Home Improvement Basics
Everyone has things about their home they wish they could change. Fortunately, since you own your own home, you can change most of them. Before you break down that wall or run out and hire a contractor, read this article.It will help you make the important decisions regarding your first renovation project.
If you need to fix multiple areas of your home, take a few minutes and make a list. Include both the little things and the major renovations in your list. Rank them in order of priority and set up a ballpark budget for each. This will help you decide what to do next. Even if money is tight and you can't afford to do one of the large renovations, you still may be able to start working on some of the simple things. For example, you may not be able to completely rebuild your kitchen right now, but repainting that awful color in the living room is probably doable even if the kitchen is a bit higher on the list. This will make it much easier to plan out what to do next.
You should always hire a professional for any electrical or plumbing you need done, however, as trying to do these yourself is extremely dangerous. Skipping a general contractor and just hiring individual workers is a lot more work but will save you a lot of money on the total renovation. Make sure that each one has a specific contract that lists what they need to do and what they will do to cover work that is not up to par and try to inspect their work as soon as it is finished.
When you decide that you will need to hire a contractor, make sure you are making an informed decision. Read as many reviews on their work as possible and only request quotes from the best. Be very specific about what you want them to do, and get an estimate of the time and budget required. Remember that while you want this disruption in your life to be as short as possible, some projects take a minimum amount of time to complete properly.
Be sure to think about how you will function while your home is being renovated. The most common renovations are in the kitchen and bathroom, which are in critical areas of the house. Make sure you have temporary eating or showering arrangements made beforehand. A hot plate and a microwave in the dining room can allow you to prepare a few simple meals. Scheduling shower times with a neighbor can help keep you clean without being too much of a bother. If your home is going to be completely unlivable for awhile, you may need to move out completely. If you can arrange to have access to a travel trailer this can keep you close by without having to live in the dust and debris. If you really trust your contractor, use this time as an excuse to take a short vacation.
Home improvements are difficult and expensive. However, if you take the time to inform yourself about the process and plan accordingly it will be much easier to handle. Use what you have learned in this article to help create the home of your dreams.
