Welcome to the SJ Renovations blog, your go-to resource for all things home renovation! If you’re considering embarking on a home renovation journey, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’re thrilled to share with you a collection of must-follow tips that will set you on the path to success and ensure a smooth and rewarding renovation experience.
Starting a home renovation can be an exciting yet daunting endeavor, filled with countless decisions and considerations. Whether you’re looking to update a single room or transform your entire home, our expert guidance will provide you with the knowledge and insights needed to navigate this thrilling process with confidence.
From the initial planning stages to the finishing touches, we’ll walk you through the essential steps and share invaluable advice to help you avoid common pitfalls and achieve your renovation goals. Our goal is to empower you to make informed decisions, stay within budget, and bring your vision to life while minimizing stress and maximizing results.
With years of industry expertise, our team at SJ Renovations understands the intricate nuances of home renovations. Through this blog post, we’ll equip you with invaluable tips on establishing a realistic budget, finding the right contractors, selecting materials and finishes, and managing the project timeline effectively.
No matter the scope or scale of your renovation project, these tips will serve as your guiding light, ensuring that you embark on your renovation journey with confidence and clarity. We believe that a well-planned and executed renovation has the power to transform not only your living space but also your lifestyle, enhancing comfort, functionality, and overall enjoyment of your home.
So, whether you’re a seasoned renovator or embarking on your very first project, join us as we delve into the must-follow tips for starting a home renovation. Together, let’s embark on this exciting journey and turn your dreams of a beautifully renovated home into a stunning reality.
- Be Realistic About Your Timeline
If you’re hoping for a brand new home for a particular event or holiday, make sure you look at your end date and work your way backward. Your renovation could take longer than expected, so be prepared when planning a home renovation and make accommodations to avoid frustration. Be realistic about the renovation process and timeline, pencil in a few weeks to a month at the end for wiggle-room in case there are delays on the way to avoid disappointment.
- Set a Home Renovation Budget
The next step in planning a home remodel is determining your budget. Your home renovation budget should include the costs for building materials, labour, building permits, and decorative finishes. How much you’re planning to spend on a home renovation determines the scope of your project.
Start by determining the amount you want to spend. You need to consider every aspect when determining the budget, including the contractors, flooring, paint, cabinets, countertops, and more. Working with a reputable home renovation contractor like SJ Renovations will ensure that you have the home you envisioned within your budget. If your cost estimates exceed your budget, eliminate project elements that are a lower priority. Remember to reserve at least 10% of your budget for unexpected costs.
- Communicate Effectively
Remodelers can do some amazing things, but they can’t read minds. Let the company supervisor or project lead person know if anything is unsatisfactory so they can deal with the issue. The contractor may not be aware that something is not OK with the owner. Before you start a project, Make sure you establish how your contractor will be communicating with you, and how you can best reach them when needed. Will you have regular status meetings? Do they read and respond to text messages, voice mail, email or something else? Clear communication with your contractor will not only confirm plans and schedules effectively, it can help to build a solid, positive relationship between you and your contractor
- Plan Ahead
A sketch on a cocktail napkin, full-blown architectural plans, or just a firm set of thoughts about how the remodel should progress is a good place to start. Develop a plan that clearly defines the goal for your renovation. Your needs and wants for the project should be included in an outline of the work that needs to be completed. Proper planning can also help keep you on budget and making product selections early can prevent delays later. It is cheaper and less frustrating to correct mistakes before the remodel takes physical form. Take the time to chat with friends, family, and neighbors about the renovation work they have done, and the challenges they have faced during the process. Having a wealth of information from homeowners who have been in your shoes can be valuable in the planning process, and this information may alter your end plan.
- Choose the Right Contractor
The most crucial decision you will make is choosing a contractor that will manage your renovation project. This professional will be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Put significantly more time into researching and selecting your contractor than you did into determining your style and picking out your fixtures. It pays to interview multiple contractors and compare bids. You risk paying too much and not getting what you want without interviewing multiple contractors. It pays to do your homework and talk to several experts before making a final decision. Think of all the pieces of project management for which a contractor is responsible. From securing building permits to lining up a skilled construction team, SJ Renovations has your back every step of the way!
- Know Your End Goal
Before you decide how extensively to renovate, you need to know what your end goal is for your home. Are you preparing to put your house on the market or flip a property you just purchased? Are you set on living in your home for the foreseeable future? If you’re interested in raising resale value, you should tackle remodeling projects that increase ROI. Consider the condition of your neighborhood before you begin, and know which renovations are a good return on investment, and which will be considered overdoing it for the area. If you’re updating your home to better suit your lifestyle, start thinking about rooms you spend the most time in. Having a specific plan in place for your future will help you decide how deep to go with your project.
- Choose the Right Season For Your Project
Timing is everything, and starting your project when the weather is right is crucial. There are pros and cons to starting renovations in any season. Any project can be done during warmer times of the year. Days are longer in the summer so workers will have more time to work, which can shorten the project duration. There is less mess created in sunny weather than when it is rainy and muddy with people entering and exiting the house. However, Extreme heat might take a lot out of workers and some areas experience heavy summer storms that can delay projects significantly. Fall is great because you’ll be spending a lot of time indoors in the coming months, so what better time is there to focus on transforming your home into a wonderful winter haven? Remodel and redecorate now, so you can fully enjoy the cozy home you’ve always wanted by the time the snow starts to fall. Fall renovations will also help get your space in perfect shape for hosting holiday guests and materials are cheaper during this off-season, so you’ll be able to save some money on your project, but the weather can be a little chilly, which may make it less attractive for some contractors. Snow can cause significant delays to your project and exterior renovations are usually out of the question in colder months, but interior projects like painting are ideal to start during winter, with your heating on full blast, paint can actually dry quicker than in summer.
- Prepare for Disruption
Remodeling is difficult, dusty, dirty work that causes disruption to your household. Make sure that everyone in the house is on board with some mess and inconvenience, and plan to complete the job in an appropriate amount of time. Prep as much as possible before major demolition and reconstruction to lessen the inconvenience to your family. Also informing your neighbours is a common courtesy you should always provide. In addition, you may want to make sure the renovations only take place during working hours to avoid noise complaints.