Kitchen & Bathroom Renovation Guide for Best Results
If you love your home, but you don’t love your kitchen and bathrooms because they either don’t flow or the décor is dated, what do you do? Take on a renovation project of course.
Before you even start thumbing through design magazines and scouring the internet for ideas, you should set up your budget.
Ultimately, it will be your budget that will determine the size and scope of your renovations.
To help you get underway, we’ve assembled a handy guide.
Why You Need to Hire the Best
If you cut corners and hire your contractor without doing due diligence and the end result isn’t ideal, you will cringe every time you go in your kitchen or bathroom.
When you do a renovation, it is meant to bring you pleasure only. Avoid that by being selective with who you hire.
Select three candidates, either from referrals from friends and family, the internet or ads in your local décor magazines.
Get a quote from each, but also get answers to important questions like:
- Is the person insured?
- What is their level of experience?
- Do they have a client list that can provide references?
- What is their policy around cleanup and job hours?
- What is the expected timeline?
- How and when do they require payment?
Remember, you are the boss, and you get to choose the most qualified candidate.
Points to Consider When Planning
One of the first things (after your budget) that you should consider when you are starting out with your renovation plans for your kitchen or bath is: what is your reasoning behind wanting changes?
Do you dislike the floorplan, feel like the features don’t match your lifestyle, feel like the rooms are dated or feel like there isn’t enough storage?
Or are you planning on doing a remodel with the intention of selling your home within the next couple of years?
If you are planning on staying put, let your personal taste be the guide for your fixture and décor choices.
If you hope to sell, stay neutral in all of your choices so that you can appeal to the most buyers.
Nailing down the “why” behind your renovation can help you find design solutions that work.
Updating Your Fixtures
As an added bonus when you are doing a renovation, don’t just update your fixtures for fashion.
Pick eco-friendly, more efficient fixtures that can help you save money off of your water bills.
Look into low-flow showerheads, dual flush toilets and motion activated faucets.