A home remodel is a fantastic opportunity to reinvent your home and lifestyle by updating key living spaces both inside and outside. You are investing in your home and, like any investment, it’s important to carefully consider your goals, plan for your project implementation, and set a clear budget. This way you will ensure that everyone’s expectations are clear, and you will help ensure that your project is a success.
For any size remodeling job, you must carefully plan for your project. Even if you are simply updating your living room décor, you still have to figure out the materials you need, plan your scope and the steps involved, and figure out your required budget. If you are embarking on a larger project, then the planning and coordination is more complex. You may require structural work, especially if you plan to extend or move a wall. Your project may also need the services of a skilled carpenter, electrician, and plumber, particularly when you are considering a new kitchen design or bathroom remodel.
The first step to a successful home remodel is to plan and, for anything more than a simple style update, to partner with an experienced home designer who can help you create the perfect design to achieve your remodeling goals. Start with our top 8 remodeling mistakes to avoid when embarking on your next project.
1. Prioritizing Trends over Your Own Style and Practical Needs
Trends are fun to follow, whether they are fashion, hairstyle, or home design trends. Just like the latest fashion trends might not suit your personal tastes or the top hair trends might not fit your hair type, not all home design trends will be the right choice for your home. They are a great way to get inspiration for your upcoming project but beware of just copying trends and assuming they will fit into your home and lifestyle.
You can browse your favorite websites or social media pages, where you might find a cabinet color, storage idea, or lighting style you never thought of that is perfect for your design. Take elements of the latest design trends and don’t be afraid to incorporate them into your plans, but make sure they gel with your home’s style and your practical needs.
Your design choices should not jar with any surrounding spaces unless you plan to update the entire home in the near future. If you are remodeling a small, enclosed space like a powder room, then you have more options to introduce a completely new style to your home.
Consider your family’s comfort as well as who will be using these spaces. Just because you love the look of a modern or rustic style kitchen design, doesn’t mean that it’s right for your home. What style will you be more comfortable with, and will last for the duration of your investment in your new space? Answer these questions and you will choose a style that will last and enhance your lifestyle for years to come.
2. Cutting Corners
Quality counts when choosing almost anything in life, whether it is clothes or a new car, and the same goes for your home living spaces. Key spaces in your home are subject to constant foot traffic, pets and their claws, moisture, dirt, and heavy or sharp items. This requires durable surfaces and quality workmanship to ensure your home can withstand everything your family throws at it (sometimes literally!).
Choose your materials carefully with the help of a qualified and knowledgeable design expert to find the perfect options for your home. By cutting corners on these materials your home will be more difficult to maintain, less durable, and more likely to require repairs or further remodeling before you have gotten a return on your investment. This doesn’t mean you need an unlimited budget to get the desired result. With so many products and design techniques available, you can focus your budget dollars on the most important elements to achieve your design goals and find alternatives for other materials.
3. Ignoring Storage Needs
Storage is required in almost any room in your home but is especially important in the kitchen, bathrooms, and utility spaces. It can also be key in living or entertainment rooms where you may want to keep board games, jigsaw puzzles, or entertainment systems organized and ready to use. Failing to plan for sufficient and targeted storage means that your remodeled room will be cluttered and difficult to clean and maintain.
Storage is just as important as style when creating a plan for your home design. First, declutter your room and then figure out what you need to keep in that location. Determine what items need to be readily accessible, what you prefer to keep behind cabinet doors, and which, if any, items you would like to arrange in open storage such as floating shelves or cubbies. Creating the right storage for your needs will transform your room and make it an enjoyable space that is easier to use and keep clean.
4. Not Planning Ahead
If you love to plan everything from the kids’ activities to your weekly dinners, then you know the value of a good plan for keeping everyone organized and on track. When it comes to a home remodeling project, planning is essential. For any size project, you must plan your scope, the steps of your project, dependencies, when professionals are required on-site, required materials (and having them available when you need them), and your budget.
