Do you remember hearing your in-laws’ account of their horrid experience renovating their kitchen? The anticipated completion date sailed by, seemingly in fast forward. Meanwhile, they cooked simple meals on a hot plate when they tired of constant takeout dinners or ingratiating themselves on local friends and family. Not to mention their bathrooms doubled as dishwashing stations.
While many of these inconveniences are unavoidable in a home remodeling project, proper planning will prevent some disruptions to your everyday life. Furthermore, anticipated disturbances are easier to deal with than the unexpected. How can you be adequately prepared for the experience of overhauling your home? The following are some important questions to consider before a home remodeling project that will assist you in mentally and literally preparing your home and family for your exciting undertaking.
How much will it cost?
Home renovation costs vary greatly and are determined by a multitude of factors, including types and quantity of rooms to be remodeled, materials to be used, the age of your home, complexity of the undertaking, and so much more. An important aspect to take into consideration is that your budget needs to include things that are sometimes overlooked like taxes, consultant fees, accommodations if you need to move out for a few months, appliances, fixtures, and furniture.
How much will this increase the value of my home?
It is commonly known that a kitchen or a bathroom remodel typically provides the highest returns in terms of resale value of a home. While the exact figure depends on several factors, including the location of the home, homeowners’ can expect to receive good returns on kitchen and bathroom renovations. Maintenance in the home may not offer as much monetary return but is essential nonetheless. A prospective buyer will not be as impressed with a brand new bathroom if the roof is in desperate need of replacement or the siding is peeling.
Who should I hire?
Arguably the most important question to consider is who you can put your trust in for your home improvement project. You are inviting a team of relative strangers into your home – you want to work with someone who you feel confident will respect your home and treat it as their own. They need to meet your expectations for service as well as workmanship. Additionally, a good contractor will help navigate the nitty-gritty details for you – does your homeowner’s association or planning commission prevent anything? Does your design need approval from any departments? Some will even deliver letters to your neighbors giving notice of the upcoming work to be done.
How will I decide what I want it to look like?
Renovating one space will affect the adjoining spaces, so if you choose to overhaul your kitchen, considerations need to be made on how your visions will flow with the rest of your home. Some homeowners possess the natural talent of identifying their design style, while others need guidance in this area. Color choice, flooring options, storage requirements, and material options are all factors in determining what you want out of your space and how it will be designed. A quality design-build contractor will facilitate not only the execution of your project but the scheme, layout, and preparations leading up to the finished product. Use of innovative software can be a wonderful tool to see your new space come to life before any construction has begun.
How long will I be displaced?
If you are a stay-at-home parent with a child that still needs daily naps, you’ll want to figure out an alternative daily refuge at a friend or family member’s house. You may choose to rent an RV or consider staying in a hotel for the duration of the construction. Depending on how elaborate your home improvement project is, you may or may not have use of your kitchen, bathrooms, or overall home during the renovations.
While this list of questions is far from exhaustive, you now have a starting point and concept of the myriad of components involved in a residential upgrade. Talking to your contractor in depth is a sure way to iron out the details and educate yourself on the unknowns, before embarking on your upcoming project. If you have any questions about your home remodeling project in the Richmond, Virginia area, feel free to reach out to the team at Leo Lantz Construction. We would be happy to learn about your project and provide more information about our services.