How to Start Planning for a Home Remodeling Project

The most successful home remodels always start with a solid plan. Whether you’re remodeling a single room or the entire house, you need to establish a vision, a timeline and a reasonable budget. If you’re wondering how to start house renovations , here’s a practical guide to ensure the project goes smoothly.

Developing a clear vision

Learning how to plan renovations starts with determining a vision or scope of the project. Envision what you want for your home, whether it’s a complete change in floor plan and layout or you simply want to update flooring, fixtures and finishes. Since renovations are a significant investment, try to picture your future and let any potential life changes down the road guide the decisions you make for the project.

Another key part of developing a vision is determining who will do the work. It’s never wise to rely on a do-it-yourself job when you’re remodeling any part of the house—in most cases, it’s impossible for the average homeowner to go full-blown DIY and achieve the results they seek. Partner with local remodeling professionals to ensure a successful project and get the best return on your investment.

In addition, choose the style and design of your new space. If you choose a whole-house remodel, you have a blank slate to carry out your vision. Since the design should guide the entire project, talk it over with your design-build contractor to determine how to match your style to your plans.

Establishing a timeline

Settling on a timeline is best done in consultation with your design-build contractor. While you want your team to do a thorough job on the project, you also don’t want your home to be an active construction site for too long. In general, a whole-house remodel takes between three and six months to complete, depending on size, scope and complexity. Typically, for every $10,000 spent on the project, a crew will spend one to two weeks working on-site.

Setting a budget

Budgeting is one of the most important parts in learning how to plan renovations. You need to set a practical budget at the outset of the project to ensure you have enough money to see it through to completion. It’s smart to create a spreadsheet of must-have and want-to-have items and do your research as to how much each option will cost. You can then determine what you can include in the project and what you can’t.

It can be difficult to make a budget and account for labor costs, but you can generally expect them to run between 20 to 40 percent of overall project costs. Always be sure to include a 10 to 20 percent contingency to pay for any unexpected challenges that occur or any changes you need to make along the way.

The right way to start house renovations always involves reaching out to construction professionals who can turn your vision of an ideal home into a reality. Contact Canfield Construction Management today to learn more about the process of transforming your house into the dream home you’ve always wanted.

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