Remodeling or renovating gives you an opportunity to give your house a fresh appearance. Whether you’ll be doing a simple remodeling project or a major one, it’s important to do some careful planning first. Otherwise, you could end up making costly mistakes or not being satisfied with the results of your remodeling project. Avoid doing the following when you remodel or renovate your home.
Inaccurate Budget
Smaller remodeling projects shouldn’t cost much overall, but be careful when budgeting for a larger project. Underestimating costs on these remodeling projects could cause you to either spend more than you planned. You might also be tempted to cut back in some ways in order to stay within your budget, such as getting cheaper materials. When you estimate the cost of a remodeling project, make sure this includes any unexpected costs that might come up.
Incorrect Project Pace
When you’re remodeling your home, you might be eager to get it done as quickly as possible. Focusing more on time with these projects rather than making sure they’re done properly can lead to problems or dissatisfaction with the way they turn out. You should take your time doing remodeling projects to ensure that they’re done the right way. Keep in mind that it’s always best to plan for delays just in case, especially if you’re tackling a bigger project.
Incorrect Measurements
Whether you’re installing new cabinets or changing the layout of your bathroom, it’s important to take all measurements correctly. Double check your measurements to make sure they’re correct, so that you don’t run into problems with cabinets or other fixtures not fitting properly. If a contractor is handling your remodeling project, you can check the measurements they make to confirm that they’re correct.
Contractor Price Over Portfolio
When you hire a contractor for a renovation or remodeling project, you might go with the one who offers the lowest bid. While this might seem like the right choice to make financially, you shouldn’t necessarily choose the least expensive contractor. Making sure you hire one who provides high-quality workmanship, as well as dependable communication and excellent customer service overall is more important than saving some money on the cost of your project.
Eagerly Buying Materials
Although you should have all of your materials on hand when you start a remodeling project, don’t buy them too early. For example, you might purchase materials you see on sale long before you work out the details of your project. When it’s time to start it, you might discover that the materials you bought early are ones you don’t need. You might also change your mind about the materials you want to use for a project due to cost, quality or other factors. You should wait until you have the details of your project planned out before purchasing materials.
No Knowledge of Local Building Codes
When your remodeling project involves changing your plumbing, electrical system, square footage or similar parts of your home, always check local building codes. You’ll need to follow these codes when doing your remodeling project. Any contractors you hire for the job should also be familiar with local building codes and follow them.
About the Author
Robin Anderson Real Estate
“My Passion is people and relationships and I promise to provide my clients with exceptional service tailored to their individual needs.” -Robin Anderson
Georgia native, Robin Anderson brings her passion for people and her love of homes to work for her clients. She and her husband, Andy, have been married for over 30 years and have two adult children, Ellen and Drew. They currently live in Fulton County, but Robin has lived and invested in properties throughout metro Atlanta as well as helped clients buy and sell. She has been integral to many real estate endeavors including designing and building several custom homes, remodeling homes, subdividing land, managing rental properties, and buying and selling properties. She spent her first 3 years in real estate working with a new home builder, and she has spent the last 6 years working with buyers and sellers in her own community. Robin is highly motivated but sensitive to the fact that buying and selling homes can be an emotional experience, so she makes it a priority to keep clients closely informed throughout the process and strives to produce quick results. She appreciates the opportunity to help her clients navigate the real estate process, and she aspires to deliver quality customer service that is both informative and positive. She is driven to provide outstanding service for her clients and she is focused on building successful and lasting relationships with her clients. This personalized service earns her enthusiastic referrals from clients she is pleased to call friends.Edit
