1. Dream Simple. Start by recognizing your needs according to priority and find the simplest solution. Projects usually get out of hand if you let it. Check your funds and see what you can afford. And yes, expect sacrifices. If you have a spouse, make sure you agree with and have the same visions to avoid conflicts and avoid blaming when t comes to sacrifices.
2. Research. Browse the internet, look at magazines, read books. If you're remodeling your kitchen, stay away from bathroom magazines to keep your focus.
3. Drawing Help. If your not much of an artist, use a graphing paper and make measurements of the room your planning to remodel. Don't worry, home builders and suppliers can understand a 2-dimensional kitchen setup in a 7 foot wide room better than saying it's a greco-roman social norms.
4. Ask your contractor for estimates. Ask for a brief estimate of the total construction cost and supplies needed. Don't risk working on the roofing unless you've had enough experience doing it. Same thing goes with the electricity and wirings. And just for your information, high school science doesn't count as a great experience. Always reconsider the cost estimate.
5. Get an Architect. It may seem inappropriate if you're remodeling just one room or two, but an architect can help you and offer ideas you may not have thought of for your project. Ask for your architects about the necessary permits needed to make your project possible along with their personal recommendations. And before anything else, if you have a spouse, make sure you share the architect's ideas with your spouse as well.
6. If you need to, apply for a loan. When applying for a loan, aim for an amount that's at least 10-15% above the estimated cost. This will give you room for unexpected costs, even if you're doing the work yourself
7. Consult your friends. Ask your friends or acquaintances who have had work done with their homes in the past about their experiences with recommended contractors.
8. Building Permits. It's also important to know if your architect or contractor applied for building permits. A city permit (if you're in a city) is required for legalities.
9. Canvass Contractors. It's highly advisable to talk to several contractors for your project. Request for quotations and estimates for labor and materials. Keep in mind that the lowest bidder is not always the best option, but price is also not the best measure for quality. It is better to seek for who has the better reputations that's why it's important to talk to a lot of people about contractors.
10. Contractors are negotiable. Even the best of contractors are willing to negotiate. If you're capable of doing much of the work needed, you may wish to complete them yourself. Doing so will also give you that great feeling of having to complete it yourself.
11. Discuss Timing with Contractors. This goes especially when you're project involves roofing. As much as possible, be conscious of the timing of your project. If it's a roofing project, make sure you'll be able to finish it before the rainy seasons, or make sure much work is done before it rains during the day.
12. Contract a contractor. Schedule regular visits to discuss the progress of your project with your contractor. Getting in their work will only cost delays, but regular monitoring will ensure that the project won't be too far behind schedule.
13. As much as possible, do a daily checkup. This also means visiting the house after all the workers are done working to see what else you wanted to add or modify. You may want to make some additions to what was planned. If something doesn't seem right, it'll be best to inform the contractor immediately within the day. The more the issues are ignored, the more expensive it becomes when it comes to fixing.
14. Don't try to cut corners much. Take my advice, don't try to take advantage of the contractor; He/she has the control of you and your home until the projects completion. As much as possible, see to it that you both wind up happy with the outcome.
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