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Our Christmas Dinner in the Driveway - tips on renovating

By
Real Estate Agent with AgentOwned Realty

Before my family and I relocated to SC, we decided to tackle something most couples try to avoid in their marriage: renovations! I always looked at doing renovations like putting together Ikea furniture it will either make or break your marriage. To take away the suspense because I am sure you are wondering – yes, we are still married after we renovated our house. It can be done but it is not easy. I wanted to share my experience in hopes that people can learn from our mistakes. 

First mistake: I was 5 months pregnant (I would try to avoid doing it while pregnant because of the stress) and we decided to renovate our kitchen which meant – no stove, no sink = no cooking.  We all know pregnant women love to eat – what we were thinking I will never know. I was pregnant with my first child, the combination of not having a kitchen (which meant take out every night) and coming home after a long day of work to a disaster of a house was honestly a nightmare.  I remember finding out I was pregnant I was looking forward to the days of the end of my pregnancy where I would be laying on the couch eat bon bon being waiting on hand and foot.  Yeah that glorious vision along with our time line went out the window.   Since we were pretty much renovating the whole house there was no place to relax and honestly, we probably shouldn’t have really lived in the house looking back at it now. 

Second mistake: Once we decided to tackle renovating we got our construction loan (this I highly suggest), made our timeline and decided with our contractor the start date which was in June.  Silly us must have been watching too many HGTV shows because that timeline you have on a piece of paper you might as well make it into a paper airplane or better yet light it on fire.  June ( I forget the exact date) but I do know it was early June was our start time and guess when we actually started….drum roll please…. OCTOBER!  So if we started in June when we thought I was a little over a month pregnant which is doable.  However, in October right before Halloween we started I was 5 months pregnant and I was due in February.  Our contractor's other project before ours got held up which is what started that chain reaction.  I share this point because I really think with renovations you don’t ever stick to your time line especially when you find surprises in the house once you start doing work.  If you go into it knowing that and expecting it to finish later then it is not so bad. Silly us we thought we would finish on time.  Well, guess what, our contractor was the first one to meet our newborn in her unfinished nursery.  There is so much more I could go on about but the biggest thing is to be prepared that the project will go past your deadline and have a plan.  We only thought we wouldn’t have a kitchen for 3 months max turned out to be 5 months. My point is have realistic expectations and just because it is written down on a piece a paper doesn't make it so.

Third Mistake: We went into the renovations only wanting to do the kitchen and add a bathroom to the master bedroom.  Once we started renovating we kept adding things on that needed to be down or decided might as well do this now while we can. Of course, this is what made the 3month project turn into a 5-month ordeal.  My advice for this is again going back to having a plan.  We thought we did but really didn’t which lead to longer timeline and more money spent.  If you know exactly what your budget is and your “must have” get done list then it will make the process that much smoother.  We were too relaxed and indecisive on what we wanted done.  This left a lot up to our contractor ..big mistake.

The last few bits of advice I have is don’t always buy the cheapest material because in the end you pay what you get for.It is all about getting the best for the best price    Along with this point, always get at least 3 different quotes from contractors.  It may not always be best to go with the cheapest quote or most expensive. Spending more money doesn’t necessarily mean better quality.  We went with the contractor that came somewhere in the middle. 

The whole process can sometimes feel like THE AMAZING RACE  is emotional, exhausting, expensive but for us well worth it in the end. Remember you are a team and you need to get to the finish line together do what I did and scream into a pillow!  

Here is a great article on items I didn't get to touch upon 25 biggest renovation mistakes

Happy Renovating!   Below are pictures of my house before and after renovating

Show All Comments Sort:
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Welcome to the Rain where we all help each other and learn from each other.  Make it a great day!

 

Jul 05, 2017 04:07 PM
marthe teixeira

Thank you so much!

Jul 18, 2017 10:11 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Oh yes, renovations always take longer than you think and so with you about avoiding doing this while you're pregnant (unless it's a small/simple project).

I remember helping a customer out with their new home (they just bought it).  Wife was pregnant - maybe 7 month?  (hard to remember).  They were thinking of remodeling the kitchen while pregnant.  I think the look on my face was priceless.  I thought this was one of the craziest things I've ever heard because virtually all kitchen renovations take at least an extra 2 month vs. what is planned.

They ended up just refinishing the 2nd floor.  Then they had the baby, then did the kitchen and then refinished the whole first floor.  The wife thanked me in the middle and she was saying she didn't know what she was thinking. 

Anyway, their home looks awesome now.  and, it was much better doing it in phases.

Jul 05, 2017 04:45 PM
marthe teixeira

I can totally relate to your client - that was smart doing the kitchen after the baby came - I should have done that instead!

Jul 18, 2017 10:12 AM
Barbara Todaro
Retired...Mentoring Newbies - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Good morning, marthe teixeira renovating is serious business!!!  I renovated the home I'm in now, and I did while I was living there....but I did one room at a time and/or one subcontractor at a time (extra moldings where done throughout the entire home.... electrical updates in every room.... the rest was individual room renovations.... big project and took a year....

Jul 06, 2017 04:50 AM
marthe teixeira

Barbara- I am originally from Mass ( Waltham) moved to Charleston, SC last year but it is good to know a realtor for referrals as all my friends and family live in Mass

Jul 18, 2017 10:18 AM
Barbara Todaro
Retired...Mentoring Newbies - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

and welcome to ActiveRain...it's a great place to learn, share, market and network....and I hope you enoy it and benefit from all of it...

Jul 06, 2017 04:50 AM
marthe teixeira

You are a trooper - a whole year! Thank godness mine was only 5 months that was enough for me!  THank you for the warm welcome here :)

Jul 18, 2017 10:13 AM
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

Hi marthe teixeira, Welcome to Active Rain and congrats on your first blog post. I hope you will enjoy meeting and interacting with the professionals on this site.

Jul 06, 2017 11:08 AM
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

My hubby and I had some renovations done in our current home.  We signed the closing docsument on December 20th and moved in on January 29th yet still had to wait several days to use our custom built master bedroom vanity.

Jul 06, 2017 11:11 AM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Welcome to active rain. Good luck in achieving your goals on active rain 

Jul 06, 2017 05:47 PM
marthe teixeira

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Jul 18, 2017 10:13 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

Thanks for sharing.

Welcome to the Rain! Congratulations on your first blog post! 

Jul 06, 2017 10:43 PM
marthe teixeira

Thank you so much!

Jul 18, 2017 10:13 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Great title Marthe,

Welcome to Active Rain, looking forward to reading many more of your posts, let me know if there is anything that I can do to help as you get started here.
All the best of success to you.
Bob

Jul 12, 2017 04:25 PM
marthe teixeira

Hi Bob- thank you for the warm welcome!

Jul 18, 2017 10:14 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

marthe teixeira welcome to ActiveRain and congratulations on posting your first blog on this site.

Jul 15, 2017 03:00 PM
marthe teixeira

Thank you so much!

Jul 18, 2017 10:14 AM