So… here I sit – keyboard in my lap as I share with you the basics of “just getting started”. For any good remodel project you need a plan – no matter the size of the project, the devil will always be in the details. At the planning stage, success will come with a plan and since you are “just getting started”… what better time to plan!
1. Collect Ideas:
My personal preference for a large project is to start with a sketchbook or an empty notebook. Collect your favorite home decorating mags or haul off to the local store to grab a few; with notebook in one hand and a gluestick in the other – start cutting out your favorite images (the ones that you ultimately want your kitchen or bath to look like). Inspiration may not just come from home decor magazines; any pictures or images that inspire from other non-remodeling/house-type things should all be thrown in here.
2. Prioritize:
Must Haves| Want to Haves | Like to Haves – faucet choices are a want; faucets themselves are a must. Stainless steel might be a must while the make of an appliance is a “like to”. This simple act will help immensely in getting you out of the gate on your project and helping you to implement a plan. While dreaming big is key and I love a big dreamer, this project also needs to happen. Don’t dream so big, you dream yourself out of a renovation. If you can avoid moving exterior walls in your remodel – do it! Exterior walls are big bucks… windows on the other hand: much more affordable!
3. Measure the Room or Space:
Obtain a rough idea of the size of what you are handling. We’ll do detailed drawings now but if you can draw out the remodel on a piece of paper with size and space requirements – you’ll get a better sense of whether you can really fit that master bathroom into your partner’s old closet!
4. Check your Neighborhood Comps:
Comps are fancy realtor talk for “Comparables” and a great thing to keep in mind when remodeling. What was the purchase price of your home and how does it compare to other homes in your vicinity. When you are finished with your remodeling project the money you invested in your remodel + the purchase price of your home should not be more than a similarly sized, expensive home on your block.
5. Set Your Budget:
How much do you want to spend? How much can you spend? If you’re like me those two never quite match. Set your budget with a firm handle on the goals for your renovation – a high end kitchen in a high end neighborhood where your house is currently the cheapest house on the block, will absolutely bring in returns. That same kitchen in a home that was purchased at a price higher than 80% of the houses on the block will not bring the same returns. Your budget will determine the type of remodel you do; how involved in the remodel you are going to be and what your end project will look like. If you stick with me, I can save you 20-40% of your remodeling costs through simple activities such as pulling your own permits or acting as your own general contractor.
6. Select your Architect, Designer or Draftsman:
This is the last step in the “Just Getting Started” warm up. After this you need to start hiring and when the money starts flowing out of your bank account, you’re not really “just getting started”. I used to think that for all remodels of any substance one would need an architect – if for no other reason than to put together the beautiful drawings that the contractors could work from. I have since come to learn, that while architects are critical in many new construction projects, in most remodels, you can get by with a good draftsman and a structural engineer. If you are simply remodeling a kitchen or a bathroom and moving no interior or exterior walls, you can even go to a Home Depot or a Lowes kitchen expert and have them put together your plans for you. The slightly larger projects however, where walls are coming down and new ones are going up, require the help of either a draftsman or a designer. For those of you that feel you know what you want and are confident in your measurements and what will fit where; a draftsman (someone that can measure and then put your plans into a computer aided design program) can put together construction quality plans that will be fit for any architectural review board or home owners group. A designer is key for those that have a good sense of what they want but are not sure if all the pieces will fit – kitchen remodeling which can be a little tricky is an area where first time kitchen remodels can benefit from a good designer.
What are the folks saying?