To get the home renovation you want, and a renovation experience that isn’t a nightmare, start the process out right.  Here are some tips on what to do from the beginning to get your project on the right track and keep it that way:

Always Select Experienced Professionals

Hiring experienced professionals for your home renovation project is a must. Check credentials and references of everybody you work with. You can find a lot about a contractor from their presentation materials. Look for, and expect, thorough, clearly written presentations on professional contracts and forms.  Don’t be swayed by a low-ball or lightly detailed prices or estimates. As in most things, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Sharing Your Budget

We find that prospective renovation clients are often reluctant to share their project budget with us in the initial discussion stages. It isn’t necessary to do so and we understand if you don’t.  A reputable and experienced professional will estimate and price your project per their procedures whether you share your budget or not.  But it can be helpful to provide a budget early in the process, so your professionals can help you determine whether there’s a reasonable correspondence between what you want done and what you want to spend.

Dealing With Uncertainty

Anybody who has ever done a substantial home renovation project will tell you that “things happen”. Choosing experienced people will help mitigate the potential for troubling changes.  So will a very detailed contract, when the time comes to put the deal into legally binding form.  Your contract should include clear provisions for addressing changes and unexpected conditions.  Consider a contingency fund.  Your builder should be able to tell you what items may crop up, and what size contingency to establish, based on the size and type of your project.

Are you ready to take on your next home renovation project? Get in touch to learn how Arlington Designer Homes can turn your renovation dreams into reality.

 

 

Leave a comment