So, you’re a first time home buyer and you’ve finally found that adorable and quaint home in the perfect area of town. Congratulations! However, you realized that there’s a bit of work that needs to be done before it’s truly your perfect “forever” home. There are quite a few things you need to keep in mind as you start to think about the renovation process, and hopefully your questions are answered today!
How Much Can My Wallet (and Myself) Truly Handle?
This is a great question that I think after asks before and during the renovation process. For the wallet aspect, you should always have a contingency, and even discuss the rough numbers with your contractor(s) beforehand. It’s important that you don’t live in fairy tale land as you start this renovation project, and you set realistic goals for yourself. When you’re realistic with everything – including finances, your mind seems to settle itself.
How Should I Spread the Budget with So Much to Do?
It’s ok to have a small budget, and not every room may be able to get done during this renovation process. The most important rooms to work on first include kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces. If you’re never in these spaces, then you may want to start in the most populated areas of your home.
What Tasks Should I Complete Myself? When Should I Contact a Professional?
A lot of people think they can take on an entire renovation by themselves because they’ve seen a few home renovations shows. Unfortunately, most cannot and create bigger financial messes than once previously thought. If it has to do with painting or small accessories like handles or doorknobs, then you can keep it DIY; however, for larger projects that include plumbing, stonework, and foundation work, definitely go pro!
Ask Yourself if You Like Your Contractor
Just because your contractor gives you a nice price, doesn’t mean that they’re a good contractor, or that your renovation will be a happy one. If you don’t like the contractor, and you’ll be doing some of the work alongside them or at least involved in the process, you should 100% like them and enjoy working with them.
Do I Really Need to Tackle Everything on My List?
As much as you want to get the entire house done, not everything needs to be done instantly. The most important things should be done first, and anything non-cosmetic and minor should be last on your list. Leaks, foundation work, bad roofing, ripped up flooring and bad windows should all be taken care of beforehand, where as adding cosmetic pieces to backyard windows or something should be touched last. Rank these in order of necessity and importance.
What’s the Most Important Space to Me?
As you may have figured out, you should first work on the spaces you populate the most and leave the other empty spots for last. Allow healthy amounts of your budget to go into those rooms that you really love and want people to congregate in.
If you’re looking for a reliable contractor to help you with your home renovation and provide a seamless experience, contact iRemodel Home Renovations at (416) 825-2542 today.