In addition to understanding what things will help you achieve the desired results when remodelling your home, you should also know which steps to avoid. This way, you can reduce the chances of expensive mistakes, ensuring a beautiful outcome and timely completion of your project. Read on to learn about essential things you must consider for a hassle-free renovation experience.
6 Best Ways to Ensure Your Home Remodel Goes Smoothly
Decide on the Budget and Scope
The first step in a home renovation project should involve determining the scope and budget. Doing so will help you decide the course of action and ensure you do not go overboard with unnecessary additions and expensive upgrades.
Consider Budget and Timeline Contingencies
It is wise to be proactive and prepare for the worst-case scenarios so you can manage them in the best possible way. The budget contingency typically depends on the scope of the home renovation project. If you are remodelling your whole house and building new pieces, budgeting 10% to 15% can be helpful as there should not be many unknown details to worry about. However, if your remodel involves retaining some existing elements, you should have around 20% set aside. This protects both your budget and your timeline.
Finalize Selections Early
During your home renovation project, it is essential to confirm availability and lead times for raw materials, crucial components, fixtures, appliances, and decorative items. Working with a reputable home renovation contractor will ensure the desired outcome within the deadline. You can discuss your choices and decide on the most suitable options for your home within the budget.
Consider the Change Orders
A change order for a home remodelling project refers to an amendment to the contract, usually between you and the contractor. It is ideal for adding, removing, or modifying an element to the agreement. Although change orders are sometimes essential, they can increase the cost of home renovation. Considering the scope of work before you get started is critical to keeping change orders to a minimum and ensuring you do not exceed your budget.
Know Where You Can Skimp if Needed
When renovating your property, do not skimp on the fundamental elements of your home, including the structure, foundation, waterproofing, insulation, and mechanical aspects. Investing in the fundamentals is necessary to ensure your house is safe, water-tight, and runs smoothly for many years. If you are looking for some ways to reduce the overall renovation expense, you may consider the following ideas:
- Use lower-cost finish materials.
- Keep the paint job simple with fewer patterns and colours.
- Swap high-end fixtures and appliances for moderately priced options.
- Choose designs that are priced reasonably and suit your home’s architecture and decor.
- Postpone anything that is relatively easy to upgrade later.
Be Aware of Common Complaints During Home Renovations
Some of the typical complaints that homeowners have regarding their house renovation are:
Construction Delays
This is one of the most common complaints by homeowners. It is often a result of poor communication and management by the contractor. To avoid this, discuss schedules and timelines with the renovation professionals and have contingency plans to deal with issues during the project. In addition, you should remain in contact with the project manager to get crucial details such as daily logs, upcoming inspections, changes in the plan, and more.
Poor Work
When choosing a home renovation contractor, ensure they are attentive to details. They should have experts to offer reliable guidance and zero tolerance for sub-standard work. You can check their previous projects to assess their work quality and structural and finishing details. Look for experienced contractors to get high-quality work without errors.
Unskilled Labour
An essential aspect of a home remodelling project is to match the skills of the labourers to the task at hand. This means a skilled and experienced tradesperson should perform each portion of a job to ensure the desired result. Otherwise, it may lead to poor outcomes, unnecessary delays, and increased expenses.
Runaway Costs or Over Budget
Your home renovation project should not go over budget because it involves contracted scope, detailed planning, and execution. However, here are some of the reasons a project may exceed the budget that you should think of and be prepared for:
- Requesting additional work: This is an acceptable explanation because if you increase the scope of work beyond the contract, you should compensate the contractor accordingly for extra labour and materials.
- Unforeseen circumstances: When remodelling your home, unexpected situations such as termite damage or the presence of asbestos need to be managed in the best possible way. Although your home renovation contractor may notice some structural issues with your property, unforeseen ones can increase your expenses.
- Upgrading materials: This may be required to ensure your home remodelling is successful. However, be sure you are not charged more for a specified material selection in the contract.
- Your contractor asks for more money: You can avoid this situation by having a detailed contract for the project.
Lack of Selections
When choosing fixtures and finishes, be sure your contractor does not suggest options that they receive an incentive for. Although they know how to source materials, it is wise to ensure you are getting the best deal by doing your research. Discuss these details with your contractor before the work begins to avoid problems in the future.
We Offer Reliable & Efficient Home Renovation Services
renoWOW! is a leading provider of home renovations in Toronto and the GTA. We offer complete services to ensure you have a beautiful and comfortable home.
For more information about our remodelling services, you can schedule a virtual consultation or call us at 1-866-352-1251. We will be happy to answer your questions, listen to your needs, and plan our work accordingly to deliver the best result that exceeds your expectations!
Also Read:
