By going through the design process before beginning a remodeling project, you can determine your budget upfront and avoid making rash and costly decisions as work progresses. The first step in any remodeling project should be obtaining a detailed estimate from a contractor, but there are many other things you can do to prepare before work begins. Consider the following tips:
• Distinguish what you need from what you want—this may mean the difference between a remodeling project you can afford and one that will put you in debt.
• Make a detailed list of everything you want to include in the new room, such as light fixtures and furniture. Be sure to include specifications such as model, size and color. All this information will be included in the contract, so it needs to be as accurate as possible.
• Designate a small percentage of your budget to allow for unforeseeable needs or difficulties that may come up later.
• If you’re on a tight budget, consider completing the project in stages—it’s more financially manageable to start small and gradually add on.
Save money by considering creative solutions. A remodeling project doesn’t have to be a budget behemoth, necessitating the tearing apart and reconstruction of an entire room. Sometimes a mere paint or wallpaper job will make a significant difference, and those projects are much less expensive than knocking out walls or rearranging utilities. Instead of adding square footage to your home, try borrowing space from a neighboring room (known as “space reconfiguration”) or installing a vaulted window to create open space via optical illusion. These are just a few of the many possibilities that can make your remodeling project more cost-effective.
Be flexible in your vision. Sometimes people have remodeling ideas that don’t work as well in reality as they do in theory. A knowledgeable contractor will be able to determine if your idea is realistic for your budget, and if not, should be able to give you comparable options. “For example, if someone wants a marble countertop in their kitchen, it’s the contractor’s responsibility to point out that soft stone stains easily and may not be the best option,” explains Paul Asadov, president of Zeus Remodeling in Daly City. “The countertop can be sealed, but that’s only a temporary solution. A better suggestion would be granite or stone—something that will repel stains better than marble.”
