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Home Renovation
Home Renovation Starts with an Idea, a Design
and a Plan
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Home renovating or home remodeling
can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Renovating
homes can mean gutting the entire inside of a home and effectively doing a
complete home renovation, or it could mean building a home addition onto an
existing home. No matter the size of a home renovation project, to be
successful, upfront design and planning is essential.
The first step in a home renovation project is to put your ideas to paper. Right
down the list of features you want to see in your finished renovated home
project.
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Also make a couple of sketches of the floorplan and the exterior view you
envision in your home renovation. Make sure to include dimensional information
in your sketches. This will aid in the contractor bidding process and help to
more accurately estimate home renovation costs.
After getting your renovated home ideas on paper you can then either transfer
them onto a computer with the help of a home design software package or you can
visit an architect.
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Regardless of which path you choose
it is essential in any home renovation project to generate a formal set of home
construction plans. The home construction plans, or blueprints, provide all the
essential information necessary for obtaining home remodeling permits and for
soliciting home renovator bids. The finished renovated home plans will include a
floorplan, all necessary dimensional information, cross-sectional construction
views and various elevation views. A set of architecture generated home
renovation plans will typically cost around 5 to 10% of the total home
renovation costs.
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you can then begin soliciting home renovation contractor bids. Make sure to
obtain home renovator contractor bids from at least three contractors so
that you have a sufficient number of proposals to compare against one
another. Also, make sure when reviewing the bids that they include thorough
cost breakdown lists for all of the materials to be used in the home
renovation. Discard any bid that does not have a thorough cost breakdown
list in it. |
Photo By Mark Donovan |
In general, when selecting a renovation contractor bid it is usually the mid
priced bid that is the safer bet, all other factors equal. Going with the lowest
bid frequently ends up in disappointment down the road.
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After selecting a contractor for remodeling your home, you can then move on to
the financing phase of the home renovation project. When it comes to financing
and renovating homes, many homeowners seek home equity loans or refinance their
entire home for a larger loan amount to pay for the cost of the home
construction. Again, having a complete set of home renovation plans is essential
in applying for new home remodeling financing.
With home remodeling plans in hand, a home renovator contractor lined up, and
financing secured, all that is left to do is pull the home construction permits.
Once the permits have been obtained the actual home renovation can begin. |
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During the actual home renovating and construction, make sure to check the
progress of your home renovation at least a few times a week. In addition, make
sure to hold off milestone payments to the home renovating contractor until the
work has been completed to your satisfaction. Paying ahead of time is a recipe
for disaster. Also, make sure home remodeling inspections are scheduled and
signed off before the contractor begins the next phase in the home renovation
project.
By following this simple home renovation plan, your chances of a successfully
renovated home are improved greatly. If you would like more help on home
remodeling see my
Home Addition Bid Sheets.
How to Finance your Home Building Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
Related Information on Home Additions and Estimating Home Addition Costs
Design Software for Developing your own Home
Addition Plans from Amazon.com
Free Home Addition
Price Quotes with No Obligation!
Fill out our 3-5 minute quick and easy form, and receive a free price quote
on a home addition from one of our prescreened and licensed home addition
contractors. This process is free and there is no obligation to continue once
you receive your home addition estimate.
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