Whether you’re remodeling your home yourself or getting professional help, one thing is certain: it’s never as easy as it looks on TV. Remodeling can be a fun experience for the whole family, but it’s going to come with some challenges, too. At P.L. Lyons, we want you to go into your remodeling project with confidence and get the results you want and deserve. That’s why we’re giving you our best remodeling advice. Ready for it? Read below.
Our Best Remodeling Advice
Here is the best remodeling advice we could ever give you. It may sound cliche, but expecting the unexpected is, in our expert opinion, the very best advice we can give you if you’re thinking about remodeling. Unless you had a log of every single decision that was made when your first home was built, you can’t know what you’re getting into with a house until you begin. And that log still wouldn’t offer a perfect assessment of its current condition, how it’s been maintained, how it has settled, etc.
You can’t fully know everything your remodel is going to require until you take a deeper look under the floors and behind the walls. We can do a thorough inspection of your home, but hidden pipes or vents in your walls aren’t unusual, especially in older houses and a general inspection won’t see all of that.
Unless you built it from scratch, you can’t anticipate every obstacle you might encounter. Work might take longer than expected or surprise costs may come up. The best you can do is regroup and figure out how to make it work.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t remodel! We’ve been in the business of building and remodeling homes for several decades, and we love it! We know from experience that being able to go with the flow and switch directions with ease is going to save you a lot of stress in the long run.
Other Remodeling Tips
While being prepared for anything is our best advice to anyone getting ready for a remodel, there are a few other tips that can help you out, too. Here are some more of our general remodeling tips:
1. Set a realistic budget range
Setting a budget range is important because everyone working on your remodel will need to know this. Setting this is one of the first steps to starting a remodeling project. It will, of course, be a priority for you to stay within that range.
When making your budget for remodeling your home, you have to take into account the costs of materials and labor. Remodels aren’t the place to cut corners. Plus, along the lines of our top tip, it’s always a good idea to have some wiggle room built into your budget for problems that crop up. That’s why we use the word “range.” Always have your contractor look over your budget to make sure it’s feasible.
Your vision for your home and your end goal is going to affect everything else subsequently, especially the budget. You need to determine your must-haves and make as many selections as you can ahead of time. This is also a good time to think about what you’re willing to splurge on versus areas where you can save. Plan out what you want to see in your home and how you want to use your space. You should also compare your vision to what would be considered a good investment in your neighborhood.
2. Be Realistic about the Timeline
Not only do you need a plan for what work you want to do, but also when. Multi-layered scheduling is a big part of remodeling that you might not think about initially. Remodels can disrupt your daily lives, so you need to be prepared and know what you’re getting yourself into ahead of time.
Most homeowners want to get the job done as quickly as possible, which is no surprise. However, as the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait.” This philosophy is crucial in the remodeling process. This tip will help you set a realistic and achievable timeline that both you as a homeowner and a remodeling contractor can be confident about. Very custom remodels and additions will take more time than small projects. Have your remodeler give you specific examples of their timelines on comparable projects that they completed. Agree with a contractor, in writing, on days and times they can be on-site for your project. Be cognizant of how changes and personal schedules can alter the remodeler’s timeline too.
3. Do your Remodeling Research
Sounds like a given, right? Well, when we say to do your research, we mean to research every single aspect of your remodel. Understanding all the work that has to be done, what the materials and labor are going to cost, what permits you need, who your contractor is, and more is crucial to preparing you for a remodel and for planning your budget and scope of work.
If you’re using contractors, you want them to be registered builders with an accredited building association. (We are!) A trustworthy, registered builder or remodeler will have a reliable, extended team that will be able to manage the different phases of the project.
4. Recognize when to consult a Professional
If you’re a DIYer, you might be prepared to do all the work yourself, but often that’s just not realistic for a successful remodel. Know your limits beforehand and figure out which projects might require a little extra help. Your safety is most important. If you’re facing something like a load-bearing wall, asbestos, or lead paint, it’s probably best to consult the professionals. Work with contractors like ours early on, so the work lines up with your desired schedule and is done right the first time.
At P.L. Lyons, we want you to have the best remodel experience you can. We believe these tips help make that possible. We hope they help you with your planning. We also created a download that walks through remodeling steps we recommend.
To see our remodeling advice in action, check out this video of the early process of a remodel. If you’re ready to talk about the remodel you have in mind, let’s schedule a free design and building consultation to talk specifically about your goals.
