Define your Goals
Write down the ways in which your home does not currently meet your
needs. Don’t worry about the design or budget of the project at this
point. That will come later. Just write down the issues you are trying
to resolve. Aside from what you need, also include anything that you just simply want. This is your dream list. For example:
- “When we entertain the house is too small to accommodate our guests.”
- “We’re tired of going up and down stairs to do the laundry.”
- “We want a bigger more modern kitchen.”
- “We want a bigger luxurious bathroom.”
- “We need much more closet space.”
- “I want a high tower from which to survey my domain.”
- “We would like for our home to be more energy efficient.”
- “We want to have a sunny, cheerful room that is appropriate for
houseplants, and family activities.”
If you have many separate items on your wish list at this point, try
to rank them by priority, and decide which goals are most important
to you. If you are able to solve these problems then you will
be more likely to be happy with the results of your project, and it
will allow a professional to help you design a project which will be
right for you.
2. Determine your budget
This may be the most distasteful, yet necessary part of the process. In
order to evaluate the practical limits of your budget you need to consider
several factors. Do you foresee selling your home in the near
future? If so, you will probably be concerned with recovering
your investment when you sell. If the total of what you paid
for your home and the cost of remodeling is going to significantly
exceed the value of the most expensive homes in your neighborhood then
your project may not be economically feasible. However after
five years or so other factors may be more significant. So, if
you have no intention of moving soon then the issue is completely different. Location
is everything, and if you love the location of your home and intend
to stay put then any amount of investment to make it into the home
you want may be justified. If you will be borrowing money
for your project, then you should talk to your lender to get an idea
of what your financial limits might be.
3. Find a Contractor
When it comes to finding a contractor, be an informed consumer. Before
you even contact a prospective contractor consider calling the Better
Business Bureau or the state board for licensing contractors to see
if they have any unresolved complaints or actions against them. Once
you have contacted a contractor ask them for references. Why
even waste the time to discuss your project in depth if these factors
might disqualify a candidate? A reputable contractor will be
delighted for you to check up on their business in advance.
“Horror Stories” about contractors abound. For example, the
contractor who starts a job and then disappears for weeks at a time. Or
the contractor who does a pretty good job, but then just won’t return
for warranty work. Or the contractor who goes grotesquely over
budget. Or the contractor who takes your money and then does
an all around shoddy job. One thing all of those stories have
in common. The customer didn’t check the contractors references. Don’t
make that mistake and you probably will never have a horror story of
your own.
4. Get all questions answered up front
Your contract should be specific, and may (usually should) include
drawings, model numbers of appliances or fixtures, materials specifications,
and a specification of all services which will be included. Also
the rate for upgrades or additional work (AKA change orders) should
be agreed upon. Just as important as what will be included is
a list of any required commodities that the contractor will not be
paying for such as electrical service, yard repair, owner supplied
fixtures, owners responsibilities, etc.