoughts your way on this. Are there school vacations to work around, do you have trips planned, visitors coming to town, parties planned? Will children be home alone? Do the vendors need access to the inside of your home? Does that mean you’ll need to be home to let them in? Are there pets to plan around? After all the above is considered, add extra time to your planned schedule. The best plans can go wonky in timing.

You can’t control everything…

I have been over confident about completion schedules several times with my own home projects. Like my current one. My builder is way behind schedule for various reasons. Boxes and stuff is piled everywhere inside my little home. I have a temporary wall built across part of the inside, a table saw in the middle of my living room, a dumpster and a porta potty in my front yard.

Have I painted a pretty picture of chaos for you?

 Let’s add life to the construction mix…

We’ve had lots of company this summer as well as my son’s high school graduation and party. I didn’t have the option of changing any of those plans. It’s hard for a type A perfectionist (me) to relax and realize our friends and family who come to visit are here to spend time with us and not a perfect house. I’m writing today, sitting at the table in our sailboat while my visiting sister reads her magazine at the table near me. I don’t have a master bedroom or guest room right now. We are all sleeping on the boat… My husband and I have been for almost 2 months. My next little piece of advice?

Keep it in perspective! Have a sense of humor. Crazy times make the best memories to look back on 🙂

The planing stage is fun. It’s the beginning of realizing something awesome for your home. All projects need some amount of research and planning. Taking the time to research is time well spent, it can save you money and help you avoid unneeded stress. You’ll want to be informed, even if you’re planning to hire someone to manage the entire process. Keep in mind not everything will be in your control. My last little piece of advice I want to share…

Enjoy the journey.

It’s a house the day you move in, it becomes a home with love and a little (maybe a lot) elbow grease!

Next weeks topic? How to interview and build the best team for your home remodel project. 

Oh…But wait, there’s more!

I have some awesome sponsors for this project! I can’t wait to show you how we’ve teamed up to make my home remodel my favorite project of all time…

And, there might be a fun giveaway in the near future that you won’t want to miss {wink}.

Are you planning a project? Do you have questions on a topic I may not have covered? Share! Chances are good that someone may have the same question too!