Home Remodelling: Planning Pointers From the Pros for Your Next Big Project

We share some home reno tips, tricks, and pointers that we’ve learned from the pros!

Photo: Cord Shiflet

Finding great decorating ideas for your next home reno project is fun and easy, but finding a way to prioritize it all can be quite tricky! You may come by so many great ideas for things to do over the house; you’ll soon have a major case of disorientation. How do you make up your mind about what you really want, and where do you start?

Many homeowners get mixed up and decide to spread themselves thin over a number of projects. Often, they run out of cash in the middle, or give up when they see there are more important areas in their home to invest in. This leaves the home full of unusable areas, that’s why it’s super important to make a plan even before you start. Here’s how:

Let Your House Speak to You

Just moved into your new home? Do nothing at first and let your home do the talking. You’ll quickly see the different home-improvement needs and challenges the house may have. While you may get busy with a cosmetic update at one point, you may become aware of a far more demanding functional update needed in another part of the house.

A furnace that needs cleaning, wall mold, and cold bathrooms in the winter is far more pressing than painting a new accent wall, or a $300 living room coffee table.

De-clutter The Whole Home

When people decide on new remodeling plans, they often lose sight of the real reason they need the project in the first place – to make more storage space. Too much clutter in the kitchen calls for a remodeling project for more kitchen storage. Too many clothes, toys, and even furniture can lead up to a remodeling project to accumulate them. Tackle the root of the problem first – de-clutter.

Set a Budget and Focus

Budgets have a great way of telling you what needs to be done first. When you’re short of money, you will be forced to think about what really needs attention. If you only have a few hundred bucks, for instance, you may begin to see that new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are far more important than getting new rugs. Draw out a budget and plan first before you begin purchasing blindly.  

Think About Return on Investment

Contact a real estate agency that you trust, and discuss the kinds of remodels that could raise the value of your home on the market. Usually projects such as landscaping (browse this site to see how important landscaping tends to be to prospective homebuyers), new windows for the front of the house, or even a new front door can drastically improve curb appeal. Remember that you don’t need to justify every single spending choice you make – a new set of curtains can simply make you feel better, which can be enough return on money spent!

Think About Functionality

Don’t work on expensive projects that won’t be used or in function right away. For instance, if winter is drawing close, it makes a lot of sense to put off a pergola purchase until spring. There’s no point sinking money into something that you won’t even get to use for a few months. You could use the money to update your insulation or add draught proofing to your home.