Home remodeling projects are, by their nature, riddled with potential disasters. The following steps can help you avoid some most common pitfalls homeowners face when planning a remodel job for their home.
1) Know What Your Budget Is and Stick to It
You should embark into a home remodeling project with an accurate estimate of what you can afford. The last thing you would want is to run out of money halfway through the job and be forced to leave your renovation in mid-stride, or worse yet—completely unfinished.
As part of your budgeting process, make sure you include the cost of unforeseen issues that arise during construction. It’s almost impossible to know for sure exactly what kinds of hidden costs could come up during a home remodeling project, but one thing is sure—unanticipated expenses will happen.
2) Hire Professionals Only
Enlist the help of a contractor to oversee and manage your home remodeling project. While you may be tempted to save money by doing it yourself, hiring professionals can help ensure you get the results that you want without sacrificing quality or safety
3) Research Your Contractor Before Starting the Project
Doing research ensures that you pick a contractor who has the experience and good credentials for remodeling homes like yours. Make sure they have a license and find out what projects they specialize in. Before concluding the deal, ask about their background. Then check out the references they provided as well as any reviews from online sources.
4) Set Clear Goals
With home projects, every detail matters! Homeowners are often disappointed when the finished product fails to meet their expectations. To help you understand what your end result will look like, a contractor should provide digital models and computer-generated images for reference. With this, you can identify any problems and make changes before it’s too late.
5) Document Everything
You should sign a contract before starting any big or small home remodeling project. The more detailed the terms the better, because even if something goes wrong and there are disagreements between you and your contractor about costs/terms; when both sides have clearly spelled out their expectations from each other —you can go back to them without much confusion regarding what’s expected of either party!
6) Create a Realistic Timeline for the Project’s Completion
You should set out the timeline for your remodeling project in advance. A realistic timeline will help you stay on track with your budget and schedule. You should work together with your contractor to create one as you consider all tasks required for completion.
A typical timeline may include milestones such as purchasing materials, finishing demolition work, completing mudding and taping tasks, and plumbing. Also plan for inevitable delays in the process due to unforeseen circumstances or changes in the plan as well.
7) Maintain an Organized Remodeling Process
When you interview remodeling professionals, it’s important to find signs of organization. Does the process seem clear and concise? You should be aware of what’s going on with your project, so there isn’t any confusion or uncertainty about how things will come together when your contractors start the work.
8) Raise Concerns Immediately
Communicate your concerns with your contractor as soon as you notice them. If you don’t keep them informed, there may be little recourse if problems occur later in the project. Some concerns will be small and probably won’t affect the quality of work, but some could end in disaster if not addressed early on.
9) Be Present During Remodeling
Many home remodeling disasters can be prevented with one simple step—having an owner present during the process. Whether it’s attending meetings with contractors, going on-site visits, or being at your home while work is done, make sure you’re involved in every step of the process so that changes can be made early if necessary. If you are a homeowner living in the San Jose area and looking to hire a professional home remodeling contractor, give us a call for a free at-home consultation.
