House Remodel

         So you want to remodel your house. You're excited and nervous. You are excited about the new paint colors, ditching the outdated light fixtures and replacing poorly functioning appliances. You yearn to express your creative side with a decorative tiled backsplash. Then you think about the mess, inconvenience and expense of a remodel. Don't worry. It will be all right.I have a few things for you to consider about before you begin to remodel your house.

1. "One thing leads to another." If you decide to remove the wallpaper and retexture the walls and paint your powder bathroom you will want to replace the flooring. If you replace the flooring you will notice that the light fixture, towel ring and toilet paper holder look sad; so you replace those. Then you notice how out of place your light fixture looks so you replace that and the faucet. Or, your plumber will notice a leak at the shut off valve. TIP: Always add 30% to your house remodel budget. Prepare for the unexpected and the extra things that you will want to add.
2. "The best planning is not perfect." You or your designer may have all of the contractors lined up, but sometimes "glitches" can occur. A glitch might go like this. The flooring guys pick up the wrong flooring material and everything gets delayed. The roads ice over and no one can get to your house. Once the walls are opened up the electrician discovers that the wiring is outdated and needs to be replaced. TIP: Don't be surprised if your house remodel exceeds to proposed time frame. It's good to be flexible.
3. "Sometimes a glitch can be a good thing. Roll with it!" The gorgeous stainless steel cooktop was supposed to arrive on Monday and you get a call that it will be delivered on Wednesday. Then you get a call on Wednesday that it is out of stock. What the heck?! You or your designer scramble to find another one STAT! By golly you find one at a local appliance showroom that has been opened and it's on sale with an additional discount and it's  even better than the first cooktop that you had ordered. SCORE! TIP: Don't freak out! Often times there is something better that will come out of that glitch. Glitches can be good.
4. Prepare your pets and kids for the remodel. You may be ready to remodel your house but your pets and kids may not be. Prepare your babies by having a special get-away from the noise and dust that are synonymous with a house remodel. A safe place might be a neighbor's house or a day care. TIP: Make sure that the kids and pets have a safe, quiet place to relax. You may also stay in a hotel for a while depending on the scope of the remodel.
5. "Remodel with longevity in mind." You may be tempted to skimp on materials and you may be tempted to hire the contractor with the lowest bid. Keep in mind that you will be living with your choices and spending a little more can bring peace of mind (contractors who do excellent work) and a more beautiful outcome (the extra $100 spent on cabinet hardware that makes you smile every. darn. day). TIP: You are going to live in your house for a while. Make sure you love everything.
6. "That designer you hire will be your best friend." Hiring a designer means that you have a pro who has your back in addition to fab design ideas and home remodel expertise. She will help you stick to your budget, share the pros and cons of countertop materials and give you chocolate; well that's what I do anyway. TIP: Hiring a designer may seem like an additional expense but she will save you money by helping you avoid rookie mistakes and providing options that you had never considered. 

Happy remodeling, my friends!Holly