Looking to start a home renovation project but don't know where to start? While it's a big undertaking, you can simplify the process with planning and organization. Here is a guide that you can follow to launch your home renovation project without any issues.
Start with What You Want to Renovate
The first step is to get an idea of what areas of your home you want to renovate. Start writing everything down so that you can create a handy list. Under each space, write down all the things that you want to change. In most cases, renovations for bedrooms, living spaces, and dining spaces are easy to pull off. It's usually the kitchen and bathrooms that require a lot of work.
Clarify Your Non-Negotiables
Next, you want to figure out the renovation projects that are not negotiable. Like most homeowners, you'll be working with a budget. Before you go into breaking down your budget, you want to identify projects that are an absolute must. This might be getting and installing a new island for your kitchen or replacing your bathroom wall tiles.
There's a simple reason why you want to identify your non-negotiables for your home renovations. You probably won't be able to renovate everything you want to due to your budget running out. You want to focus on what's important and use the remaining budget to work on the other projects.
Plan Your Budget
This is where everything starts to become real. You want to get a general idea of how much each part of your project will cost. For instance, kitchen islands can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000. Kitchen cabinets can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000.
You want to get an average cost of each project and write it down on your list. Then you want to see how much you are over or under budget. It will also help to set specific budgets for each renovation project. Once you do your research and get an idea of where you stand.
Make the Necessary Revisions
At this point, most homeowners will be over budget. This is where you want to get specific and make revisions. For example, you may decide that you specifically want to get natural stone tile flooring for your bathroom. This is an expensive option, so the cost of flooring should be revised for this specific detail.
From here, you want to prioritize the non-negotiable projects and eliminate the projects that put you over your budget. After making all of the revisions, you'll finally have a realistic idea of what projects you can work on and what you won't be able to pull off.
Create Your Schedule
Now you want to move on to setting a schedule for your renovation projects. You want to define when you want to work on your bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, etc. You'll need to factor the season and weather when it comes to home renovations. If you want to work on your patio, you'll need to find a schedule for when it'll be less likely to rain. Schedules may have to be adjusted based on many other factors as well.
DIY or Hire a Contractor?
Will you be doing the renovations by yourself or will you be hiring a contractor? For most people, it makes the most sense to do both as it will save a lot of money. Some projects are easy and can be a simple DIY project. But other projects like removing an old toilet and installing a new one will usually require a professional contractor.
Figure out what you can do yourself to save some money. For projects that require a contractor, make sure you do your research. Find a reputable contracting company that has years of experience, a list of satisfied customers, all the required licenses, and proper insurance.
That's a quick overview of how to start your home renovation project. This guide should make it easier to get your renovation project. Don't be alarmed if you find yourself going back and forth to make changes. That's a normal part of a renovation project. Eventually, you'll come up with a concrete plan that you can actually execute.
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