Follow these steps to avoid home-renovation nightmares
This week’s column was written by Megan Jones, a happy mother of two, a DIY geek and a camping lover who works with Grizzly Tarps.
Renovating your home is not something you do too often. Sometimes, it takes a few months or years before you realize that yeah — your home needs some improvement. This is why, like many homeowners, you are also prone to committing mistakes. Not only are these mistakes tedious and stressful, but they could be very costly as well.
The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way.
Whether it’s your first time renovating your house or you’ve done it a couple of times in the past, there are surefire ways to avoid some of the most common homerenovation nightmares.
By following these tips and suggestions, your next home-renovation project will surely be a success.
Choose the right contractor.
It all starts with hiring only the best home-renovation contractor. Remember that you will have to rely on your contractor’s knowledge and expertise; thus, choosing the right one is a top priority.
If you can’t get referrals from friends or relatives, take time to compare contractors. The key is checking everything, including their credentials, experience, specialization, certifications and training. Make sure the contractor is licensed, bonded and insured.
You can always check with the Better Business Bureau in your area to see if there have been complaints filed against the contractors you’ve shortlisted.
Set a budget, and stick to it.
Home renovation can be costly, and you can go overboard if you don’t set a budget and stick to it.
This is the hardest part — and the part that most homeowners have trouble dealing with. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to calculate for the cost of your homerenovation project. Just follow these simple steps:
• Ballpark the cost.
Major upgrades such as remodeling a bathroom or adding a room normally range from $100 to $200 per square foot.
Get quotes from at least three legitimate home-renovation contractors to get a more precise figure for the cost.
• Establish a spending limit.
The extent of your home-renovation project will depend on the budget you have allocated.
Establish a minimum and maximum budget — and stick to it.
• Set your priorities.
You can greatly reduce the cost of renovating your home by knowing what to prioritize. If you’re looking for functionality over high-end design, you’re likely to spend less.
Enlist your contractor for suggestions to reduce the cost.
Have a plan, and stick to it.
Just as you want to stick to a budget you’ve initially identified, you also want to stick to your renovation plans.
Changing your plan in the middle of the renovation work is never a good idea, and doing so could lead to unnecessary spending.
Review your plan, and discuss it with your contractor. This way, you can avoid surprise changes and added costs along the way.
Avoid DIY projects if you’re not 100 percent sure about what to do.
Doing it yourself sounds like a great idea, especially if you’re looking to reduce costs and practice your artistic and technical skills. But if you haven’t had a firsthand experience with renovating a house, it might be something that’s worth letting the pros handle.
Some mistakes might be difficult to undo and might even require more money to repair or reverse. If you accidentally damage your roof or floor, you may temporarily cover it with tarps or any other waterproof material to prevent further damage until the professional contractors arrive.
Keep an open line of communication with your contractor.
The success of your home-renovation project depends on how well you and your contractor communicate.
If you have questions or need clarification about certain aspects of the project — regardless if it’s about the materials, time frame or any other issue — don’t hesitate to mention your concerns. Communication is the key.
Avoid unsafe work practices.
Unless you’re living alone and are not bothered by the mess, you have to be clear about establishing clean work practices in your home.
Some contractors think it’s OK to leave the worksite messy overnight or until the renovation is done. But this could spell “injury” and “disaster,” especially if you have kids or pets.
Be clear about your house rules, and make sure your contractor knows to observe cleanliness in the worksite before leaving each day.
Don’t turn your home-renovation dream into a nightmare. Take time to research the best contractor to work with, set a budget and stick to it, make a plan and discuss it with your contractor before the project starts, and avoid DIYing unless you’re confident about doing it right.
Lastly, always communicate with your contractor and request clean and organized work practices at all times.
With these steps, you’re one step closer to making your home a better and more beautiful place to live.
House to House is distributed by the Arkansas Realtors Association. For more information about homeownership in Arkansas, visit www.ArkansasRealtors.com.