If You’re Renovating Your Home, This Guide is for You

The Kari Haas Real Estate Team has a genuine desire to help you achieve your real estate goals while negotiating smartly to protect your best interests. Connect with us today to learn more!

Home renovations can be exciting and rewarding, but they can also be overwhelming. There are so many things to consider when planning one, from the budget to the timeline to finding the right contractors. Today, the Kari Haas Real Estate Team walks you through everything you need to know about home renovations, from start to finish.

Home Renovation Options

There are nearly limitless possibilities when it comes to home renovations. Some common types of home renovations include:

• Kitchen renovations: Limitless Renovations points out that a new kitchen can add both value and functionality to your home. When planning a kitchen renovation, be sure to consider the layout, appliances, countertops, and backsplash.
• Bathroom renovations: A bathroom renovation is a great way to update an outdated space or add an extra bathroom to your home. When planning a bathroom renovation, be sure to consider the layout, fixtures, tile, and lighting.
• Whole-house renovations: A whole-house renovation is a big undertaking, but it can completely transform your home. When planning a whole-house renovation, be sure to consider the layout of each room, the flow of the house, and how all of the spaces will work together.

The Need for a Home Warranty

It’s important to get a home warranty when your renovation is complete. But does the cost of a home warranty pencil out? This type of insurance will cover repairs or replacements of items in your home that break down due to normal wear and tear. This can save you thousands of dollars in unexpected repairs down the road, overriding the initial cost of the insurance itself.

You only need some basic information to determine what the costs are to add a warranty to your home, like the square footage and the plan type you’re interested in. Factor this cost into your overall budget to protect yourself after the remodel.

A Home Office Addition

One popular type of home renovation is adding a home office. With more and more people working from home these days, it’s no surprise that this is a popular trend. When adding a home office, be sure to consider the layout, furniture, and storage needs. And don’t forget about lighting! Make sure your office has plenty of natural light so you can avoid eye strain.

Your Contractor Is Your Ally – Choose Wisely

One of the most important things you can do to ensure that your renovation goes smoothly is to find a reputable contractor. A good contractor will be able to take your vision and turn it into reality while also staying on budget and on schedule. Furthermore, a reputable contractor will be honest and transparent, letting you know if there are any potential problems with your plans. Finally, a good contractor will have a strong team of experienced workers who will be able to complete the job quickly and efficiently.

Clearly Conveying Your Ideas

One of the most important things you can do during a home renovation is communicate your ideas clearly with your contractor (or contractors). Be as specific as possible about what you want — and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure about something. After all, it’s your home, and you should love the final result!

Budgeting for Your Home Renovation

One of the most important aspects of any home renovation is budgeting — Houselogic.com notes that you need to know how much money you have available to spend on your project. Estimating costs can be tricky, so be sure to get multiple estimates from different contractors before making any final decisions. You should also factor in unforeseen costs like permits or materials that end up being more expensive than expected.

Take the time to set up a digital filing system. You’ll find that it helps you to keep track of your budget, schedule, contact information, warranties, and anything else that comes up during your renovation. Once you have the files digitized, you can easily combine them using a free merge tool; you can use this to combine PDFs in just five quick steps.

Negotiating a Timeline

Once you’ve settled on a budget and estimated costs, it’s time to establish a timeline and schedule for your project. Be realistic about how long it will take and factor in buffer time for unexpected delays or setbacks. You should also coordinate with your contractor(s) to ensure that their schedule works with yours. The last thing you want is for your contractor(s) to show up when you’re not ready!

Essential Contractor Apps

Last but not least, let’s talk about contractors — specifically, the apps or software they use during construction projects (like yours!). Some common apps or software used by contractors include: project management software, accounting software, communication tools, time tracking software, and scheduling software. These can all lead to a better overall remodel experience.

What If You Decide to Sell?

Once you’ve finished your renovations, you might decide to sell. Or maybe you’ll even enjoy the process so much that you’ll decide to get into house-flipping. Obviously, location matters a great deal, so research your local market to get a feel for how lucrative this new venture can be!

Move Forward with Purpose

Now that we’ve gone over some key things to expect during a home renovation project, you should have some peace of mind as you begin planning your own project. It can seem like a lot, but with the right attitude (and contractor!), you can achieve a successful remodel.

Image via Pexels

This post was written by Michah Norris for the Kari Haas Real Estate Team blog.