22 Jun Time to Remodel

Is it Time to Remodel?

There is no better time than right now to improve not only your home’s look and function as well as its value. Stop procrastinating.

Remodeling Reality

Let’s face it. Home Remodels, DIY Projects, or some combination of the two are no fun. Your remodeling project will almost always take longer than you thought. Plan on a month over and be happy when you come in ahead of schedule. Your remodel project will also cost more than you budgeted for. Add 15% for unexpected repairs and fees. If home repairs and remodels were easy, everyone would be doing it!

Do Not Despair

But don’t despair, “new look” visionaries. You know what you want your space to look and feel like. A wall out here. A new set of French Doors over there. A place where the kids can do homework or to host a big game party. If they can do it in 60 minutes on TV, why can’t you?

The first question to answer is what is your budget for the renovation project? Establishing this ceiling in the beginning will help guide future decisions. Kitchen Cabinets account for 30% of the total project budget. Labor 17%. Countertops 10%. There’s 60% of your budget and you haven’t even begun to replace appliances, lighting, flooring or doors and windows. Setting a cap on your budget first will guide you future decisions for your renovation project.

Use a Licensed and Bonded Contractor

If you are not going to be doing the renovation work, the question is “who will?” A licensed and bonded contractor is the best place to start. Ask friends or coworkers who has completed projects for them. What was their experience? Maybe you see a company’s vehicle at a job site and you stop and talk with them. Evaluate their answers and attitude carefully.

Make sure to get the following information from each contractors you are reviewing:

• Proof of License
• Proof of Insurance
• Names and numbers of his last 3 jobs completed

You have to do your due diligence in researching the best contractor for you. A personal recommendation from someone you know should carry some weight in your decision making process. Even if you make the best decision things can still get sideways and feelings get hurt. Communicate with your contractor. Ask your questions. A good contractor shouldn’t mind answering your inquiries. But don’t monopolize his time either. You hired him to finish the job!

Set a Budget and Work Plan

With a budget and a plan on how the work is to be done, you need to put on paper with your contractor all the work that is to be done. Your contractor should meet with you at your home to discuss this. Meeting in your space allows the contractor to talk to you about it, see it, and take notes. The contractor can then formulate the best timeline to accomplish your goals.

Next discuss with your contractor any preferences you have for cabinets, flooring and fixtures. You may have already picked out cabinets, counter tops, flooring and fixtures. Let the contractor know this. If he is not familiar with your choices, allow him to inspect them and ask questions. The contractor may have preferences in where he would like to get some materials, but it is your money and you have the final say. If you are buying materials from a 3^rd source, advise them of your timeline. Depending on the availability of materials, you may have to make an adjustment in your timeline or change materials.

Kitchen Remodel

The average kitchen remodel takes from 6 to 12 months. That’s from the first discussion and layout on a napkin to contractor has picked up all his tools and gone. You can adjust your time as long as it doesn’t adjust your budget. Be careful. Those $150 and $200 changes add up.

With all this being stated, the kitchen remodel provides the best return for your money spent than any other home remodel project. You could recoup 60-70% of your total spend from your kitchen. By comparison, a bathroom remodel only gets about 50% back. With all the products available today a homeowner can maximize their budget increasing the value of their project.

Re-Store Cabinet Design Center
If you decide on renovating your kitchen let one of the Kitchen Pro Designers at The Re-Store Warehouse help guide you. Schedule a free design session today and let your dream project become a reality.

14 Reasons why you should get your next set of cabinets from the Re-Store Warehouse