Renovation is such an exciting prospect with so many emotions. Follow this upcoming blog series which touches on what you should expect during your renovation whether you hire an interior designer and complete the work yourself, or you hire a General Contractor.
When you finally decide to renovate, the excitement is high. We prep our clients (all in fun) in helping them to know what to expect, by filling them in on what emotions they should prepare for. If you have gone through a remodel, you know how it can wear on you. Reaching out to your interior designer for the first time can be so intimidating but you, with some research, will find someone who is approachable and is able to translate your vision into a functional and beautiful space. After developing plans, you are ready to go! The General Contractor (GC) has your plans and is providing a bid to get the ball rolling. You are trying to be patient waiting for the pricing, but it is taking so long.
Ouch, the bid came back. To complete everything on your Wishlist it is going to cost more money. Your options are to take some things (or rooms) off the list, do the project in phases or decide you are okay with the investment. We try to prepare our clients during our initial phone call for what to expect. We’ve been in the industry long enough to understand the average costs of doing certain kinds of renovations. Our current labor shortage adds to the problem of things costing more than what you may expect. We have found locally, to renovate a kitchen, which would include new, flooring, cabinets, lighting (possible plumbing/electrical relocation) begin in the 45k range and go up depending on size and material selections. These are all things we cover in our two-hour consultation to help you create a budget that is feasible. We don’t want you to have an ugly surprise after falling in love with your new design, only to find out it may be out of your budget or more than your willing to spend.
Okay, you have worked through and have an amazing design plan, found the perfect licensed GC, and all the contracts are signed. Everyone is so nice and they know their stuff. You feel so lucky to have found the best in the area, a real A Team. A construction calendar has been created for you so you know the start date on what to expect when. Depending on what your renovation entails, we and/or your contractor, might suggest ways to help simplify your life during construction. If it is a complete home renovation, a space in the basement where you can cook, cleanup and bathe is very important. For people who don’t like to live this way, a short term rental apartment or moving into a relative’s home might be a good solution. Living in a construction site gets old…very fast. These are all things that should be addressed with your GC prior to any demolition.
You begin this process with lots of energy and excitement. Expecting that there will be hiccups and you will be frustrated and overwhelmed will help to prepare you for the reality of renovating. Take heart, by the time you reach the end, you will have forgotten all of your frustrations! Stay tuned for what happens during the nitty gritty part of renovations.