10 quick tips for home remodeling
(1) Identify your needs: Take your time to recognize the requirements and propose the simplest and most cost-effective solution.
See if you really need another bathroom, or some improvements to an existing one might work just fine.
Determine your budget and talk to your partner, if there is one, and start transforming your home into the space you’ve always wanted it to be.
(2) Self-analysis and Investigation– Collect ideas, inspirations from home improvement magazines or just browse the web.
Stay away from expensive constructions. If you can do an upgrade or conversion to an existing room, do it.
(3) represent a design: Make a sketch, use graph paper, and measure the room you are building/converting. This will help to better express your expectations to Construction service providers.
(4) Talk to various contractors– Search for home remodeling service providers in your region.
Ask your friends or neighbors who have done home renovation work before, talk to them about their experience with their contractors.
Make an appointment with these contractors, discuss your plans, and calculate the total cost of construction.
(5) choose a contractor: Finally, find a contractor that will turn your ideas into reality, obviously within your budget. Estimate each part of the construction changes to your home.
Show them your design plans, get a feel for how they work, and most importantly, make sure you can work smoothly with the company or person you hire.
It is important to develop a good relationship with your contractor, as you will be working closely with them.
After choosing a trusted contractor, ask them to recommend an architect. Contractors work with architects all the time and will be familiar with those who work locally. Go with your contractor’s opinion, as the relationship between the architect and the contractor can make or even break a project.
(6) hire an architect: If you’re looking for simple updates to your home, contractors can do it themselves. Replacing fixtures and finishes like cabinets, flooring, paint, or lighting are jobs done by contractors.
However, if you want to reconfigure the walls or change the overall floor plan, an architect is what you need.
The architects will give you a unique, critical and connected vision of your project.
(7) Hiring a design and construction company. An alternative to not hiring an architect or contractor is the design-build company. These design-build firms are companies that keep both designers and contractors on staff, thus blending the design/build process and improving communication.
If you don’t have a contractor in mind, design-build is a rising trend. These design-build companies specialize in small projects like home construction and renovations.
(8) Rates Location: Once you’ve hired a contractor, architect, or design-build firm, it’s time to get a written estimate of the cost of the job, including labor and materials.
Don’t settle for the low bidder, because price is not necessarily quality.
(9) set deadlines: Once you have agreed on cost and fee issues with your contractor and architect, you will be presented with a contract that specifies the completion dates for your project.
The contract will have all the details of your project, for example, provisions to complete before the rains start or at least complete the roof before the rains start.
(10) Read the contract carefully. Once the contract is prepared, understand it well. Agree with all its provisions before signing. You may also consider having a lawyer review the contract with you.