Starting your home remodeling project without guidance from home renovation pros is risky! According to the Washington Post, in 2020 alone, 3% of all emergency room visits resulted from home improvement projects gone wrong. Moreover, above 290,000 cases required an ER visit, and a further 24,000 injuries needed a hospital stay.
You don’t want to be in a hospital bed due to a failed home remodeling project. For this reason, you’ll need to hire an expert to do the work for you. Alternatively, you should seek advice from home renovation pros on planning and executing a DIY home remodeling project.
Anyone who has done a home remodeling project will tell you: It’s overwhelming! While it’s next to impossible to avoid the disruptions of a home remodeling project, you can reduce the stress and chances of injuries when you follow home renovation pros’ counsel in planning, budgeting, organizing, and financing a smooth project.
Are you planning on a home makeover? Don’t dare commence a home improvement project without the following professional guidance from the renovation pros. Read the article for seven incredible home makeover expert tips. Let’s start!
1. Plan Ahead
Home remodeling projects are significant undertakings. For this reason, professionals recommend planning before commencing a home makeover. Although the planning process consumes time, it’s a necessary step that will oversee the successful completion of the project.
Typically, a renovation project involves balancing your needs and wants. Also, you’ll have to determine whether the project is a luxury or a necessity. Doing so will help you set the course and the project timeline. Do you have a leaking roof? Do you need local roof and gutter repairs service? In this case, roof remodeling is a necessity.
Does your yard need help from tree arborists? Is your kitchen manageable? If your yard is in good condition and your kitchen still serves you well, you can wait a little longer, especially when you’re working on a tight budget. This will give you leeway to focus on other dire renovation needs. Sorting out your needs from wants will help you map a viable timeline to maximize affordability and productivity.
Factor in the necessary permits for tree arborists and such during the planning stage. According to Bankrate, the licenses will cost you between $50 for minor upgrades and $2,000 and above for significant projects. However, the costs will significantly depend on location and the type of project. For this reason, planning earlier will help you avoid wasting time during the project execution phase.
2. Have a Budget
It’s guaranteed! Your home improvement project will offset some costs, which could be more than you think. For this reason, home renovation pros stress that before spending, budget first.
According to the Washington Post, to effectively manage your spending when rebuilding your home, the number one rule of thumb is to spend between 5% – 15% of the value of your home on kitchen renovations. Further, your bathroom renovations should cost you between 3% – 7% of your home’s value. Following the above rules will help avoid overspending on your home’s makeover.
Creating a home remodeling budget can be overwhelming, if not daunting. It’s even more challenging, especially if you’re a first-time homeowner or embarking on your first home makeover project. Whenever you’re in such a confusing situation, research more. Also, it will help to ask the home renovation pros for help in creating an effective budget.
3. Gather Materials
Materials typically take about a third of your home remodeling project cost. Even so, it doesn’t mean that labor costs – the other one-third – aren’t essential. However, the price you’ll pay for labor costs highly depends on factors such as the contractor rates and the season. When budgeting, try to cut costs without compromising on quality. Luckily, home renovation pros are worth every buck.
You must consult professionals like roofers to obtain correct budget estimates. Engaging experts will help you better understand the overall project and price tag. During this stage, you’ll also need to take note of the return on investment (ROI). Prioritize renovation projects that increase the value of your home.
4. Figure out Your Finances
Home remodeling projects can cost you an arm and a leg. For this reason, you should figure out how to finance your home makeover plans without getting into a financial crisis. Also, you don’t want to start a project and get stuck halfway. A solid financial plan is a way before commencing any home remodeling project. You can also ask the home renovation pros for funding advice and suggestions.
Most homeowners will pay for their home makeover projects with cash, debit, or credit cards. Typically, the three major loan options are taking out a home equity loan, cashing out on mortgage refinance, and establishing a home line of credit (HELOC).
The majority prefer borrowing through a home equity line of credit because you could qualify for a lower rate than other types of loans. What’s more, the interest is tax-deductible.
However, it would be best to always choose your financing according to your planned project. More extensive projects like basement waterproofing require more funds than smaller improvement projects. For this reason, before applying for a project, ensure you source suitable funds for the right project.
5. Get Professional Help from Home Renovation Experts
Are you familiar with house remodeling? Is it your first home makeover job? If yes, you’ll probably make a few blunders during the project. The worst part about renovation mistakes is that they’re costly. Most times, you’ll have to redo the job entirely. For this reason, you’ll need to get help from home renovation pros.
Significant remodeling projects, such as well pump services, require a professional. In this case, the hundreds of Youtube repair services videos won’t do you any good. So, as a novice, you should consider hiring an expert contractor for your remodeling project before going for online DIYing solutions.
