How to Narrow down Your Renovation Wishlist
Undergoing a whole home renovation is complex and difficult, and certainly takes longer to accomplish than a 24-minute episode on HGTV. Looking at the elements involved in your Edmonton home renovation will help you effectively plan your projects and narrow down what needs to be done first, keeping budget and availability of supplies in mind.
Here are TImberstone’s five suggestions on how to narrow down your renovation wishlist, and how to know what projects to complete first in your home.
1. Establish your budget and timeline
Consider your finances and how much you can put towards renovating your home. It’s also important to consider if you are planning on selling your home soon, or plan on living in it for years to come. Big renovations can increase the selling value of your home which may necessitate a more condensed renovation schedule, but if you’re staying for the long haul, you can space these projects out. Ultimately, the amount of money you have, as well as the amount of time, will help you narrow down the possibilities of renovation projects.
2. Consider bigger projects first
Big projects like roof replacement or repair, foundation repair, window and siding replacement, and water infiltration issues, are the projects you should take on first. Ultimately, these projects will affect anything else you are wishing to renovate in your home, so it’s best to tackle them first. You wouldn’t want the house to collapse on you due to structural failings after going through the effort and expense of a kitchen renovation!
Any foundation and structural issues should be addressed first, followed by structural components necessary to keep the house dry, such as windows, siding and the roof. If any of these things aren’t seriously damaged or risk threatening future remodelling work, you can leave them for later on in your renovation process.
3. Start with what’s broken
Is there something in your home that’s in an unusable state? If anything in your home isn’t functioning to the level you’d like, this is a good place to start (see above, with structural renovations!). Broken floorboards, temperamental kitchen appliances and unsatisfactory plumbing are reason enough to start with those rooms before moving on to other areas of the house. It’s also important to assess whether you will need to call in plumbing, HVAC or electrical professionals for any of your projects, as this work needs to be done before moving on to the more aesthetic components of a renovation.
4. Focus on what room you use most
Once you’ve taken care of necessary structural renovations or anything that’s broken, it’s time to think about what spaces you use the most and where you spend your time every day. Extra bedrooms and sitting rooms are impressive when you have guests over, but master bedrooms, kitchens and main bathrooms are likely spaces you use more frequently in the long run. Consider what renovation would make the most impact in your everyday life, and start there.
Credit: hgtv.com
5. Consider the season
If it’s winter, it might not be the best time for an outdoor renovation such as patios and decks. That said, some indoor renovation projects may not be doable in cold temperatures either if they require outdoor construction space. Check with your contractor if there’s enough space inside your home to complete a renovation entirely indoors, and if not, it’s best to pursue another project first.
If your renovation is taking place in the fall, there are definitely projects you want to complete before winter, such as roof repair and replacing windows and doors. These will impact your comfort (and heating bill!) over the winter so are best tackled first.
Once you have your renovation wishlist in order, you’re ready to bring your vision to an experienced Edmonton home renovation expert who can make it a reality. Show your wishlist in a way that makes sense for you – any good professional can do the architectural translation! It’s also important to outline your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves”, which will help build out the components of your renovation plan.
When it comes to renovating your home, it’s important to invest in an Edmonton home builder that you trust. Timberstone Builders has over 15 years of experience building, remodeling, and renovating award-winning custom dream homes in Edmonton and the surrounding area.