Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Starting a major remodeling project is a long and tedious process with incredible reward, but it's made even more hectic when you fail to properly prepare. Before making significant changes to your home, you must take several factors into consideration to prepare for the process.
Secure Some Form of Backup Residence
Renovations often take over large areas of your home with crew, equipment and materials. Depending on where the work is done, they can take over or block access to important areas of the home such as bedrooms and bathrooms. Some members of the home may feel uncomfortable with having strangers constantly present or the noise that comes along with removing and installing materials. Be sure to have a backup place to stay such as with family or at a hotel. If you have a guest house on your property, this gives you the benefit of being close to the home to monitor progress.
Remove Belongings
Before work begins, move your belongings from relevant areas of the house so that they are completely out of the way of the work space. Remove valuables so that they are not lost or broken during the remodeling process. Even if you don't think your items are in the way of those working on your home, they may still end up damaged in the process. Removing personal items ahead of time helps the remodeling start sooner without concern for the delays that would occur with figuring out what to move and where to put it.
Reserve a Place to Store Your Belongings
If you have to remove items from your home, you need a place to keep them safe until the work is finished. If your remodeling involves purchasing new furniture or appliances, you may also need to keep them stored away if they are purchased or delivered before work is complete. You can move them to another part of the home if there is room or to a relative's home if they allow it. Using a storage unit provides you plenty of space and the option to continue storing your belongings if the renovation takes longer than expected.
Make Room for Delays and Extensions
It's essential that you allow room for an extended renovation schedule. Be realistic about how long the process may take and the fact that it may run over time. Don't jump ahead with new plans expecting everything to go perfectly and fit within the time estimate. Whether you are completing DIY renovation or hiring others, you should be prepared for the process to take longer than it may seem. Learn how to adjust to living without the remodeled room for a long-term basis.
Ensure the Renovation Suits the Rest of the Home
Take into account how long you plan to stay in the house after the renovations. Have you settled on this house as your permanent home, or are you planning on moving within five to ten years? If the latter is your situation, you should consider how well-liked the remodeling will be to anyone to whom you plan to sell the house. It's best to choose neutral colors and woodwork for rooms like the kitchen and bath. If this is your permanent home, you should remodel it to match well with other areas of the house in terms of fixtures, accessories and colors.
Aside from the changes to your home, renovating involves considering the changes to your daily lifestyle and your personal belongings. Renovating your home is bound to come with many challenges from the start, but you can make the process much easier by being prepped for every aspect of it well ahead of time.
About the Author: Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer based in Boston, MA. For the information on storage options used in this article, an expert who specializes in self-storage in Louisiana was consulted. To see more from Emma, say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2
I do agree that it is essential to make room for delays in your remodeling plans. Very rarely do home improvement projects go the way you want them to. I decided to replace the sink and faucet in my bathroom thinking it would be an easy fix. Well it took me two weeks because of a leaky pipe. Another tip for doing a remodel, especially if you are DIY-ing it. Prepare for a lot of trash, trust me, it won't all fit in your regular garbage can.