It isn’t debatable that there’s no home like yours, and you understand what you intend to achieve with a home makeover. However, there are similar threads and solutions amongst most house remodeling projects. Whether working on bathrooms, stucco remediation, kitchens, or home additions, a professional has the expertise and experience to bring your dream to reality.
The professionals will help you come up with a list of essential supplies for your home remodeling project. If you’re working with home improvement pros, chances are they have links with suppliers who have quality materials with huge discounts that will save you money. A professional will also save you the hassle of seeking such vendors.
Your safety concern is a top priority for all home renovation pros. It means doing the project right, preventing any chances of damage to the property and injuries. Professionals are fully aware of the international and local codes and will get the necessary permits for the project. Meaning you’re sure of a code-compliant job.
You should also ensure you deal with professionals by verifying their work licenses. The aim is to ensure you’ll be dealing with a qualified technician. A competent contractor won’t make a mess by leaving lunch wrappers littering around, sawdust, and potentially hazardous nails.
Also, working with a local contractor is advantageous. For instance, when remodeling your roof, a residential roofer with a good reputation in your locality will do their best to maintain their reputation in the community. This will work to your benefit; the contractor will do a quality job.
6. Put Everything in Writing
The home renovation pros can’t emphasize the importance of entering into a construction contract enough. You should put everything in writing, especially if your renovation needs are, by nature, complex, for example, septic services. A construction project’s written agreement stipulates both parties’ duties and obligations. Further, it details the sharing of the project’s risks.
A renovation contract works to protect both parties immediately after you start the remodeling exercise. Determining the project’s scope is the first step to developing an effective contract. The contract must highlight the type of work, needed materials, prices, special permits, and whether a formal bid can be attached to the remodeling contract.
Probably, your biggest concern is the final cost of your home makeover. It’s a prevailing worry for most remodeling clients. For this reason, the remodeling contract should have the entire job’s price estimation.
If you aren’t conversant with calculating the entire project’s cost, the home renovation pros will help you. From a small painting job to complex works like paving services, the contract must capture every single cost affiliated with the project. Getting a wholesome project cost will help you with effective budgeting.
When developing a remodeling project contract, including the project timeline is very important. During this step, you should talk to the professionals to understand the timeline they’d require to complete the job. After that, both parties can develop a contract’s start and end date. Doing so will help you understand your waiting period, the time needed to acquire materials, and the time needed for the project.
A contract project’s final and most important part is to ensure it’s legally binding. To do this, you must ensure that all parties involved sign the contract. You should never miss this step before starting the project.
A good remodeling contract highlights your expectations. Additionally, it serves as a guide on the necessary steps to take. Moreover, the contract should define any warranty and provide in-depth details about its coverage.
That’s not all. The contract should provide a clear framework for settling the dispute if you have any legal complaints regarding the remodeling job. In other words, putting everything in black and white protects you from a contractor, an arborist, a painter, or an electrician who does shoddy jobs. You’re protected.
7. Plan a Renovation Free Zone
A renovation project is bound to come with noise, dust, and other nuisances which may pose a high risk to your family. Also, trip-over accidents can easily turn fatal, especially when walking on an active renovation site. You want to avoid all the dangers associated with a home makeover. For this reason, you should plan for a renovation-free zone.
Experts advise that it’s necessary to have at least one functional and safe area where your family will spend time during ongoing renovations. You’ll have to pick a room off-limits for everyone but your family. The space should be a comfortable and quiet area where you and your family can spend quality time, get work done or have a comfy space to lounge and relax.
However, there’s no shame in taking a mini vacation during ongoing remodeling work. It’s good to escape all the noise, destruction, and dust. Renting a stay for a day or two will not cost you much. It can rejuvenate the strength and energy necessary to complete a renovation.
Chances are your remodeling project will affect all the rooms in your house. For this reason, you’ll need to take your pictures, vases, and other valuables to your renovation-free area before commencing the project. Additionally, you’ll need to protect your hardwood floor with paper and drape your furniture with plastic or tarps.
Don’t attempt a home remodeling project without counsel from the renovation pros. You want to avoid costly blunders during a home makeover exercise and to ensure you get quality from your home improvement projects. Experts advise that you’ll need to plan for a successful renovation project. You’ll need to separate the necessary projects from luxurious home makeovers, especially when working on a budget. You must also develop a workable budget, plan a renovation-free area, and protect yourself from shoddy jobs with renovation contracts.
Your first time home makeover? Please don’t do it alone. Seek help from the home renovation pros. Your project will be a success.