A home remodeling project is an exciting, albeit daunting, opportunity to reinvent your home’s style and functionality. You can add space or enhance existing rooms by changing your layout, improving storage, creating more durable surfaces, and updating your style. A remodel also brings challenges, as it requires extensive planning and disrupts home life while the project is underway.
With careful planning and setting clear expectations before embarking on your remodel, you can ensure that your project is implemented with limited stress and ultimate success. By working with an experienced design and remodeling firm, you can enjoy updating your home while your remodeling team makes sure every step is carried out and your project runs smoothly!
Knowledge is power when it comes to planning a home remodel. To get you started, let’s explore some of the key things you need to know before you start your project. With this information, you can be guaranteed your newly remodeled home will be exactly what you imagined.
Define Your Goals and Priorities
Before starting any project in your home, you must define your goals and set clear priorities. Not only does this establish expectations for everyone involved in your project, but it also helps you budget for your project.
First, consider what your main reasons are for remodeling. Is this a necessary remodel due to damage? Is it simply time for a style update? Do you need to improve functionality with a more efficient layout, better workspaces, durable materials, and improved storage? Based on your specific reasons for your project, what is your list of must-haves, and which items are nice-to-haves? By prioritizing now, you will be able to make better decisions as you set a budget and choose materials for your project.
Next, think about your lifestyle needs for the duration of this remodel. Do you have a growing family, or are you designing for aging in place? Do you want to improve your entertainment space or create room for family meals? How long do you expect to live with this remodeled space? The answer to these questions may drive some of your priorities and influence your material selection, color scheme choices, and more. For example, a busy family home demands durable, easy-to-clean surfaces, while a home designed for aging in place must balance safety needs with style considerations.
Establish a Realistic Budget
You must understand how much you are willing and able to spend on this remodel. You may have your heart set on luxury materials or a layout change for your kitchen, but if your budget doesn’t support this, you may need to alter your plans. Be realistic about your budget, and understand the costs that go into a remodel, including a contingency for unexpected costs. Make sure you factor in costs for materials and labor, plus permits and a contingency.
Refer to your remodeling goals and priorities to drive your scope and budget decisions. Make sure you focus on elements that will provide lasting value for your home and family. Work with an experienced design and remodeling firm in planning your project. They can help you understand the full set of costs and create a realistic and transparent budget. A reliable remodeling firm will implement your project according to that budget, saving you headaches involved in trying to manage a complex project on your own time.
Understand Costs vs. Return on Investment
Depending on your reasons for remodeling, you may be focused on your own family’s enjoyment of your new space versus an actual financial return on your investment. On the other hand, if you plan to sell your home or are looking at remodeling multiple spaces, you may want to look at which project offers the best return on investment (ROI). If you do plan to sell, consider how your remodel, the features you choose, and the materials you select will contribute to your home’s resale value. Focus on projects that homeowners in your local area are looking for and on those projects that will give you the best return (reference report here). If you plan to stay in your home, then you should focus your efforts on those projects that will most benefit your family’s enjoyment of your home.
Choose the Right Remodeling Professional
For any project that involves more than minor updates to your home, it pays to work with a remodeling professional who can help ensure your project is a success. Look for an experienced design/build firm with licensed and insured contractors. Be sure to check out their recent work by viewing projects like yours, ask for local referrals, and read reviews to see what past clients say about them.
Remember that a full-service firm can seamlessly manage creating your ideal design, material selections, obtaining permits, and implementing your project. Remodeling projects are complex, and they will make sure all necessary individuals are on site when needed to keep your project running smoothly. An experienced designer and remodeling firm can save you time and money in the long run, not to mention potential stress, by making sure your project runs as smoothly as possible.
Know the Timeline for Your Project and Set Clear Expectations for Each Stage
A major remodel takes time to complete successfully, from planning to permits, ordering materials, demolition, and construction. The actual length of your project will vary widely depending on the space, the complexity, the materials you choose, and any unforeseen impacts such as weather issues. For example, your timeline will be quite different if this is a minor remodel versus a multi-space remodel or one where you are making structural changes.
Working with an experienced remodeling team and regular communication with your project manager will help you understand the timeline and any changes that may arise. Take time to understand what will happen at each stage of your project and how it will affect your home, family, pets, and noise levels.
What time do your contractors start and finish, how will mess be managed on site, where will materials and tools be stored, how will they access your home, and what will the noise levels be like? How will you handle children, pets, and working from home during the remodel? By working with the team at Solstice Kitchen and Bath, we carefully manage the entire process to minimize the impact on your life. We find that, for most kitchen remodels and almost all bath remodels, you can stay in your home during the remodel.
Selecting the Right Materials
Material selections are essential to completing your design vision, but they also influence your project timeline and help determine your budget. When choosing materials, you must balance functionality, durability, and style. Look at how your material selections come together to create a cohesive style and contribute to your overall design aesthetic.
Consider who will use the space and choose materials that can stand up to your household, including kids, pets, and your lifestyle. Think about the long-term maintenance requirements and how willing you are to engage in more complex maintenance routines. For example, quartz is much easier to maintain than marble. An experienced designer will help you select the perfect products for your space, style, practical needs, and budget.
Living During a Remodeling Project
There is no doubt that a remodel affects your family and home life while the project is underway, but the result is worth it! The impact of your remodel on your home life will vary depending on the scope of your project, but the Solstice team will help to manage this. There are a number of things to consider before starting your remodel, such as how you will manage mealtimes, access to water, noise levels, and more.
If this is a kitchen remodel, consider setting up a temporary kitchen space so you can access essentials and have a place to dine when needed. Talk to your remodeler about how this project affects water, and if water will be turned off at some point. This could affect your family getting ready for school and work, and so requires some forward planning.
Protect valuables such as artwork and collectibles by removing them from the area affected by the work or packing them away altogether until the project is finished. Be prepared to have limited access to some areas of your home, both for safety reasons and to give your contractors the space needed to carry out your project. Make sure children and pets have a safe zone or keep them away from the house during work hours.
Invest in a lockbox if your contractors will need to have access to your home while you are away, to make it easy for them to access keys to your home. Talk to your contractor before the project starts about how they manage dust and mess during your project.
Start Planning Your Ideal Home Remodel!
A home remodel can be an overwhelming process, but also an opportunity for an exciting transformation. By setting clear goals, understanding your budget and costs, working with experienced professionals, and knowing the process that will be followed for your remodel, you will be guaranteed a successful update to your home. Contact our experienced team to discuss your remodeling needs and goals and to get started on creating your dream home!