Unless you built your home from the ground up, odds are there are some changes you’d like to make. We’ve all thought about the little things that would make our home picture perfect, but it’s important to think about more than just #DesignGoals. Here are 5 things to consider before remodeling.
1. Love it or List it?
Before you start swinging sledgehammers and knocking down walls, think twice. Planning to transform your existing home into the space of your dreams is exciting, but is it the right move for you? You should always weigh the cost of renovating versus buying a new house. As a general rule of thumb, if your plans are short term, don’t make any big changes. If you’re lucky enough to have found your forever home, you should make it exactly what you want.
When talking with any potential client, one of the questions we always ask is, “Do you love your neighbors and the neighborhood you live in?” If you do, remodeling is definitely worth considering. The ideal location and a community that you love are both parts of what makes a house a home.
2. Not just what, but why?
Its relatively easy to come up with the changes you want to make to your house. Knowing what you want to do is usually the surface level decision. For everything you want to change, you should also have an answer for why you want to do it. Remodeling is never a cheap decision to make, so you should have a good reason for every major change.
When you think a little harder about why you want to make changes to your home, necessity versus desire becomes clearer. This can be important if you have to narrow your scope of work and determine what updates are really important for your family. Think bigger than a beautiful space, think about quality of life and functionality in the long term.
3. Is everyone on the same page?
It may seem obvious, but it is vital to make remodeling decisions with every member of the family in mind. You may be the decision maker but starting a major project without all family members on the same page can be risky. We recognize that this question gets a little more personal than most homeowners expect. But it’s all part of Better Builders effort to always keep your best interests in mind.
4. Are you thinking long term?
If you really are renovating to create your forever home, you need to think beyond the next five to ten years. The flow throughout your home should be easily manageable for all family members at all phases of life. When working on your design, consider aspects of aging-in-place and universal design elements.
5. Do you trust your contractor?
Do your research before hiring a contractor. Verify their credentials on the Labor and Industries website. Check their status with the Better Business Bureau. Are they members of the Master Builders Association? Read reviews, scour their website, and ask all of the questions. Better Builders is also proud to share a list of past clients that you can contact directly to ask about their experience.