The more complex your project, the more planning is involved, and this is when it is essential to call in the professionals. Start by understanding your requirements and goals, and crafting a design that fits your space, style, practical needs, and personal preferences. An experienced kitchen or bath designer will walk you through every step of this process to get the perfect design for you. They will also help you select products, order them, and coordinate with your remodeling team to make sure your project runs smoothly from start to finish.
Part of this planning involves getting all required approvals and permits before your project starts. An experienced design and remodeling team will navigate the local and county building requirements and ensure all necessary permits are in place. Failing to do so before demolition could result in fines, legal issues, and a negative impact on your ability to sell your home in later years.
Planning also means you should consider your requirements for your home not just today but also for the anticipated lifespan of the project. Think about how long you plan to stay in your home, how long you anticipate your remodel to last, and what your family will look like during that timeframe. Are you a family with young, growing kids or are you designing for aging in place? Decide what you need and cater your design to accommodate your requirements for the time you plan to use the space
5. Failing to Plan for Extras
The finishing touches for a remodeling project are like icing on a special cake. Without them your space will not feel complete, so make sure you plan for these items and leave space in your remodeling budget to pay for them. They also help to complete your space by adding color and texture, so be sure to plan for them when creating your design vision. Extra elements that give your design a finishing touch include:
- Flooring and floor coverings such as rugs,
- Cabinet hardware,
- Light fixtures,
- Soft textiles such as curtains and towels,
- Freestanding furniture, and
- Decorative accessories such as artwork, candles, and much more.
6. Overdoing Your Remodel…Or Not Doing Enough
When planning your home remodeling project, you should aim to create home living spaces you will love and that will last you for years. Once you have set your mind to a remodeling project, committed your time and money to it, and opened up your home to a remodeling team, it pays to do as much as you can manage. Set a list of priorities, figure out your budget and how you plan to finance your project, and then determine what your project scope will be.
At the same time, you should make sure your remodel fits your needs and that you don’t overdo it. Look at how long you plan to remain in your home and what your requirements are for that timeframe. Do you plan to resell your home, and if so, what work do you need to do to help your resale value? You should also look at other homes in your neighborhood, especially if you plan to sell, to make sure you are not pricing yourself out of your local real estate market.
7. Not Looking at Your Room’s Layout
The layout forms the foundation for any room in your home, whether you are designing an open-plan first floor or a small powder room. The first thing you must do when planning a remodel is to examine your room’s layout and decide if it still fits your needs or if you need to change. If you require a change, can your existing space accommodate your needs, and if not, are you able to expand your footprint?
Expanding your footprint could involve extending your design into an adjacent room that is part of an open plan, moving or removing a wall, or a full addition to add more living space to your home. Any remodeling job that involves changing your layout, especially one that impacts plumbing or electrical wiring, will increase the scope and budget of your project.
Start by thinking about what you like and don’t like about your existing layout. If you can create a design that addresses these issues but works with your existing layout, go for it. If you can’t then consider how you can expand or change your layout to achieve your home design goals.
8. Failing to Budget
You must understand the full scope of your project and the budget required to achieve your goals before commencing work. Budgeting for a home remodel involves more than pricing up components like the cabinetry and flooring. In addition to your product costs, it also involves examining labor, construction, and clean-up costs, as well as contingency. You must have a clear picture of the full costs before proceeding so you do not have any unwelcome surprises during the remodel. A full budget is also important if you are seeking financing for your project. When you work with a trusted design professional, they can walk you through all the costs involved in your remodel. They can also give you a transparent view of the full costs and help you understand alternative options so you can make smart decisions about your project.
Home should be a place where you can retreat to enjoy time with family and friends, refresh yourself, and feel comfortable. It should also reflect your personal style, while also meeting your family’s functional needs to make life easier and more enjoyable. If your home does not meet your needs, then it could be time for a remodel. This investment in your home will enhance your lifestyle and create a space where you will love to spend time. Start by understanding the mistakes to avoid in a home remodel and then contact our experienced design team to help you get started on the path toward achieving your home design goals.