5 Things to Consider During a Whole-Home Remodel

Any renovation project can go from simple to a chaotic mess in a matter of moments. And when you are working on a remodel for your entire house, it takes extra planning and even more steps to ensure you end up with the home of your dreams. By taking more time to plan and work through some pre-demo decisions you have a much better chance of ending up the home that meets your needs and wants. Here are five things to consider when you’re remodeling your entire home.

1. Make Sure Your House Will Meet Your Family’s Growth

It is easy to focus on the needs and wants you have now. However, it is very important to remember that things will change as your family grows. According to Hestia Home Services, a great source for home remodeling in Houston, “Your growing needs and evolving lifestyle may change with time, and your home may need an extensive upgrade to keep up.”

For example, permanently installed baby gates may make sense now, but in a few years that won’t be very sensible. Also, parent-and-toddler adjacent rooms or boys and girls sharing a room might be best for the early years, but what about the teen years when your children will need their own private spaces?

2. Do Your Research

The majority of research and decisions can be done before anyone even steps foot into your house. Create idea boards from watching home remodeling TV shows, looking on Pinterest or browsing home remodeling sites. This not only help you to have a concrete vision of what you want, but it can also help partners discover what style the other is interested in and make decisions and compromises accordingly.

Test drive paint colors, wood finishes, carpet and anything else you can get samples of. A color might look amazing in a showroom, but try it out at home for a few days. Colors change depending on the lighting and time of day. It really is best to find out if you indeed really love that color or not, before any of the work is finished.

3. To DIY or Not

When trying to decide if you are interested in doing the labor personally or hiring a professional, take the following things into consideration. First of all, what is your skill level? Some smaller projects or finishing touches are a great way for you to contribute to the finished project regardless of skill level. However, most major construction and projects need the expertise of a professional.

Also, take into consideration the amount of time do you have to commit to a project. In the end, the inconvenience of a lengthy finish time may not be worth the money saved by doing the labor yourself. Also, you might want to consider hiring a designer. They can help monumentally in making the pesky small decisions that can weigh you down. They can also be a great liaison between the contractor and you, ensuring the structural elements you need to create your aesthetic are not overlooked. And finally, designers often have relationships with vendors and other stores that result in discounts and cheaper materials.

4. Ask the Professionals

One of the most important things you can do during an entire home renovation is ask the professionals. Use the expertise and experience of your builder, contractor, designer and architect and other professionals. They will all likely have a unique perspective, and it can be very insightful to ask them how they would do it if it were their house. By asking, you’ll find out ideas and opinions based on years of experience that you would have never thought of. These pros also know the elements that are worth the money, the things that maybe need some tweaking or more planning, and the things that maybe you should consider ditching all together. They can spot fads and money pits and have also seen what things really work. When in doubt, ask a professional.

5. Plan For Delays

When planning a house remodel, always add time for unavoidable delays, especially if you’re renovating an older home. Delays can include anything from an unexpected plumbing or electrical problem to a foundation or roof issue. If you have a specific end date in mind that is not flexible, make sure you add plenty of extra time to the beginning of the project. This way you can still deal with unexpected delays and have your home ready by the date you have in mind.