When you are planning a home renovation, there are many factors to consider and it can be challenging to know where to begin. Before getting started, here are a few ideas to help better organize yourself in preparation for meeting with a firm to discuss your remodeling project.
Prepare a List of Your Frustrations
A good place to start is to take a look around and prepare a list of frustrations with the existing spaces throughout your home. Do the finishes feel dated? Are your kitchen drawers falling apart? Are the floors stained from spills or wear and tear? Do you have cluttered counters because of an overall lack of storage space? Does your primary bath feature a space-hogging soaking tub that is seldom used? Are you tired of colliding with your spouse or partner whenever you prepare a meal? Whatever they may be, write down every frustrating aspect of your home that you’d like to consider in your renovation.
List Your Remodel Needs & Wants
Divide your list into ‘needs’ and ‘wants.’ As we have discovered, there are certain renovation features that are “must haves”. In any renovation, “must haves” are the things that must happen. For example, if there are structural or safety issues- a loose handrail, water damage, mold- those items are non-negotiable. If you are remodeling your kitchen, new cabinetry and fixtures are ‘needs.’
“Nice to have” items are the things that you desire to have in your remodel, but that you could live without if either the budget won’t allow for them, or perhaps supply chain issues are affecting their availability. For instance, certain luxury brand appliances are taking longer than usual to deliver which could impact your project’s production schedule if you decide you really “must have” that “nice to have” item. Creating a list of “must haves” and “nice to haves” will better prepare you to make decisions down the road when your project begins to take shape.
Write a Vision
A good architect can translate your personal vision for how you want to feel when you are using your new/renovated space into a design customized to your lifestyle. Write a vision that describes, in detail, how you feel in your space. For example: “I am working in my new office and I love the natural light that floods the room. I go to my new kitchen for coffee and feel energized because there is no clutter on the countertops, it is crisp and fresh with plenty of space to sit. The kids come downstairs before heading off to school and the usual chaos is now calm and organized- no one is tripping over each other and backpacks and shoes are easy to find in the new mudroom.” Don’t worry about the specific solutions, simply describe the way you want to live and feel in your new space, and let the architect and designers figure out how to bring your vision to life.
Create a Home Renovation Ideas Photo Album
Whether you use Houzz, or Pinterest, or simply save photos to a folder on your computer, search the internet for photos of home spaces and designs that inspire you. More is actually more in this regard. Gather as many photos as possible of all the types of rooms you are looking to renovate and make notes about the colors, textures, materials, or other features you admire in each. Our project portfolio is a wonderful place to get started gathering pictures for your home renovation ideas photo album. Among other things, having this prepared in advance of the meeting with your Anthony Wilder designer will help them to triangulate on the style and color palette that you prefer.
Think About Your Home Renovation Budget
You should have a general idea of what you are comfortable investing in a home renovation, but strive for flexibility. Home remodeling is oftentimes more costly than people anticipate. This is just one of the reasons we don’t offer “ballpark estimates” for clients. Every remodel is different–as unique as the homeowners seeking the renovation. Follow this link to learn more about our design-build process. When thinking about your budget, remember that remodeling is not only an investment in your home, but also in your quality of life. Remember that list of frustrations you prepared? Your objective is to eliminate those irritants and make your home a happier place to live. What is that happiness worth to you? Let your desire for a stress free, happier living environment guide your thinking about budget. Again, home remodeling may be more expensive than you think it will be, but when you work with an award-winning firm like Anthony Wilder, it is always well worth the investment in the end.