How to Renovate a House
You probably have home improvement plans in the near future, whether you just bought a fixer-upper or want to update the house you’ve lived in for 20 years.
A well-thought-out plan will put you on the right track for both small remodeling projects that change or update the look and function of a space and larger renovations that may include knocking down walls. Even minor repairs or home improvements, such as annual HVAC system maintenance, will benefit from some planning and consideration of the project’s scope and cost.
What is your motivation for remodeling?
Determine the reason for your home improvement project before you begin designing plans for an addition or a major kitchen conversion: Is it time to replace your plumbing? Do you want to turn a room into more usable space? Are you simply seeking a change? Understanding your motivation for the project will help you decide how to allocate your budget and prioritize tasks, as well as whether you should seek professional assistance.
Here are the top five reasons why you should remodel your home:
Maintenance.
Rooms should be updated.
Experiment with new looks.
Prepare to sell.
Increase efficiency.
Maintenance. Maintenance is required to keep everything running, whether the house is five or 105 years old.
Especially if your home is decades old, the electrical, plumbing, and even the foundation may require some TLC to ensure a safe, stable structure for you and your family.
A renovation project motivated primarily by the need for maintenance will almost certainly spend the majority of the budget on hiring licensed professionals and replacing outdated materials. Extensive work on the structure or electrical or plumbing systems may necessitate permits and inspections depending on where you live.
Rooms should be updated. While the plumbing may still be functional, a 1980s kitchen may be an eyesore. Many homeowners remodel to bring a space out of the past and into the present.
A large portion of the renovation budget for a kitchen or bathroom may go toward new appliances. These upgrades may also include high-priced materials such as marble, new tile, and custom cabinetry.
As a result, consider dividing your budget between updating the room’s function and its appearance.
Experiment with new looks. You may have redone the living room ten years ago, but those beige walls make you sick. As a result, your remodeling project may simply aim to bring your home up to date with current interior design trends. In many cases, this is a minor remodeling project, so the budget can be allocated to paint, furniture, or other decorative materials.
Because trends are, by definition, relatively short-lived, avoid undertaking a major renovation solely to embrace a new trend. The original style of the house’s architecture, according to Stephen Pallrand, owner and president of Home Front Build, a design-build and renovation company based in Los Angeles. “A lot of people make the mistake of walking into a Spanish colonial or even Craftsman house and then seeing a 1990s Home Depot kitchen or a modern kitchen,” he says.
Prepare to sell. Homeowners who are preparing their home for sale may need to make minor repairs, repaint rooms, or install a trendy backsplash to appeal to buyers who tour the property.