A Quick Planning Guide for Your First-Time Home Remodel in Virginia
What You Should Know About Hiring Home Renovation Services
It’s time. It’s the moment when you realize it’s finally time to get rid of the wooden paneling in your living room or change the outdated countertops in your kitchen. Are the avocado green dining room walls screaming for a change of color? Is the scratched wooden floor in your foyer begging for a makeover? Are you among the many homeowners long overdue for a home renovation? So where, when, and how do you start?
While it’s exciting to dream of the outcome, home renovations can be daunting and expensive, especially if it’s your first time. Imagine completing a project only to realize later that it doesn’t meet local building codes or you’re not happy with how the finished product turns out. That means having to undo all your hard work and spend more. There are also many unknown budget, labor, and time challenges amongst other factors to consider for your vision to turn into reality. If you have never completed a home remodel in Virginia, it’s best to hire a professional specializing in home remodeling services and avoid any DIY blunders or unnecessary expenses that can occur because of lack of knowledge or experience.
Here’s a checklist of items to ensure your investment in home remodeling in Virginia is fail-safe.
Where to Begin? A To-Do List to Get You Started with Your Home Renovation
- Prioritize – You may have one big project or many small ones that you want to complete. Make a list of projects prioritizing what needs immediate attention and what can wait.
- Design – Once you know what you must tackle first, work on a proper plan. Either yourself, or with the help of an expert designer, prepare a sketch or a blueprint of your planned project. This gives you a visual framework of your idea that all parties involved in executing your vision can work with.
- Get Approval – Before going ahead with the renovation, find out if your project requires permitting or approval from your local government to ensure it adheres to building and safety regulations as well as local zoning codes. A reputable home improvement company can help you get approvals for all the necessary legal compliance requirements.
- Budget – Work with your team to understand the costs involved and keep aside extra room for any contingencies. Remember, not all renovations happen as planned. Your remodelers may uncover surprises behind old walls, under flooring, or other hidden factors that need attention. Prepare for the tiny or big hiccups by keeping aside some extra money in your budget.
- Time – Apart from money, a home remodel needs the investment of considerable time to coordinate with the various trades such as electricians, plumbers, flooring installers, painters, tile installers, cabinet installers, inspectors, and so on. All require a great deal of pre-planning and coordination that you must be on top of throughout the renovation and ready to improvise when needed. If you don’t have the time or the right expertise to make such decisions that can prove to be costly, hire a professional remodeling team to do it for you.
- Get ready for a move – Depending on the size of your project, you may have to temporarily shift to another place or store furniture and personal items on- or off-site. For a kitchen renovation, you can make another temporary room a kitchen in your home. If you are planning on remodeling your entire house, it may be a good idea to move out while the remodeling is underway. A professional remodeling team can also connect you with a local mover or storage company for temporary storage of your personal items.
- Completed project checklist – Once your project is complete, do a thorough walk-through and have it inspected by your professional team. Are there any leaks? Are there any spots missing paint or in need of touch-up? Consider the project complete once all items are fully completed and any required inspections are passed.
Now Enjoy Your Beautifully Remodeled Home!
You did it! You took the first step to keep your home looking great. Now sit back and enjoy your space. Investing in a home improvement team helps you save on excessive costs and time by ensuring you don’t make wrong decisions. Take care of your precious home by hiring a team you have carefully selected.
Virginia Home Renovation Services
At Gibson Home Services, we specialize in home improvement services for all areas of your home from the kitchen to the home office, garage, and the exterior. Once you contact us, our talented and friendly team of experts will set up a time to meet you and understand your vision. We will then give you a free estimate as the first step toward transforming your dream home into a reality.
For more information, you can contact us online or give us a call at 540-364-1200 for a free estimate or consultation on our home remodeling services.