If you are planning a home remodel, you are embarking on an exciting journey toward reimagining your home! A remodel is an investment in your home and lifestyle that lets you reinvent key home living spaces like the kitchen, bathrooms, closets, living rooms, and more. From a bath design to a first-floor remodel, you must consider your remodeling goals, carefully plan every stage of your project, and create a budget that includes all costs related to your project’s completion. By planning every aspect of your project and setting clear expectations for everyone involved you will help ensure that your project is a success.
Project planning and careful management are key, even if you only plan to paint a room or change the flooring. You need to understand the scope of your project, the steps involved, the materials required, and the budget. If your project requires experts like a plumber or electrician, you must ensure the right people are available for each process step. The more complex your project, for example, a multi-room remodel or one requiring structural changes like moving a wall, the more involved the planning is.
Start your planning by examining what you need and what you want to achieve with your remodel. For anything more complex than a minor update, partner with an experienced design and remodeling company that can help you achieve your goals for your home. To help you avoid the pitfalls of an unsuccessful remodel, let’s explore the top 10 remodeling mistakes to avoid for your next project!
Following Trends Over Your Own Needs
In the early stages of planning your home remodel, you might decide to look to the latest design trends for inspiration. Trends can be fun, and some trends have staying power that will fit your home for years. However, when investing in your home living spaces, you should choose design features and materials that fit your personal style and your family’s lifestyle.
Exploring trends and looking at the latest products available is a great way to start thinking about what will work for your project. Browse websites and social media pages or visit design showrooms in person to see product samples. Get inspired by the color schemes, cabinet styles, tile options, and plumbing fixture shapes and finishes. Explore lighting styles and accessories to find styles you love. Don’t be afraid to incorporate some of the latest design trends if you feel that they fit your aesthetic, but don’t choose them just because they are a hot trend.
Make sure your final choices do not jar with the rest of your home’s style unless you are going for a complete style makeover! If you really want to experiment with a new style or cutting-edge trend, consider doing this in a smaller, enclosed space like a powder room. Or incorporate elements of this style into your room to create an eclectic vibe. Prioritize your family’s comfort and lifestyle when choosing design features. Remember you must live in this space, not just look at it on social media!
Not Considering Your Room’s Layout
When designing any space in your home, the layout is the best place to start. It forms the foundation of your room, whether you are deciding where to place fixtures in a guest bath design or creating an open plan first floor with a new kitchen design. Failing to consider your room’s layout will only cause problems for the next phase of design planning.
You must first look at your room’s existing layout and decide what you like and don’t like about it. Consider the key things you want to change about your layout. Does your existing space meet your needs, or have you outgrown your current floor plan? Can you expand by moving or knocking down a wall, incorporating an adjacent area like an underutilized closet, or adding on to your home? Altering your layout often involves moving plumbing or electricity, as well as additional construction work. If you plan to change your room’s layout this will impact your project’s scope, timeline, and budget.
Failing to Prioritize Practical Storage
Every space in your home requires storage to keep your home organized and clutter-free. This is especially important in key spaces like the kitchen design, master bathroom, and utility spaces. It is also useful in living areas where you could include a built-in entertainment area, bookshelves, and space to store board games and jigsaw puzzles.
Planning for adequate and targeted storage is as important as the style considerations when planning a home remodel. Failing to plan your storage will result in a cluttered and chaotic space. Start by decluttering the room you plan to remodel. You will need to do this anyway since the room must be cleared out before your remodel can commence. Determine what items you need to keep readily accessible and what can be stored elsewhere.
Do you prefer closed storage behind cabinet doors or in drawers, or do you like to have open storage like floating shelves or cubbies? Choose the right storage for your needs and don’t forget to include customized storage inserts to keep every drawer and cabinet well organized.
Lack of Forward Planning
Are you the type of person who loves to plan everything from family vacations to your kids’ activities? If so, then you know how important planning is to keep key jobs organized and on target. A home remodel is no exception! From minor updates to major home remodels careful forward planning is essential to ensure your project is a success.
