What to Keep in Mind Before Starting a New Home Project

You are about to start a big home project and you are in the process of lining up all those ducks in a nice, neat row. You probably feel both excited and a little nervous. Excited, because you are improving your home, and nervous because remodels, upgrades, and repairs can be huge undertakings. As you prepare for your new home project, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

Know Your Timeline

By preparing for your project, you are working to minimize the unhappy surprises that tend to pop up. One of those is how long the project will take. It is human nature to become wildly optimistic when making predictions about timelines. When you want something badly enough, it is easy to see those desires as rational expectations. However, work projects are notoriously slow. Talk to your contractor to get a best-guess estimate, but don’t hold them to that too closely. The supply chain is in a state of crisis right now, making deliveries slow and inventories low. Factor in Mother Nature and the fact that your contractors are human, and you are almost guaranteed to experience a delay or two. 

Don’t Break Your Budget

As much as you want your home project completed now, you do need to find a way to pay for it. Whether you get a renovation loan, a home equity loan, or you have saved up the cash to pay for your project, it is important to set a budget and stick to it. This will protect you from any upselling that your retailers might try to get you on. Thankfully, there are many affordable options available today that rival high-end materials and brands in both utility and aesthetics. For example, you can fix up a bathroom using inexpensive materials to keep your budget low.

Plan Ahead 

Any significant home project involves some form of disruption. Whether that is living without a kitchen or bathroom for several weeks or not being able to use your backdoor, it is best to plan ahead. Before construction even begins, figure out any necessary detours, substitutions, and special accommodations that will make your life easier while your home is in disarray. And if any of those disruptions will affect your neighbors, be neighborly and let them know what to expect. 

Home projects are exciting! Soon, you will get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. For now, though, do your homework, plan ahead, and hang on tight! It might be a wild ride, but it will be worth it in the end. 

Check out this article for tips on creating a budget for your renovation project!