A Guide to Home Renovation Projects

September 09, 2024

Home renovation and remodeling comes in shapes and sizes. You can remodel your kitchen, for example, with a new faucet, a throw rug in front of the sink, and maybe – for good luck – a new light fixture or recessed lighting. Then, again, you can gut your kitchen and start all over again to come up with the style and look you’ve always wanted.

This blog is about the latter type of renovation. The type that takes – or should take – careful planning, budgeting, scheduling, to say nothing of choosing the right professional contractors to make it all come together on time, and on budget.

But even with the advice, we’re about to share, it’s important to remember that rarely if ever does a major remodeling or renovation project come off without a hitch. It’s simply the nature of the beast. So be forewarned if to be prepared for the “anything can happen at any time” factor.

1. Is it worth the investment? Wanting and needing are two different things. If a renovation project, for example, is vital to a family member’s well-being, home resale value takes a back seat in the decision-making process, and that’s if it’s given any seat at all. On the other hand, if the project is more cosmetic and less about improved functionality, and you have plans to move in the foreseeable future, then you ultimately decide is the renovation worth or better left for the future owners.
2. Budget first, start later. Any good size home renovation project has both direct and indirect costs. Those all need to be accounted for, to the extent possible, before you get underway. In your budgeting, also allow for a contingency fund, because you just know something is going to come up that neither you nor anyone else could have possibly predicted.
3. Interview and select your design/build team. Whether you choose a general contractor who has all his own people lined up or each contractor on your own, do so carefully and methodically by checking on their licensing, insurance coverages, BBB standing, experience with your particular type of project, customer reviews, and so on. And don’t hesitate to get multiple quotes.
4. Insist on a work schedule/renovation plan. Many homeowners actually prefer serving as their own general contractor, and that’s fine, so long as one person has been designated as in charge. Whether it’s you or someone you hire, insist on at least a rough work schedule from demolition to final painting and furniture delivery, etc. That schedule should also include a payment schedule for the general contractor and/or each service contractor you’re hiring directly. Who gets paid in installments? Who requires full payment after their part in the project is completed? All that, and more needs to be documented in advance.
5. Stay on track. Talk to your contractors throughout the project, and don’t hesitate to speak up if some aspect isn’t turning out the way you envisioned. You are, after all, entitled to change your mind, even in mid-stream. The budget may need to be re-worked, of course, and the project might be delayed, but ultimately it’s all about you getting what you want and what you’ve agreed to pay for.

If, in fact, your particular project happens to be a bath or kitchen remodel, please consider Conway Services for all plumbing services. We can do much more than help bring your vision to life. At Conway, we can and will present you with alternative suggestions on today’s’ newest plumbing conveniences, fixtures, and more, and then help you decide which options best fit your overall plan, timetable, and budget.