Is Your Home Ready for Improvement?
There are two main things to think about if you are considering a home improvement project:
- Is the space ready?
- Are YOU ready?
Get Some Home Improvement Ideas
The key to a successful home improvement project is proper planning. So to get started, it can be helpful to spend time looking through galleries of images for ideas on sites like Instagram and Pinterest, watch home improvement TV shows, or read home improvement blogs. Then, once you have a vision in mind you can build budgets, make your choices and all the rest.
Plan Your Home Improvement Budget… All of It
What precise steps will get you ready in every way possible for a remodel? Let’s look at this from all imaginable angles to ensure you are authentically prepared for that home remodel.
Of course, there will be materials, labor and all of the fees to account for, but think through the ENTIRE process – Are you going to be able to stay in the home throughout? Will pets need boarding during the day or throughout one stretch of the work? Have you thought about unexpected and unpleasant surprises? Planning means planning for it ALL – the fun, the good, the bad and the thoroughly ugly.
Consider vacating completely – Many people get those proverbial ducks in a row, determine the scope of the work, the budget and even hire experts to handle day to day stuff. Then, they hit the road for that dream vacation. After all, if your project is taking three weeks, why not take those three weeks and go for a family visit or on holiday abroad? Here’s the problem: It’s a bad idea. It makes sense, sure, but it is a bad idea in practice.
Why? You cannot see, touch or understand something by phone (even if it’s via Skype or Facetime) as you can in person. Troubleshooting long-distance is a real hassle. So, go ahead and take a temporary housing option if you don’t want to be around for the noise and mess, but don’t leave town.
Think About How the Project Might Affect the People Around It
It is a simple truth that lots of marriages and even friendships feel tremendous strain during a remodeling project. Accept that before you begin, and you’re halfway through the battle. Talk about the ways you’ll handle difficult decisions, financial hurdles, problems with privacy or frustration with interrupted schedules. Choose how you’ll communicate and when anyone involved is allowed to take a break, get in the car and get away for a while.
Also, think about the relationships with neighbors. It doesn’t matter if the work is in your townhouse or condo or your single-family home on a big lot. Let your neighbors know about your home improvement project and that there will be trucks, noise, and workers. Then, give them your contact details in case anything arises where they need to alert you of an issue or concern.
Is it safe to say that no one is fully ready for a remodel? Yes, but using these details above can help you avoid some of the most significant bumps in the road.
Source
