Home reno harnesses girl power
Jennifer Wagar has plans to finish the final phase of a third remodel herself
As a little girl, Jennifer Wagar was her handyman father’s constant sidekick — eager to hand him his hammer and help with jobs around the house.
“I grew up in a family with two girls and friends used to tease me that I was his son!” says the 39-year-old, who runs a PR company with her husband, Andrew, 43.
“My dad was very, very handy. I learned a lot of initial skills from him. It’s always been a part of me.”
Wagar’s passion for DIY projects has continued to grow and she has thrown herself into the renovations of three different houses in the past five years.
The latest of which she calls a “fix renovation” of the Burlington home she and Andrew share with their daughters, Mackenzie, 7, and Penelope, 6, and their dog, Ruby. The family moved from Toronto almost four years ago after purchasing the house — just a two-minute walk from Lake Ontario — for $715,000.
Wagar says it had “great bones,” but was stuck in the ’80s and was in desperate need of an update.
They set a budget of $150,000 to refinish the basement and update the main floor.
The to-do list included refinishing existing hardwood floors on the main and upper levels, and adding new tile floors from the foyer to the kitchen. The basement scored some new flooring throughout, a stone feature wall and an electric fireplace.
New trim and doors were installed throughout both levels, the house got a full paint job and some additional pot lights were installed. On the main floor, the powder room got a complete overhaul.
After the 31⁄ 2- month project was complete, the final tab came in closer to $170,000.
“We decided to do the landscaping as well, which kind of blew us over the top but we’re glad we did,” Wagar says.
“We basically had everything pulled out, bulldozed and restructured and re-patioed.”
The couple didn’t go overbudget on the kitchen though; in fact, they managed to give it a total facelift for under $10,000.
“The kitchen to me was where we really won,” Wagar says. “It was pretty dated, but we made great use of it.”
She had the contractor use as many of the existing cabinets as possible, removed some bulkheads and then added their own matching cabinets to finish it off.
Do’s 1) Always start with a budget. 2) Get quotes from a minimum of three contractors and always hire the right tradesperson for the job. Make sure you check with your municipality and get the proper permits before you begin a project.
3) Source materials first, get samples and try them in the space before you buy.
4) Create a work-back schedule to keep your trades and project on time. For instance: When does the plumber come in and what has to be in place first? And always add two weeks into your timeline for those unexpected challenges, weather delays or permit holdups.
5) Work to the reason you’re renovating:
á If it’s a refresh to sell your house, keep your budget low and updates neutral. Spending money on personal taste items — custom timber beams or an antique mosaic backsplash — “In one of my renos, I removed a dated backsplash and replaced it with roof flashing,” Wagar says. “It saved me money, and provided a unique feature. And if the buyer wants something different it’s an easy replacement.”
á If it’s a reno for you and your family, think functional. What do you need? A mud room to hang hockey equipment? A kitchen island to seat eight? “One of my favourite elements we incorporated was a craft/homework area in the basement for the kids. And we repurposed the space under the basement stairs as a costume dress-up cupboard,” Wagar says.
6) Splurge on the everyday necessities: Appliances, counters, flooring — high-use items that must last.
Don’ts
1) Don’t hire a contractor without a firm quote, in writing. Include in the contract your expectations, and how surprises will be dealt with: for instance, if installations are not done well and need removing, who pays for this? If there’s a delay, how will it affect your timeline and budget? “And be wary of hourly rates,” Wagar says, “hold them to a maximum total or be prepared to push back.
2) Don’t neglect to inspect the work as it gets done; it’s much cheaper and easier to stop something early on rather than when nearly completed.
3) Don’t forget to budget the small stuff — factor in cabinet handles, faucets, toilets, door hardware, towel racks, drapery, floor coverings, and new furniture costs for the updated space.
4) Don’t put down flooring without first having your contractor do a dry-lay; you need to see how it looks when you enter the room — where do the shortcut pieces end? How will the transitions happen between different surfaces?
5) Don’t avoid budgeting a contingency fund. Problems will creep up and eat at your bottom line. And don’t pay in full until the work is complete and done to your satisfaction.
6) Don’t, if you can help it, live in a major reno. “It’s not fun living without a kitchen and having to feed your children with a hot plate and microwave, and do dishes in a laundry tub,” Wagar says. Jackie Burns