Thing No. 1 You will go over budget.
If you can show us
someone who did not go over budget on his or her remodel project, we’ll
show you a miracle. Seriously, you’re more likely to see the face of
the Madonna in a tortilla. The best thing to do is to budget 80 percent
of what you can afford. It could save your marriage if not your
mind. There are a number of remodeling estimating sites that can
give you a ballpark. We love www.remodelestimates.com These guys
are genius. They ask you a very quick series of questions and
they’ll not only give you an economy, average and high-end estimate,
but how much you can expect the project to increase the value of your
home based on your zip code. It seriously takes about 5 seconds
and when presented to the critical eyes of our real life pros, they got
a raised eyebrow and a thumbs-up for being “about right.”
They
even have a Find a Licensed Contractor in Your Area feature. Sweet.
Thing No. 2 Have a vision.
It is important that you
determine what you want up front. Make decisions about finishes,
appliances, cabinetry etc. Look for pictures of things that you
like. You don’t need an exact degree of specificity but you need
to have a picture of what the end result will look like. This
will allow you to spec the project in enough detail so that you can get
apples to apples comparative bids. We’ve seen way too many people
ask for bids without specifying what they want. In the absence of
this knowledge, the bidders make it up. Then the clients have wildly
divergent numbers because they’re based on wildly divergent
projects. Not to mention, the sheer number of choices is mind
numbing. Many a fool has ventured off-track when presented with
the vast array of hand made tiles from the Inca hinterlands. This
is not to say that an inspired idea cannot be incorporated, but use the
overall vision as your benchmark. If you’ve decided French
Country is the overarching look, you can admire that high-gloss,
laminated cabinet finish but…no. Speaking of mind numbing, if
your favorite magazines or a trip to the bookstore doesn’t get you
there, there are more remodel information sites online then you could
ever, ever begin to get to in many lifetimes. Start with homechannel.aol.com or hgtv.com
Thing No. 3 Consult a designer.
Even if you have a flair
for design, you’d be surprised at how much experience has taught them
to anticipate problems and have ways of solving them that you would
never have imagined unless you’d done this a million times. This
is particularly true with kitchens and bathrooms. Look for
someone who is ASID certified (American Society of Interior
Designers) http://www.asid.org. Fees range wildly from $75-$350 per
hour. Usually $150/hour should do it. Mark-up on
actual purchases will be separate so cover this off with him/her. These
are generally between 15-30% but you shouldn’t be paying tax. Try designfinder.com.
Thing No. 4 Hire a contractor.
Seriously people, unless
you’re Bob Villa or some kind of masochist, if the project requires any
kind of building, electrical, plumbing or installation expertise, or
unless you want the kind of pain and suffering that is sure to ensue,
get a professional. Referrals are best but in any case, ask to
see his license and proof of bond. You can also check
www.nascla.org. Get three bids (based on identical specs – see No. 1)
and ask for testimonials from previous clients and examples of previous
work. If you’re really feeling ambitious, try to get at
least somewhat acquainted with building codes in your area. A
whole lot of people build things that are illegal without even knowing
it: http://www.codecheck.com
Thing No. 5 Construct your strategy for living.
Establish your “safe zone.” A kitchen remodel for example is very
disruptive. You’ll need some kind of temporary facility: a
microwave, a hot plate, water and refrigeration. Most people do
multiple room projects in phases. If you can’t afford to remain
at your summer mansion while all this chaos is taking place, you should
set up a base camp somewhere in the house that is outside of the
demilitarized zone. This includes figuring out where all the
stuff that will go back in the room once it’s done, has to live in the
meantime. Finally, make sure you know the schedule. You
don’t want plumbers showing up on Saturday when you’re due to entertain
the neighborhood kids. On account of the butt crack thing and all.
Thing No. 6 Adopt a certain amount of Zen attitude.
Breathe. (Well as much as possible with all the dust.) This
is a process. It is fluid. Shit will happen. Try to
remember how much you’re going to be thinking about that window over
the sink when you’re lying on your deathbed reflecting on your life.