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Planning Your 2017 Home Improvement Project
Sam Lutz • Jan 10, 2017
At Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture, we’re starting to see a lot of homeowners preparing for big home remodeling projects in the new year. Home remodeling is a big task which can be overwhelming to some homeowners. We’d like to help. In this post, we’ll address some of the basics of planning your home remodeling project in 2017. These suggestions will help you form a plan to beautify your home and improve your property value.
Make Goals
Before you can make a plan for your home improvement project, you must first establish some goals. If you already know which room of the house you’d like to remodel, make a list of the greatest problems or deficiencies that you’ve identified in that room. Is it too dark? Does it lack storage space? Are you unable to move freely about the room because of the clutter? Is there one piece of furniture that you’re always bumping into? Identifying these problems can help you focus your efforts and determine what needs to be done to make your home remodeling project a success.
After you’ve identified the problems, use this information to make goals. For example, if the room is too dark, make it your goal to find new ways to bring light into the room. Knocking down a wall, repainting and installing new lighting can all help.
Do Research
Once you know what your goals are, start researching the various ways that other homeowners in your area or in homes like yours have chosen to solve these problems. Look at websites like Houzz, Pinterest
and other idea boards for inspiration. Make your own Pinterest board to help you keep your thoughts organized.
Investigate Materials
After taking a look at pictures of different designs and pictures of remodels, it will be time to start prioritizing which materials you would like to use in your home renovation. Make a list of the type of materials you’re considering, then go to home fixture supply stores to investigate prices and quality. Often seeing fixtures in person can help you narrow down your wish list. Shopping in advance can give you time to find the best deal, so it’s a good idea to start this part of the process early.
Talk to Contractors
If you plan to hire a professional to remodel your home, start talking to contractors and collecting bids. When talking to contractors, check for licensure, insurance and reputation in the community. Ask to see portfolio pictures and get references. Meet with multiple different contractors to give you a broad range of choices and find the contractor that’s right for you.
Create a Budget
After getting quotes from contractors and investigating materials and their prices, it’s time to create a budget. If you’re getting a loan, make an appointment with your bank to discuss financing. Once you know how much money you’re going to spend, create a detailed plan that divides the money up between materials and labor costs. Don’t forget to add a buffer of approximately 10% for miscellaneous expenses and repair of any old damage that your remodeling efforts might uncover.
Come to Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture
At Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture, we’re happy to help homeowners finish their home improvement projects in the New Year. We stock a variety of quality paints and other supplies to get your paint projects completed! We can help you pick out all the supplies you’ll need to get started, just stop in at one of our convenient locations.
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