Homeowner Do's and Dont's for a Successful Home Remodel

Working with a remodeling contractor isn’t something that most people do very often, and it can be difficult to figure out how to make sure you are getting a good deal, that they’ll do high-quality work, and that they’ll be a cooperative partner in the business agreement between the two of you. Here are a few dos and don’ts that will help you make sure you get results that you are happy with, save money, and avoid causing more stress for yourself.

Do Understand the Value and Style of Your Home

The value of your home is affected by many things, including the size of the house, size of the property, location, condition, and more. Updating kitchens and bathrooms always makes homes more pleasant to live in and quicker to sell, but putting a $40,000 Scottsdale luxury bathroom in a $200,000 home in Glendale just doesn’t make sense. Likewise, putting a black and chrome kitchen in a traditional cottage would just look out of place. Your goal should be to add value and comfort to your home by working with the existing style.

Don’t Pay for a Facelift when You Need Reconstructive Surgery

It’s important to understand the condition of the structure of your home. If the foundation is damaged, the electrical is not to code and failing, or any other major problems exist, it is much more important to address them than to invest in upgrading the appearance of the house.

Do Work with a Plan

Before you sign a contract, it’s important to have a clear plan for what you want to do and how much you can spend. In making the plan, consider what your priorities are, for example, are you trying to make money off selling the house, or is your intention to facilitate staying in your home and aging in place rather than ever going into assisted living?

Don’t Make Changes Unless Absolutely Necessary

Once the contractor begins work, any changes you make are going to delay the whole process and add to your costs. If something is being done wrong, you don’t have to just live with it, by any means, but if you find that the tile you ordered is darker or lighter than you expected, unless you really just can’t stand it, and can afford to pay for the contractor’s additional time, you will be best off to just go with it and use your décor to offset the color difference later on.

Do Communicate Your Ideas

Make sure to tell your remodeling contractor what you want before work begins. No one can read your mind, and it’s always more efficient and less costly to work according to a good plan from the beginning. We want you to be happy with your home remodeling, so be sure to tell us exactly what you want from the start. That way we can make sure to meet your expectations, and if something you like is not in your budget, we can work with you to find an affordable alternative.

Don’t Get in the Way

Depending on the size of the job, your contractor may have several crews working, and subcontractors tightly scheduled to get the job done as quickly as possible. If you are on site interrupting workers, you will slow down the process. It’s best to talk to your contractor, and let him manage the rest.

Do Be Prepared for Contingencies

Make sure you have an available budget for the unexpected. Even if the job itself goes as planned, we may pull out a cabinet only to find that a previous leak damaged the wall behind it, leaving rotten wood and mold growth. The time to make a repair in a case like that is right away, while everything is torn apart already, and the small additional charge will be much less than if you have to take it on later, when demolition would be required, and might even mean tearing up the work you are currently doing.

Don’t Stay in the House

Remodeling is messy and noisy, and turns your home into a construction site. While it is possible to live in a house where only one room is being remodeled, it’s much less stressful for you and your family if you can stay somewhere else, and it allows the job to be done more efficiently, since daily teardown and cleanup is not required.

We have over 20 years of home remodeling experience locally, and our staff includes certified designers who specialize in universal design to assist aging in place. If you would like more information, or help with your remodeling plan, give us a call at 623-544-1211.