As summer approaches, now are the time to start thinking about ways to refresh your home. While making a list of projects you want to complete this year, it is very important to start early.
Preparing well in advance is going to help reduce stress and ensure you are well equipped for completing projects efficiently.
6 Easy Ways to Prepare for Home Renovations
Plan Your Projects
When determining which projects you need to complete, this is going to vary from person to person and home to home. Each home is different, so start by identifying areas of your home that are outdated.
Take a look at areas that aren’t functioning properly. Sometimes these can be the most important rooms to renovate, making your home operate according to your lifestyle.
If there are multiple dated rooms in your home, pick one that is used most often and start there. These rooms tend to include the kitchen & bathroom.
Trends are ever-changing and staying on top of these is one way to ensure your home is growing equity. Sometimes a change as simple as switching out a light fixture or changing the paint color is all that’s needed.
Next, identify rooms in the home that don’t function with your current lifestyle. These rooms typically will include common areas such as the living room and dining room. Because they are the most utilized in the home, they’ll need to be set up for success.
Do this by making changes that help their functionality. In the living room, be sure there’s enough seating to accommodate your family as well as regular guests. When hosting, it is important to be sure they feel comfortable in your home. The same goes for your dining room.
Now that you’ve identified the areas in your home that need attention, utilize a project planner to get those thoughts out in front of you. This can be a paper or digital planner; either way, it will be important to prioritize which projects you will complete first, second, third, etc.
Don’t try to tackle everything at once. It will cause unnecessary stress and is not the most efficient use of time. Instead stagger your projects, that way your entire home doesn’t become a construction site. Allowing you to live in your home while updates are happening.
Invest in the Future
Before beginning your projects, you’ll want to delegate and determine exactly where you want your money to go. Making an investment in pieces that you will cherish for years to come is important and will also increase the value of your home.
In addition to increasing your home’s value, you will also enjoy spending time in your home and it can create an environment that improves your health and wellbeing.
Natural light, plants, and texture are all ways to create an ambiance in your home that will aid in your mental health.
Opening up the space is a great way to increase the natural light in your home. In older homes, it may also be necessary to include additional windows in the new design or even increase the size of the windows that are already there.
Plants are another great way to support your mental health within the home. Even faux plants can provide the same benefits without requiring any maintenance for those who live a busy life. Keep in mind that some of these benefits are only possible with real plants, such as improved air quality, but nonetheless are helpful.
Textures and colors in the home are also worth investing in. Bringing in natural-earthy materials, such as plants or wood, also aids in the well-being of the people living there. This is done by increasing your mood and productivity psychologically.
Invest in yourself when renovating your home by including items and features that make you happy and increase your health. Some other elements that are worth looking into include an air purifier, non-toxic materials, and proper insulation.
Create a Budget
After identifying the projects you will be completing, start outlining the costs. Be sure to include the cost of materials, tools needed, and any professional help that is required. This is also the time to start considering ways to save money on each project.
Once you’ve identified these costs, next consider different payment methods. Ideally, you will pay cash, but sometimes that isn’t possible.
You can also consider using a loan. Some types of loans you can apply for include a personal loan or a home equity loan. Both of these are great options if you need to finance partial or entire projects.
If you want to avoid taking out a loan, consider planning your project further out. If you have the time, start setting aside money out of each paycheck into a separate account.
It is smart to have this money automatically taken out of your paycheck and set aside. This ensures that you don’t spend it on something else.
If time is needed to save the proper amount of money, look at your project calendar and push projects back. With a quick calculation, you’ll be able to determine when you’ll have saved enough, barring any emergencies.
There are multiple platforms you can use to help you with your budget and tracking costs. Some of these can include extra expenses but are very useful. To save money try using an excel spreadsheet.
This will allow you to create your budget and keep up with it. Reference your project planner while creating your budget as these should both work hand-in-hand.
Determine if You Need a Professional
The next step is to decide if you need help and if so, what type of help you’ll need. Painters, plumbers, and electricians are all great resources for specific projects.
They’re also important because a professional will ensure your home renovations are safe and up to code. In the event that you sell your home, this will be crucial to keep in mind.
Finding the right person for the job is also a critical step. Start by doing research to find a contractor in your area. Next, interview them and read reviews to ensure you are hiring the right person for the job. Consider asking for a quote as well, to compare contractors and find the best fit.
Be sure your contractor has experience in the specific projects that you want to be done and ask to see photos of past work. The last thing you want to do is spend thousands of dollars just to have to pay someone else to fix it.
An important piece to this step of the process is determining which project will require a professional and which will not. Some people will outsource all of the work, which has many benefits. Some include saving time and ensuring the job is done correctly.
However, tackling some of the projects yourself can save a lot of money. If you’re tight on cash, take on some of the more simple tasks. Painting and changing out hardware is easy enough to complete yourself and can be fun.
Be sure to avoid taking on projects yourself that you don’t have experience or knowledge in. This can result in additional costs and time spent fixing them if errors are made. Projects such as air conditioning installation have risks and are typically best if left to a professional.
Gather Supplies
The final step in preparing for your upcoming projects is gathering the supplies needed to get the job done.
Not only does this include physical materials, but tools as well. Start by looking at which project you’ve planned to start first and gather those materials and tools.
This step will be completed before you start each and every project. One benefit of this is saving you several trips to the hardware store. It will result in saving time and avoiding any delays that may occur.
A lot of materials and new fixtures may be purchased online, so ordering in advance makes for the efficient completion of projects.
Another helpful tip is to create a material list for each project now! Doing this in advance will help ensure you don’t forget anything, and will allow you to order things in time for upcoming renovations.
During this step of the process, you can also identify which items to splurge on and where to save. For example, choose a high-quality bathroom vanity to splurge on while saving on items such as mirrors and decor for the vanity.
Find these at local thrift stores that can be repurposed into one-of-a-kind design elements. This will ensure the permanent piece lasts a long time while the accents highlight the vanity and save you money in the end.
Start Completing Projects
Once all the prep work is completed, the only thing left to do is start executing projects. The number one thing to keep in mind throughout the completion process is that it is okay to deter from the plans. With this being said, it will be easiest to stick to the plan as much as possible but you will have to bend a little.
It is very rare that every project you have done will run exactly as planned. When renovating you must have an open mind because things will come up and obstacles are bound to happen, especially in an older home.
To minimize these obstacles you might want to consider having a home inspection done prior to beginning your projects. This will help you get a deeper look into the state of your home and ultimately allow you to plan for additional projects that would otherwise be sprung on you without warning.
To ensure all your plans don’t have to be reconsidered, try scheduling your home inspections before diving into planning, budgeting, and executing projects. This will set you up for success while also preventing any unnecessary hiccups in the plan.
Some other helpful tips to keep in mind include being smart and avoiding rushing. When rushing projects, things can get done incorrectly and result in causing issues or safety hazards down the road.
When in doubt, consult a professional before doing projects yourself to avoid the risks associated. As long as you do the work beforehand, everything will be completed without potential safety hazards occurring.
