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Remodelling your house is one of the best ways to turn it into a home. It’s like customizing its features to suit your need and wants. Unlike building a house, you’re not starting from scratch. Depending on its scope, it can be a big and costly project you’ll want to get done right, even the first time.
✓ It would be best to put a lot of thought, research, and preparation into your home remodelling project before jumping right into it. Renovations aren’t as easy as depicted on TV, as many can go wrong. If you’re not fully prepared for the project, you’ll be overwhelmed by all the bumps you’ll be facing, causing delays and expensive mistakes that could’ve otherwise been avoided.
✓ This guide is here to help first-timers get acquainted first with a few essential principles to remember during home renovations.
Home Remodeling Massachusetts: A Guide For First-Timers
1. Choose The Right Contractor
✓ While some homeowners can successfully do DIY remodelling projects, such may not be the case if you’re still a first-timer. Be realistic about what you can and can’t do. If you want to learn, you can start with minor aspects of home renovation for now. Leave the bigger and more difficult ones to a good contractor.
✓ There are many home remodeling Massachusetts contractors, but they have different standards and reputations. Now that you’ll be spending on their fees, you’ll want every money to be worth it. Take the time to research your options, compare, and ask questions so you can be 100% certain you’re in the hands of the best local contractor.
2. Set A Budget And Follow It
✓ Remodelling a home requires a budget, so start with this. Always be transparent about your budget with your chosen contractor. A good one can work their way around it so that you can stay within your limits.
✓ If your budget is too slim that it’s impossible to achieve your desired renovation, the contractor should also inform you of this. That way, any adjustments are always with your approval, and you’ll not be surprised by unexpected bills. It’s worth emphasizing as it’s an all-too-familiar situation in home renovations.
✓ Sticking to your budget should also be balanced with quality, as this should never be compromised.
3. Consult The Calendar
✓ The best way to create a time frame or schedule for home remodelling is to work your way backwards. It means starting with your goal date or target turnover, especially if that falls on a particular day or a holiday. Discuss the expected timeline with your contractor so you can make adjustments based on when day one will be.
✓ Once those months are on your calendar, add an extra three to four weeks as wiggle room. A few delays here and there are expected in home renovations, often with factors beyond one’s control, like late deliveries or lousy weather. That month of wiggle room can help avoid disappointments due to squeezed time.
4. Do Your Demolition
✓ If you’re pinching pennies, one of the best ways to save on remodelling costs is to do your demolitions. However, take this advice, as it’s not to be taken as an absolute rule. Because this is yet your first time to undergo renovation, limit this to outdoor areas that are easy and fast to demolish. A little research and video tips will suffice.
✓ As for your home’s interior walls and posts, however, leave these to the builders. Those are trickier and take a lot more technical experience. The last thing you’d want is to accidentally knock down walls that also serve as foundations for the second floor. This mistake is as costly as it is dangerous.
✓ Outdoor decks, patios, and sheds are some places you can safely demolish as a first-timer.
5. Consider If Any Permits Are Needed
✓ One of the common misconceptions about home remodelling is that unlike building from the ground up, it doesn’t necessarily need permits. This notion can be false, depending on the local laws. Check with the authorities and builders first, as the building codes and regulations can also change.
✓ For example, building codes may require permits for renovation projects with additions or reductions to the existing structure. The only exception when permits may not be necessary is when the home remodelling project is merely decorative.
✓ Complying with those building permits can save you a lot of legal trouble during the renovation time frame, should you get caught without one. Most importantly, many buyers and agents also look for those permits if you sell your home.
6. Don’t Skip On The Materials
✓ Buying cheap materials can save you a lot in the present, but it could only lead to even more expenses in the long run. Cheap materials can mean inferior quality, which also translates to a shorter lifespan of your new home. Chips, cracks, and other broken areas are bound to start showing a few years sooner than if you’d invested in top-notch materials instead.
✓ If you’re going for the home remodelling project this year, go all out with what you can afford. If it’s something you can’t afford without sacrificing the quality of materials, it’s a project that can always wait.
7. Beware Of Passing Trends
✓ Lastly, beware of style trends that are merely fads. If the budget still allows for it, it’s an excellent move to take that extra step of hiring an architect. They can keep you in the loop with design elements to achieve your dream home without falling into fads.
✓ Your home shouldn’t be laden with passing trends, as when that’s no longer in style, your home will quickly feel outdated. Rather than lose its charm and value due to style, you can keep it time-proof with classic design elements.
Final Thoughts
✓ Bringing your dream home to life is exciting but also backed by stress and anxiety. The best parts of remodelling the home are always towards the latter when it’s time to move back in and decorate before all that are the less-than-thrilling tasks of knocking down walls, painting, and building partitions, among many other aspects of your home renovation.
✓ The guide you’ve just read through should be sufficient with the essential tips to remember as you give your home its best transformation.