Start by examining your project goals and requirements, then create a design that fits both your functional and style needs. Work with an experienced kitchen and bath designer who can help you plan for every detail of your project and make sure it is carried out successfully. Make sure you plan for required approvals and permits before you commence your project, and be sure that your project complies with all local and county building requirements. An experienced remodeling team can take care of these details for you and keep your project on track.
Part of forward planning includes looking at your requirements for your home for the anticipated lifespan of your project. Consider how long this remodel will last, how many years you plan to stay in your home, and what your family’s needs will be during that time. Are you just starting your family and need room to grow, or did the kids leave for college and you are remodeling for aging in place? Decide what you need today and for the duration of this remodel and cater your design plans around it.
Doing Too Much
You may dream big when it comes to your remodeling plans, but you must cater your design to your needs. Sometimes this means reining your plans back in if you are trying to do too much. Consider how long you plan to stay in your home and what you really need to fit your family’s needs. Do you intend to sell your home in the near future or is this your forever home? If you are remodeling to sell then it pays to focus your design plans around items that will have the greatest impact on resale value. Consider other homes in your neighborhood and make sure you don’t price yourself out of your local real estate market.
Not Doing Enough
Similarly, it doesn’t make sense to curtail your remodeling plans if you intend to stay in your home long-term. Depending on your available budget, you should aim to create designs that you will love and will last your family for years. Once you have undertaken a remodel, committed time and money, and started working with a remodeling team, you may as well go for it and create the home living spaces you always wanted. Make sure you prioritize your design choices so you can determine how much you can accomplish within your set budget and where you may need to scale back.
Ignoring the Details
Details in a remodel are like jewelry for a special outfit. If you ignore the details that finish off your design, your space will not feel complete. You must plan for these items to see how they fit into your design and complement other features, and to be sure you have budgeted for them. This could include choosing flooring materials and floor coverings, lighting designs, cabinet hardware, freestanding furniture pieces, and accessories like artwork, photographs, towels, candles, and more. These finishing touches are a great way to add color and give your design character.
Cutting Corners
Just like choosing clothes, shoes, or a car, quality matters when selecting materials for a home remodeling project. This also doesn’t mean you have to select the most expensive materials for every space in your home, but it pays to look carefully at the durability and ongoing maintenance needs of your preferred materials. Key spaces in your home like the kitchen, bathrooms, and living areas are high-traffic zones that must withstand constant foot traffic, pets, moisture, spills, dirt, and more.
Select durable surfaces that can stand up to anything your family will throw at it. It helps to work with experienced design professionals who can help you understand the differences between the various product options, weigh up the pros and cons, and identify the areas where you want to focus your budget dollars. Cutting corners when choosing key surfaces will result in a design that is more difficult to maintain and that you have to replace or repair sooner. Take care when selecting a remodeling partner to install your products too, as quality workmanship from a reliable remodeling company is essential to get the finished look you want and that will last for years.
Failing to Budget Properly
You must understand the full scope and budget for your project before commencing any work. This includes getting a clear idea of your full budget including materials, labor, construction, clean up, and contingency costs. Failure to budget properly can lead to unwelcome surprises during your remodeling project. A clear, transparent budget is also required if you are seeking financing for your project. A reputable design and remodeling firm can walk you through this project, help you weigh up the cost options for different materials, and give you a full view of all costs required to complete your project scope.
Not Working with an Experienced Design and Remodeling Team
It has been mentioned already but bears repeating that it is essential to choose a reputable, experienced design and remodeling team to partner with for your project. For any project larger than a simple style update, a full-service design and remodeling team is the key to helping you make sure your project is a success. They can help you see your space in a new light, find innovative design ideas to solve your key challenges, help you navigate the vast range of products and materials, and manage every detail of your project from getting permits to demolition, installation, and the finishing touches.
If you are embarking on a home remodel, this is an exciting time to reimagine your key home living spaces. It is an opportunity to bring your home’s style and functionality up to the standards you need for your family. It also lets you achieve these goals without the hassle of moving, settling into a new neighborhood, or changing your kids’ schools. Careful planning and setting expectations for your project are key, as well as working with an experienced team to help you achieve your design goals. Contact our team to learn more about our design and remodeling services!