Top 5 Things People Should Know When Considering a Remodel

Congratulations on deciding to take the next step in remodeling your home! Whether you are updating technology, creating a more functional space, or simply want a new look, there are five key things you should know when preparing for a remodel.

First, establish your budget. This sounds simple, but it is one of the most frequently overlooked steps. Really solidifying your budget will help your contractor create a feasible proposal and plan for your remodel quickly. In our experience, the clients that have a specific dollar amount right out of the gate have a much faster process and are able to see all their options right away.

Second, understand the connectivity of your project. What we mean by that is think of your house in layers. For example, if you want to open up a wall and remove a section of drywall, that will also lead to stucco, painting, and potentially replacing baseboards, etc. If you think about your house in layers, you can see that removing drywall actually will include multiple steps for a finished product. Understanding this will help you understand the steps needed to complete your project, as well as help you in the budgeting process. Another example would be replacing the flooring in your bathroom. The layers would include removing the toilet, potentially the sink, baseboards, etc. Replacing the floor, and then reinstalling all of those layers.

Third, decide on the quality of materials you’d like to use and customization. One of the most frequent decisions our remodel clients have to make is if they would like custom cabinets or pre-made box cabinets. We always recommend custom cabinets for functionality. With custom cabinets, you are able to choose your sizes, pull-out options, and specific shelving. With pre-made boxes, you are stuck with the size of the box available, which leads to a substantial amount of wasted space. Another decision is real-wood vs. synthetic. Having these decisions made in advance will help speed up the process. But don’t worry if you feel like you need more information and an outside opinion, your contractor is your expert for assisting you in making these decisions.

Fourth, decide if you’d like to live in the house while the work is going on. As a general rule of thumb, for whole-house remodels, we recommend you do not live in the house. Allowing the contractor to have the entire house at once will drastically speed up the remodeling process. If you would like to live in the house during a whole house remodel here are a few things to keep in mind. The remodel will be done in stages, so there will be a bit longer of a timeline, this is because the team cannot bulk aspects of the project together, as well as the time it takes to set up and take down the protection each day (such as the carpet covers, hanging plastic, etc.). Also, keep in mind that your house will become a construction site, so expect dust and some level of disruption during your daily life.

Finally, prepared for unforeseen circumstances in remodels. As contractors, we don’t always know what the condition is inside the walls such as– plumbing, electrical, and framing. This is true for any house, even brand-new. That may be surprising but sometimes the way the house was framed can lead to more work based on the previous builder’s methods.

All in all, the remodeling process is fun and exciting and can be expedited by following the advice above. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Dennis at dennis@dcarsonconstruction.com