A home renovation isn’t anything to undertake lightly. If you plan on remaining in the home for a long time to come, then the renovation can have a big impact on your daily life. If you’re trying to sell your own property, the renovation can have an impact on how easily you get it sold. And no matter the circumstance, renovations always come with some expense and some inconvenience.
Needless to say, it’s important to take a prudent, strategic approach to your home renovation. That starts with asking the right questions.
Asking the Right Questions About Your Home Renovation
Indeed, before you hire the remodeling crew, take some time for honest self-reflection. Make sure you can answer all of these questions; and if you share the space with a spouse or partner, make sure they’re on the same page, too! Some top questions to consider include:
Which rooms would you like to have remodeled?
This may seem like a no-brainer, but there’s a little bit more to it than you might think. That’s because when you renovate one room, it can often have a big impact on the surrounding rooms. For example, updating your kitchen may make the adjoining dining room feel antiquated. Consider whether you need to have multiple rooms worked on, or if just revamping one area will suffice.
What’s your budget?
There are a number of costs associated with home renovations, including labor, materials, consultant/designer fees, zoning permits, taxes, and more. We’d recommend that you make a budget before you do anything else and have a good sense of how much you can truly afford to spend on your renovation.
How will you be using the renovated room?
Are you renovating the space because you want to get your house sold? Or do you actually plan to use it? If you do plan to stay put, think about how you’ll actually be inhabiting the renovated room, day in and day out. Is it a room for entertaining? A room for guests? A room where you’ll just chill with your family? The function of the room can often determine the kinds of design choices you make during the remodeling process.
What kind of style do you prefer?
What are your aesthetic preferences? Something classic? Something modern? Somehow, you’ll need to communicate this to your renovation team. Putting it into words can be helpful, but you may also be able to browse the Web and find some inspiration photos, showing your contractors roughly what kind of aesthetic you’re aiming for.
Is accessibility a concern?
If you have family members who have any kind of physical impairment or limited range of motion, that’s obviously something to think about as you consider your renovation. At the same time, think about the future, and about the likelihood that you’ll have older family members living with you any time soon. You may wish to design your new space with accessibility in mind. Another thing to keep in mind is that, if you plan on living in the home well into your golden years, aging-in-place designs can really be handy.
Will the renovation add value?
Simply put, some home renovations add real value to the property, and some don’t. That’s definitely something to think about, whether you plan on selling your own property now or in the distant future. Generally speaking, the renovations that add a lot of value include new bedrooms; kitchen and bathroom remodels; and upgrades to the front door, window, roof, or siding. The renovations that don’t add as much value are pool installations or new home office spaces.
Get More House Selling Tips
Renovations can be exciting and a little bit daunting, often at the same time. Use these questions to be sure you’re pursuing your remodeling project wisely.
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