You’ve been thinking about it on and off for a while now, you’ve talked it over with your family, and you’ve come to the decision to renovate your home. That means that you’re willing to live here for the long haul — you just need to make a few changes, whether it’s something minor like expanding a bedroom, or something major like adding an entire second story to your home. But how do you even begin?
- Have a plan and stick to it. Step one is always to have a plan. Think about everything you want done and exactly how you want it to look. Decide what paints to use, what sinks you want, what cabinets you want, and so on. Nothing is too small. Make sure it’s something you want, because changing your mind can delay the renovations and increase the money you’re spending.
- Don’t try to cut costs on materials. Whether you’re hiring contractors or doing it yourself, you want to get the best materials you can afford. The adage “you get what you pay for” works double here. If you buy cheap materials, your project and home can literally come crashing down around you.
- Tool management, and safety, is important. You’ll most likely be using a lot of cutting tools during the renovation. The thing is, cutting tools can be incredibly dangerous if used incorrectly. Invest in safety goggles or glasses — more than one pair, too — gloves, lights, face masks, and ladders. Make sure you’re also getting the right tools for the job. You’ll definitely need hammers and wood cutting tools like saws, but be sure to get collets and solid carbide bits as well.
- Set aside contingency money. Things will go wrong. That’s a given with just about anything in life, but it’s guaranteed with large renovations and construction projects. Hopefully, it’d be something minor, like the project costing just a bit more than you anticipated, but it’s important to be prepared. Maybe the sink you ordered isn’t the right one after all, and you need to order a new one. That extends the time of the project, but also the cost for the workers and for the new material.
There are a lot of things that go into renovating a home, and this list barely scratched the surface. The important part is to not rush into anything — if you do, you’ll end up with a half-gutted home and no money. Learn more about this topic here. More info like this.