9 Things to Do Before Any Major Home Renovation

When I was a little girl my family did a major home renovation to our kitchen. We took out an awkward bar that was in the way, got new cabinets, new flooring and made our kitchen a wonderful place to gather!  I still love to change and that I can sit in the kitchen and chat with my mom in the kitchen thanks to the renovation.  We have thought about adding on to our house and updating some stuff.  I love all these great tips from Maurine Anderson regarding things to do before any major home renovation!  She offers great tips and advice!!

9 Things to Do Before Any Major Home Renovation By: Maurine Anderson

Are you planning a major home renovation soon, be it a bathroom remodel, kitchen redesign, or garage upgrade? Here are nine things you should do all before any home renovation begins.

Determine your budget.

It’s important to get a firm grasp on your budget now so that as you shop around for the right specialist, you will be prepared to negotiate pricing and will choose a specialist you can afford. What can you comfortably spend on this project? What is your max? What things are you willing to forego in order to get a price that you can afford? Don’t forget to include in your budget the extra expenses you’ll have to make as a result of the ongoing renovations, like eating out, for example

Decide on your vision.

This is the fun part: deciding how exactly you envision your home renovation turning out. It can help here to gather pictures of what you want, visit a local hardware store to see what options are generally available, and peruse model homes for inspiration. You’ll want to have a firm vision in mind before it’s time to choose the right contractor for the job.

Find the right contractor.

Next, you’ll of course want to find the perfect contractor for the job (assuming that you’re not going to be taking on these renovations yourself). Decide on what things are most important to you in a contractor, such as price, quick turnaround, attention to detail, integrity, or customer service. For all of your options, look at online reviews, and ask for a list of referrals if you want to dig a little deeper. Depending on the type of service, you may or may not be able to meet with your potential beforehand in order to discuss the work and to get a free estimate. Take advantage of these free estimates, as there truly is no substitute for meeting with a home renovation company in person.

Check with HOA.

Many homeowners associations have rules and regulations regarding what you can and cannot do to the exterior of your home, even down to certain dos and don’ts of landscaping. This is why it’s crucially important to check with your HOA before doing any major home renovation; as this article details, nothing would be worse than to spend hundreds—even thousands—on a home renovation project, only to find out after the fact that the project was forbidden by your HOA’s guidelines.

Thoroughly inspect the area to be renovated.

It’s also a good idea to thoroughly examine the area that you’ll be having renovated before letting any contractors touch your home. Why? Because this can protect your integrity should someone damage your home during the process of renovation. Should a professional—plumber, carpenter, painter, cabinet specialist, or otherwise—cause damage to your home and not own up to it, you want to be able to prove that the damage was done on their part. As this article explains, a thorough inspection will need to include photographic and written evidence.

Up your security.

On the note of taking caution, now might also be a good time to invest in a new security system for your home. Even something as simple as changing your front and back door locks to programmable locks or smartphone controlled locks can make you and your family feel safer as workers are coming in and out of your home.

Move your possessions.

Just before renovation begins, you want to be sure to move the possessions you normally keep in the area to be renovated to an accessible location. If you’re having your kitchen renovated, for example, ask your contractor which things you can leave in place, and which things you’ll have to move. Then, set up a “temporary kitchen” elsewhere in your home so that things will still run relatively smoothly as renovators work on your kitchen. Put essential small appliances like your coffee maker, microwave, and toaster oven together in a central location, while packing away less necessary items like your waffle maker and food processor.

Make sure that you have all the needed supplies.

Nothing is worse than getting started with a project, only to realize shortly after starting that you’re short on something that ultimately is going to delay your project. If you’re in charge of getting the needed supplies (be it because you want your contractor to install certain hardware or because you’re doing this renovation work yourself), go through all the needed supplies just before the project starts to ensure that you have everything. This includes things like needed adhesives, nuts and bolts, finishing agents, a dumpster for disposal (you can rent these with a company like this one), etc.

Plan a short trip.

Finally, if it makes sense for you and your family to be gone as renovations are underway (and if you feel comfortable with construction going on in your absence, of course), now might be a good time to plan a short trip out to see relatives or to visit a new location. This can help minimize the stress that you and your family face as workers are going in and out of your home.