How to Plan a Home Renovation

Planning a home renovation can be as tedious and stressful as it is exciting, unless you have a game plan from the get-go. Whether you work directly with a contractor or through an owner’s representative who oversees the whole process, there are certain steps to take before and during construction tasks. It all begins with what you want.

Let’s say you want to update your kitchen, but you’re not sure about the specifics. Take some time and look through magazines and photos on websites like Pinterest and Houzz. Once you have a better idea of what you like, it’s much easier to visualize what you want done in your own space. Make a wish list, highlighting your priorities, so you can discuss your vision with the professionals you hire to complete the renovation. house under construction

Before drawing up plans, you’ll need to set a budget. Choose a number that you can comfortably afford without completely draining your savings. It’s a good idea to factor in an extra 10 percent for any overruns or unexpected findings during the course of construction.

Next comes the planning phase. To ensure that the design in your head looks as good in real life, hire a professional to draw your renovation project to scale. This gives both you and your contractor a clear vision of what the finished kitchen will look like. You’ll also have to secure any necessary permits according to your city’s regulations before breaking ground.

Once you’re ready to start building your new dream kitchen, it’s time to order the materials and inspect them upon arrival. Your contractor will typically handle this step. Then demolition and rebuilding can begin. Behind-the-scenes tasks should be handled first, such as plumbing and electrical jobs. Then comes putting up new drywall, painting, installing new flooring and adding in the finishing touches such as cabinets, countertops, appliances, backsplashes, lighting and hardware.

It’s like a breath of fresh air once the project is complete. No more planning or stress—just a beautiful new kitchen (or whichever room you’ve redone)! But before you resign all of your previous responsibility, have a professional appraiser reappraise your home to determine the new value you’ve added to it. With that new value, you can determine if your current homeowners policy has enough coverage or if you need to adjust the coverage to include your new renovation. Your agent can help you make any necessary adjustments so you can enjoy the peace of mind knowing that your whole home is protected.

How to Plan a Home Renovation

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