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Things to Know Before a Home Renovation 

Contractor. Check. Date scheduled. Check. Excitement for your home makeover. Check. You have your bases covered, and you’re ready for your home renovation. However, there are a few things you should know before demolition begins. Today, Kevin Szabo Jr. Plumbing offers up a few tips and what you can expect throughout the process.

Some home renovations offer a better ROI.

According to Seattle Credit Union, some home renovations will add value to your property. These include things you might expect, like updates to the kitchen and new garage doors, but also a few things you might not have considered. Major remodels that incorporate elements of universal design are hugely popular, and adding smart home technology might make your home more desirable to a broader demographic if you choose to sell later.

Many renovations can pull double duty.

Some home renovations also boost your property’s intrinsic value, and the big one here is having a home office that doubles as a guest room. Your guestroom should be cozy and comfortable, but it should be instantly changeable so that you can work when you need to. In addition to having plenty of mirrors and storage space, consider buying a sleeper sofa, which works as a bed and a couch for when you’re entertaining clients.

You might want to buy a home warranty. 

Your home renovation is a major investment, and you want to protect each piece of it as well as you can. When you want to find out “is a home warranty worth it?” you should understand that a home warranty offers peace of mind when it comes to your HVAC, appliances, and some other systems while your home insurance may cover only structural issues. After construction, get a home inspection. This will help you identify potential issues so that you can have them fixed. It will also give you a better idea of the condition of your home's appliances, which can help you decide if you’re going to spring for a home warranty.

Your contractor will probably rely on technology.

Gone are the days when everything was done by hand. Today, your contractor is likely to rely on apps and software to help price, invoice, and track progress on your job. If you have an electrician on site, for example, they will probably give you an estimate on the spot using a program that plugs in common prices.

Most projects go over budget.

There are many reasons the projects go over budget. One of these is the ever-changing cost of raw materials and product acquisition. But, as CRD Design Build explains, it could be your taste in finishes. If you need to reduce your expenses, consider simplifying or planning your project in phases.

No two contractors are the same.

If you haven’t yet planned your remodel, you should know that you’re likely to get many different quotes that run the gamut in price from seemingly affordable to insanely expensive. Don’t let the initial pricing structure sway your decision. Read the fine print, and make sure that you’re comparing apples to apples. Does each quote include getting permits and legal compliance? Has your contractor built in a cushion so that you don’t have surprises at the end? Are they using quality paint/materials?

If you make changes, that changes everything.

No contractor can fully guarantee the condition of your home behind the walls unless it’s already exposed at quote time. Water damage, foundation cracks, and other problems can all cause extra work, which means a bigger bill in the end. But so too can even seemingly small changes to your project. Understand that something as simple as changing the color or timeline can add costs to your project.

When you’re facing a home renovation, don’t go into it blindly. There are many things you should know. A few of these, such as the addition of technology to your contractor’s arsenal of quoting tools, which projects offer a better ROI, and why some rooms should be renovated for a dual purpose, such as a home office/guestroom, you should know before your project begins.

Guest Contributor: Bob Shannon