Renovation - Keeping It Real
HGTV takes a dated room in thirty to forty-five minutes and turns it into a masterpiece. We get to see some of the behind-the-scenes but they are always a short blip of what the whole project entails. It requires hours of design planning, selection of materials, project managing contractors, and subs and there are always hiccups along the way. This is why I recommend hiring a designer to assist you with all these steps.
There are four key steps as you plan to renovate any room in your home. They are your budget, goals for space, plan, and execution. These all may seem simple but there are usually bumps in the road with each of these steps.
Budget
The budget is the most important part of your plan. This will determine if you can execute the renovations that you are craving in your home. A lot of the time clients have no idea what their budget is because there is no knowledge of what the cost will be. So, the first step is to consult a designer and have a contractor give you a baseline for renovations you want to do in the home. This will give the client a baseline for their renovation. This can cause sticker shock for homeowners. Adding up each project they want to tackle may not be possible all at once. Homeowners either choose to pick the most important, reprioritize each project, or do nothing because they feel almost paralyzed. I suggest reprioritizing the projects that you want to tackle and hiring a designer who can help you stretch that budget and help you not make mistakes along the way.
Goals
Setting goals in your renovation will help you stay on budget and the outcome will be all you dreamed of. One of the largest mistakes when doing a renovation is not having goals for your space. Searching on Instagram or Pinterest you see all the different aesthetics that you would love to incorporate into your home. Moving forward without the goals set for your project will throw you down a rabbit hole. Trying to incorporate every inspirational picture one has viewed.
Goals to think about are:
How would you like to use this room? It is pretty straightforward when it is a kitchen or bathroom, although you do get into the preferences of a tub or just a large shower for example.
How long do we plan on living here? Are you contemplating a move in the future or upgrading to a larger home? That is a big question when putting money into a renovation.
How many projects do I want to tackle at once? Some clients do well with a house in disarray, but others do not manage well in the chaos. Know your sweet spot when you're renovating. It does not all have to be done at the same time. Scheduling out things in smaller sections helps you not to feel overwhelmed with the decision-making process. (There are a lot of decisions) There is also the budget aspect that comes into play in your goals as well.
Plan
The plan is essential. A lot of homeowners go into a renovation with no plan. Many homeowners believe they have a plan for their renovation but most of the time it is just a mind full of images they see as the final result. This is where a designer can help.
Your plan is not just a layout of the room but involves many details that include:
1. Time Frame
2. Spacing
3. Color
4. Functionality
5. Usage of space
6. Texture
7. Lastly beautiful decorative details
This is a vast list that can be somewhat overwhelming when you have not done it before. Having a designer to help you bring your vision to life and helps the homeowner have fewer issues through their renovation process.
Execution
You have your budget set, planned out the goals, made the essentially important plan and now you are ready to execute your renovation. This is where things get messy and I mean extremely messy if you are doing a total gut job of a bathroom, kitchen or even just painting a whole house. Take a breath and know that the chaos is temporary and always refer back to your goals.
First, set your timeframe of when you want to start your renovation and your expectation of completion. Get on the schedule with the designer and contractors so that you do not miss the window of time you are looking for. Look at your calendar for events like major vacations, surgeries, or family events that might conflict with your desired time to start and finish your project. Take into account that situations do occur like backorders of materials chosen that can delay your overall timeframe. Being flexible at times will help achieve the desired outcome for your renovation in the long run.
Execution takes different views depending on what space in your home is being tackled. You may need to move into another room or bathroom while your space is being done. The more prep you can do before the masses of contractors ascend on your home is better. Move your clothing, toiletries, memorabilia, family antiques, and especially jewelry. Contractors will move larger furniture in preparation to work around a room. Your designer will be there to meet with contractors as a project manager to guarantee the plan for your renovation is being followed. Lean on your designer when you have issues to make the process less stressful. That is their job.
Once again, renovations are not a thirty-minute show on HGTV. It can be a wonderful process as you see your space change on a weekly or daily basis. Just the painting of a room can make your home feel like a whole new space. Renovations can also be nerve-wracking without following the renovation process. Setting your budget, goals, plan, and execution will help to make go much smoother. Now go tackle that place in your home that has been aching for change.
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