You want your home renovation to be a complete success so there are several things you should do before you get started. When you begin any project or set off on a trip you typically use a guide. This is true whether you are planning a DIY remodeling project, or a more complicated project requiring the expertise of a home renovation contractor or other renovation expert.
The Decision Process and Goal Setting – Why do you want to renovate?
Before you start on any project you need to decide why you are thinking about a renovation. What exactly are your goals? Seems like a logical step, however many home owners jump into projects without thinking through and properly assessing their needs. You can see full scale proof of the results of skipping this process every day on the multitude of DIY renovation disaster recovery shows on HDTV.
So your first step in the process is to decide exactly why you want to renovate and to what extent. Are you interested in increasing the overall square footage or simply updating out-dated fixtures in your bathroom? Perhaps you are looking at improving the design and look of your kitchen. Whatever you are thinking about planning should be your next step in the process.
Many home owners undertake home renovations simply to improve the overall market value of their home. Or perhaps you love your neighborhood and rather than move would like more out of your current home. Whatever your reason for renovating, you need to decide on the scope and depth of the project. This process can take some time and you that is okay as you will be better off slowing down and gathering all the information you need to make proper decisions. Using tools that are available from quinju.com can help to capture your dreams, ideas and shape project details. The customized tools offered on quinju.com let you share your thoughts and ideas with your spouse, family or even your contractor.
Get Informed – Check your local building codes
Having your project shut down by bureaucratic red tape mid project will not be pleasant. This can cost you thousands of dollars and hold up your project indefinitely. Having the construction halted in mid-December on a partially finished addition as the snow begins to fall can be a very costly disaster. The responsibility for checking local building codes, gathering permits is yours. Pleading ignorance after the fact will not get you anywhere with officials.
Before starting any renovation project in your home familiarize yourself with the National Building Codes. Keep in mind that State and Provinces have codes that may or may not be part of the National code. In addition to this, there are municipal by-laws and even subdivision covenants that need to consider. Understanding and complying with these is your responsibility if you are working on your own. This is another reason you pay a professional to manage your project for you, this is part of their responsibility and service included in the cost of the project.
Home Renovation Cost
Your budget is of course a critical component to completing your home renovation project. As you begin to formulate your plan it’s a good idea to put together a rough budget of each component. This will help you determine if you will complete your renovation in steps or all at once. Your budget will have an effect not only on the scope of the project but on the types of materials and level of finish you choose for various elements. Perhaps you will proceed with the project and decide to reduce costs in materials choices. Maybe you will decide to reduce the overall scope of the project. Whatever your final choices are it’s easy to keep track and set up a budget by using quinju.com. Just sign up for a free account and start a project today, it’s easy and fun to use.
The Value of Your Home Renovations
Remember to test the cost benefit of your home renovation expenditures. If for example you are making improvements to increase the value of your home, you should understand the potential market value of your renovations. In regards to Canadian home improvements, research shows that a kitchen remodel or renovation can significantly increase the real estate value of a home, and ranks a higher investment return for homeowners than many other types of home improvements. We discuss this aspect in our related article on Kitchen Remodeling.
All your home renovations don’t need to be based on determining the home’s value. Take replacing worn shingles, a very worthwhile and necessary renovation but not top of mind for some. These projects are never the less a very important renovation. If you are not sure if you need a new roof, check out this article for more information, Replacing Worn Roof Shingles.
Other types of home renovation projects with high investment returns include bathrooms, new windows, and new flooring. Of course remodel cost, quality, and design plays a key role. This is when doing your homework so to speak is important. Not all materials are created equal nor do they cost the same. Keeping yourself informed will help you make the best decision for your particular project and bring you the best results.
For more information on the ROI on you home renovations, check out this article by Scott McGillivary at HGTV.
Going Pro or DIY
Who's doing the work is always a big consideration in all home renovation projects. Don't think of it as an all or nothing, when you find a contractor you can work with discuss openly what part of the project you would like to tackle.
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