Staying Sane Through a Remodel
I remember sitting with my husband in the deer stand last fall and I asked him for some of his thoughts on remodeling in general and he said, “Don’t do it, don’t remodel!”
Ha! What does he know? He actually knows a lot (don’t tell him I said that), but not so much about decorating. I remodeled our own home and I’ve helped numerous clients with their remodels over the past 3 years, so I want to share with you 6 lessons I've learned throughout various remodels to help you from losing your sanity during your own home makeover.
#1 Hire a Pro
This might seem counter productive to your DIY dreams, but hiring someone who actually knows what they are doing will save you a lot of money, time and, let's be real, your marriage in the long run. My husband and I tried the DIY route and through the fights and hair pulling, we did a crappy job and ended up hiring someone who could do it the right way. We can't all be Chip & Jo! Hire a designer if you need someone to help you pull all of your ideas together. You don’t have to buy their most expensive package, but they can come in for a few hours to offer you some advice to get you going in the right direction. Hire contractors & tradesmen who know what they're doing. Ask around, get recommendations from friends, family, neighbors & do your research. After you interview these guys, ask for references & actually follow up on them. Trust me when I say, spending the money to hire professionals will save you SO much sanity!
#2 Get Some Inspiration
We all need inspiration to get started. Hop on Pinterest and Houzz and start finding things you like. I always create an inspo board before I start working on a space in my home. It helps me keep all of my thoughts & ideas in one spot. Then I can narrow down the ideas based on my timeframe, budget & needs. Check out our Pinterest and Houzz profiles for some inspiration!
#3 Consider Resale Value
If you're ready to remodel, go for it! However, if you know you aren’t going to be staying in your house for the rest of your life, then you're going to want to think about what value you are adding for resale. Kitchen & bathrooms are big ticket items; put your money there and invest in these rooms…countertops, backsplash, tile, cabinets, flooring. I always say go classic & neutral with these items, don’t go trendy when looking at resale value. You might love a bright colored, herringbone backsplash but majority of buyers might not. If you're remodeling and planning to sell, try to think about your home from a potential buyer perspective.
#4 Do a Final Walk Through
Once the work is complete on your space, make sure you do a final walk through with your contractor. Point out any touch ups with paint, caulk, anything and make sure it’s complete before you write their final check. That way you don't finish the job only to realize a few days later that one spot really needed a final touch up and you missed it because a final walk through wasn't on the to-do list. Don't rush this either! Take your time and be thorough during the walk through.
#5 Something Will Go Wrong!
There will be some sort of issue that comes up during your remodel. Our countertops were out of stock for 6 weeks, so we had to splurge to get a thicker piece of quartz. Some items you order arrive broken, not all the parts are there, etc. It can be big or small. Be patience and know that if you have the right people working for you and with you, they will help you resolve these issues as fast as they humanly can. Some things are out of everyone's control and that's okay! Your remodel will be beautiful no matter how many hurdles you have to leap over!
I hope these 5 tips to staying sane during a remodel help you on your home adventure! Trust me when I say I've learned from experience!
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Before photos: HAR.com
Current photos: Grace Laird Photography