Home Remodeling Tips: The Important First Steps to Take

Thinking about a home remodeling project? Feeling the urge to improve our living spaces can be a constant, especially as things change; families grow, kids go off to college, a new hobby suddenly takes up more space, or a furry friend enters the mix. When the day-to-day requirements of a home change, use that inflection moment to increase your home’s value with a well-decorated, functional home renovation.

Right now’s the perfect time to tackle your desired updates—whether it’s adding an extra room, updating a bathroom, or a complete house extension—because our team has tips for you. In the past, we’ve shared tips for building a new house. Today, we’re shifting gears to give all of you who love your home but want to make some small tweaks, the same love, and care. We’ll answer all the initial questions you may have about renovating, giving you steps to follow to guarantee your renovation goes smoothly and avoiding needless headaches, problems, and additional costs.

With many home remodeling projects in the bag (read: challenges overcome and lessons learned), our team has put together a clear roadmap to your renovation success. Start here, with our five steps, and feel confident about kicking off your remodel.

5 Steps to a Successful Home Remodeling Project

1. Obtain a Survey of Your Home

You think you know your home, but to really get to know it you should start by obtaining a survey of it, usually through your city. The survey will give you an understanding of your home’s architectural plans (the backbones of your home) so you can grasp the scale of possible renovations.

In renovations, public safety and building codes are involved so you want to make sure the work meets these codes. A survey is required for well-planned remodels that involve demolishing, rebuilding, and any additions.

2. Develop a Wish List and a Realistic Budget

This step is both fun and functional. You need to develop a clear idea of what you want in your remodel (your dreams and visions for the home), and then balance that with your budget (reality).

Prioritize understanding which areas are necessary to renovate and which could use a simple redecorating facelift. Our clients usually want to invest in bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, and carpentry.

We recommend making a couple of wishlists: a must-have and a nice-to-have. With those in mind, you can start researching to get a true understanding of pricing, both for materials and labor. This will help you determine a realistic budget with which you can prioritize items on your wishlist down to what updates can happen when.

It’s all about budgeting wisely, priorities, and being clear about your needs versus wants.

Be sure to include all the costs involved from the beginning: permits, labor costs, materials, furniture, and home accessories. Allocate an allowance for unexpected costs, because, yes, unexpected situations will likely happen in a home remodeling project!

3. Hire an Interior Design Firm

When you’ve done the budgeting and wishlist work, it’s a good time to bring in an interior design firm to help you with the many decisions ahead.

At this stage, you’ll be making decisions about functionality, planning layouts, considering your style, and so much more. A pro can help you handle all of these in the most efficient way!

With the knowledge that comes with experience, we can provide you with guidance as you navigate this process. We’ll advise on the right investments to make for your property, develop a budget based on your wishlist, and incorporate your wants and needs into a successful and realistic home renovation plan that considers budget and timelines.

Thanks to our in-depth understanding of the process, from the prioritized steps of the remodel plan to realistic timing for shipping and delivery of materials, we can be a valuable partner in your home remodeling journey.

4. Hire A Trusted General Contractor

Once the design is done, your next move is to hire a great general contractor to ensure your renovation is completed under the supervision of a licensed team. An added bonus? Usually, general contractors have architects on their team, so they will be able to develop architectural plans to submit to the city to obtain all the necessary permits for you.

Our best advice: select a licensed contractor with whom you feel comfortable and whose philosophy and work ethic align with your project needs. Research your options, checking to see if they have experience doing the kind of work you want their help with.

5. Get Started While Having Fun with the Decor

Steps one through four are the more difficult steps. This one is the payoff for your hard work. While the construction is in progress, you get to have fun selecting furniture, lighting, and accessories with your designer.

During the construction process, you may encounter some unexpected circumstances, but your interior design team will work hand-in-hand with the general contractor to solve these issues.

Bonus Tip!

What’s the Difference Between Home and Condo Renovations?

A condo remodeling project is a bit more limited in what you can do, as you need to work around building guidelines and conditions while renovating your home.

If you are starting a condo renovation, follow the steps mentioned but don’t forget about building regulations and special considerations you’ll need to take into account like elevators, holidays, etc. Check these helpful Interior Design Project Management Tips When Working on Condo Buildings.