How to play it smart when remodeling a house?

Whether you’re a male or a female, you were once a child. And children tend to have a great imagination. You probably spent hours and days fantasizing about your perfect room, and later – a perfect home. Maybe you didn’t like the color on the walls of your house. Perhaps you were in love with the built-in window seat in your room. And if you lived in a house with multiple siblings, you probably promised yourself to have more bathrooms when you grow up. The time passed by and unless you have become a professional contractor, the chances are – you never built anything from scratch. Maybe now you have the need and will to make some changes in your home and possibly make some of that childhood dreams a reality. If the time isn’t right for buying a new perfect home then it’s right for remodeling a house you have.

A men remodeling a house

Be smart when remodeling the house, plan and organize everything up front

Things to think about when remodeling a house

You can’t just wake up one day and decide to remodel your house starting that day. Well, you can if you want to fail. Being that spontaneous overnight can be good if by ‘remodeling a house’ you mean ‘paint one wall a different color and buy a new sofa’.  Yeah, that can be done in two days. In any other way, you have to think things through carefully and plan ahead. For the most stress-free remodeling as possible, follow the next rules:

  • Discover the right needs,
  • Plan ahead and be well organized,
  • Do the research – choose the right people, time and price.

If you manage to do all of this right, you have a chance for a minimum stressing over remodeling a house. Because let’s face it, it is impossible to not stress at all. Saying that there still are places where you can avoid stress with good organization. Do your best to be the project manager you and your family need while going through big changes.

Discover the right needs

When you hire a professional to do anything, they ask a lot of questions. That is the only way they can find out your needs and possibilities. Before the real estate agent takes you to see the first house, you must answer some basic and private questions. That is exactly what you need to do with yourself and your family.

If you are starting a new life as a couple, you should already have had the talk about expectations future-wise. The number of kids you both want to have and the time you are planning to be in a new house are important. That will determine how many rooms you will need and for what purposes. Also, if you are not planning to stay for long in the city, you should probably avoid remodeling a house.

But if you’re staying and having twins unexpectedly, you probably need another room. Maybe you can use some stuff from your parent’s houses, so call JB Moving & Delivery or other similarly reputable companies from your city, to have them delivered to your new place safely. There is no one better to help you move than experienced moving professionals. When it comes to moving, calling professionals for help is always better than doing it by yourself.

Blueprints

Decide how many rooms are you adding or altering

On the other hand, if you are already living in a house with your family for years, you should talk to them. Everyone should state their wishes and needs, and then you can compromise on what is possible. If children are off to college, maybe it’s the perfect timing to make a bigger living room with a fireplace you always wanted to have. Or, if you are planning to get old in that place, consider moving your bedroom to the ground floor, to avoid the stairs. Perhaps you just need a better-organized kitchen and to remodel the bathrooms. Either way, you must list your needs and then compare them to your possibilities.

Plan ahead and be well organized

The most important thing to do after stating your needs is knowing your budget. You don’t want to spend all of your life savings and still don’t finish the job. So after you decide how much are you prepared and willing to spend on remodeling a house, you will know which dreams to follow. According to your budget, you will stretch yourself. Be careful when making plans. There can be some hidden or unexpected cost, so you should leave some money aside for that.

The smart way to stay organized is to make checklists. Write all the things that need to be done, but also write the timeline. Every serious project manager sticks to his timeline. That is very important when having to organize different constructors for different tasks, but at the same time, or one has to follows another. Going off the schedule can cost you some big bucks. So make sure you know exactly what you want to have done, how you want it done and by when.

The great thing about remodeling a house is that there is some stuff you can do yourself if you are in a DIY mood. Especially if you just moved to a rented apartment or a house. Just to stay on the safe side, don’t do anything you don’t know how to do, and ask for help. Some contractors offer to consult and mentor skilled people on an hourly basis, so better use them before it’s too late.

A man holding a saw

Hire a constructor but do what you can by yourself

Do the research – choose the right people, time and price

Planning, of course, includes the research. You should do everything you can to find out as much as possible about the work you want to have done. Remodeling a house is a big project, so many people will be involved and that can take quite a time to finish. If you are not careful with the time and costs, you will end up broke before the housewarming party. So do the research to find out what to spend money on, and what you can save on.

Remember to increase efficiency, not size, and you can save some money. Also, see what you can do by yourself. Maybe you can demolish some walls without hurting yourself or the installations and plumbing. So before you take the hammer in hands, consult your contractor and buy the right building materials. You can also do some finishing work alone, like painting and cleaning up, so save up that way too. Don’t forget that sometimes it is cheaper to pay a professional than to risk making damages to your home, especially if you want to increase the value of your property. Donate your trash, so you will get a tax deduction and do a good deed. Also, try not to schedule remodeling a house in constructors premium time, so avoid the summer and a Christmas time. That way, you can get a discount and allocate that money into remodeling too.