Deciding to renovate your home is a huge decision for most home owners. What renovations are going to give us the most bang for our buck? Is there any sort of order we should do renovations in? We worry that we are choosing universally accepted tiles and fixtures. We wonder if we should start with the ceilings, floors or walls. Renovating is different for all home owners and for all contractors there is a different set of guidelines. When renovating make sure that your contractor helps guide you through renovations and does not order you through steps. If you want you lay the tile before you choose wall color just to get a feel for the room then don’t let anything the contractor tells you detour you. If it makes sense to you then the renovations are being done correctly. Here is a guideline to follow when starting to plan for your homes renovations.
Outline your project
So many projects have been derailed because of poor outlining. When deciding to jump into renovations make sure you have a simple plan of attack. Sketch out what you hope the finished project will look like. Create a list of items that are must have, things you are willing to compromise on and absolute no’s. Get all of your ducks in a row with local and state permits. Decide what you want to hire out and what you would like to tackle on your own. Lastly, but most importantly make sure your funding is adequate for your project.
Outside in
When beginning any remodel project take a look at the outside projects first. Inspect the foundation of your project. If required make repairs to the home structurally before continuing with any renovations. It is also wise to make any changes in the roof lines before starting inside renovations. You will want to ensure that inside walls and joists are strong enough to withstand the prevailing projects. Windows are a big part of most remodeling jobs. Windows with blinds between the glass have become a popular renovation feature. Make sure you install all windows and repair and install siding before jumping to the interior.
Annihilate
You will want to demolish anything you are not saving when beginning the interior projects. This way you will not have to do demolition in the kitchen after you have finished the bedroom. Any and all demolition should take place prior to beginning the renovation process. In order to start the process you will want to rent rubbish containers to keep the mess of demolishing your home to a minimum. Be as careful as possible when removing any surfaces that you are unsure if they are covered by lead paint. During this phase of renovation it is best to not occupy your home. Demolish as much as possible if you will not be living in the house.
Construct
This is the point in your renovation project where you will want to be ready with the structural elements of your renovation. Whether you are knocking in walls or building them up it is a good time to begin those projects. If you are adding windows, such as the windows with blinds between the glass you will want to enlarge existing window frames. This will ensure that any new walls being built or taken down will still provide symmetry for your renovations. During the construct stage you will also want to add support beams to existing structures especially if you plan on adding weight to your structure.
Guts
Don’t forget about any new electrical, ducts and plumbing that needs to be run for your renovation project. With the walls exposed it will be much easier to put the guts of the systems into place. You also need to have the inspectors out while the walls are down. This will make any necessary repairs easier to fix.
Insulate and drywall
Now that you have all the guts in your walls it is time to add insulation and drywall. Insulation will progress rather quickly while the process of drywall may take up to a week. In order to achieve perfection and seamless wall surfaces it will take time.
Floors and finishing touches
After all the major construction is done and the walls are up it is time to install flooring. You will want to install flooring before the finishing touches on paint and moldings are put in. It is easy during flooring to bump into walls. You would not want brand new moldings and paint jobs to be destroyed by these preventable blemishes. Trust me it is easier and less expensive to cover the new flooring with drop clothes rather than redoing paint and molding.
Extensive renovations on your home take time and money. When beginning any major home improvement project plan ahead. You will need an extra stash of emergency money for the unexpected repairs that pop up along the way. No one plans for their pipes to leak but you never know what you will come across when you are in the annihilation phase. The best advice I could offer any one starting on a home renovation is to be patient and trust your gut.