Remodelling any home is an undertaking that requires careful planning and a lot of attention to detail. After all, you’re uprooting your daily life to create significant environmental changes. Turning a house into a home is no easy feat; though, one worth taking on. Many other facets of your world depend on the thought and consideration that goes into your home renovation – so how can you best go about the process?
Caring friends and family are sure to have input. And the internet is chock-full of resources. There are endless books and videos to pour over in anticipation of your home improvement journey and its outcome. But the best way to help yourself is to consult professional home renovators who have the experience and expertise required to guide you confidently throughout your renovation journey.
To help save your valued time and resources, the team at Ultimate Renovations is here to provide you with a value-packed article. We’ve included the best tips and tricks for your complete home remodelling project.
Planning & Preparing for Your Renovation
The first and most important component of your renovation project is accurate planning. Here are the key things to consider when organizing your renovation.
A Realistic Budget
It goes without saying that your budget can make or break your project. It is essential to know exactly where you will be putting your financial resources and to have a clear understanding of how they will be used.
Key factors to consider when putting together your budget include:
- Your priorities in terms of quality vs quantity: is it more important to have a specific material for one room, or to be able to complete a variety of changes across the whole home?
- What expenses will you have outside of the renovation itself: will you need to pay for accommodations for pets? How much will you be spending on food while your kitchen is out of commission?
- Expertise and quality: although it may be tempting to hire help for a lower cost, are you truly able to afford a contractor who might have less knowledge and skill than a well-established company? The best improvement in any home starts with help from the right people; a team of skilled tradesmen and designers who can see the project through from start to finish, anticipate issues, and keep things on schedule.
If you’re looking to understand what an average project costs, there are great tools online that can provide fair estimates of project costs based on finishings, square feet, and overall scope of work.
Your Lifestyle
When planning your renovation, be honest about your lifestyle and what truly makes your home your happy place. Ask yourself deeper questions about what you like and dislike about your current space. Uncovering your genuine motives for remodelling your home is the best way to plan renovations that will truly satisfy you.
How do you plan to use your space in the long term? Does it need to be malleable as your family grows and changes, or are you certain that particular additions will always represent high value for you?
The importance of understanding your lifestyle and priorities cannot be understated, so take your time and give deep attention to what features will contribute to that the most.
Visualization
If possible, take the time to create a visual representation of your ideal result. Utilize social media by creating a board on Pinterest. Save posts on Facebook and Instagram so that you can easily share your preferences with our team of designers.
If social media isn’t really your thing, you could even create a physical collection with cutouts from magazines and the styles and textures of materials that you like. Gather your favourite swatches of fabric and paint samples together so that you have quick references and ideas to discuss with us. Of course, we’ll be there to help guide you through this process, but knowing what look you’re going for ahead of time will help us tailor our suggestions and designs to you.
What’s the Scope?
Make sure you have a crystal-clear picture of the true extent of the home remodelling you desire. It’s easy to daydream about what you would change, but accurately defining the details is a different story.
The best way to conceptualize the true scope of your project is to get it on paper. Whether it’s a rough sketch or a compilation of lists, determine where the lines will be drawn on your project. Having clear boundaries on what will and won’t be addressed in your renovation is essential to keeping your expectations in check and your project on track.
Accommodations
Finally, when getting ready to remodel your home, it is crucial to remember that there will be a shift from your normal, daily routine. You’ll need to consider what accommodations and adjustments you are going to need to make to ensure interruptions and inconveniences are kept to a minimum.
With so much on the go, here are some important details to consider to make sure you don’t overlook the impact this may have on you and your family:
- Where will your family be staying if not at home, and what daily routines and resources will be compromised? For example, if you have a highly specific diet, will you be able to fix your own food properly? How will the family cope without the usual amount of privacy?
- What changes to your daily schedule will you have to make while the renovations are underway? Will commute times be compromised, and if so, by how much? If you use your home gym to work out every day, do you have access to an adequate alternative space?
- If you have pets, how will they be taken care of while your home is being remodelled?
- Are there specific items that you will need to put in storage to ensure they aren’t damaged by dust or some type of mishap? What are you comfortable returning to the house to get as needed, and what needs to be packed and taken with you?
These are just a few of the questions that you should answer well before the remodelling gets underway.
Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some key – but common – mistakes that can complicate the remodelling process.
Too Many Changes
Do your best to stick to the plan once your renovation process begins. Too many additional changes are likely to drive up the cost and lengthen the timeline of your project. Making changes also creates opportunities for confusion, so working with an organized renovation contractor is key here to reducing layers of stress that could affect the outcome of the project as a whole.
Strict Timelines
Building the home of your dreams is a delicate and creative process. The truth is, some things will happen which are outside of your control. It is ideal to give yourself buffers in terms of expectations for when the project and its various facets will be complete. You never know when you might run into a challenge like supply chain issues or other unexpected circumstances – so going into your remodelling project with a flexible timeline is ideal.
Waiting to Order
If your home upgrade includes new furniture, don’t wait to put your order in! By the time all of the paint is dry, you’ll be relieved to be able to sink into your new couch. Give ample time for all appliances, lighting fixtures, decor and other pieces to arrive. Order new items at the start of the renovation so that you won’t need to wait for things to arrive once everything else is complete.
When All is Said and Done
At the end of the day, you should be thrilled with the outcome of your renovation proud to show it off. If you’re not sure how to make the most of your new space, get in touch with our designers for the ideal finishing touches. Wherever you are in the process, the team at Ultimate Renovations is here to help.
Ultimate Homes & Renovations is Calgary’s only 12-time “Renovator of the Year.” Our mission is to bring your home to life. For over 43 years, we have established ourselves as the industry’s elite team of contractors for complete home renovations in Calgary and Edmonton. Our quality craftsmanship, superior customer service and our ability to exceed expectations are how we have established ourselves as the renovator of choice for homeowners. Contact us at (403)-287-3122 (Calgary) or (780)-430-6441 (Edmonton).
