As time passes, family size and needs change, making it important to remodel your home. When children grow older, you no longer need a playroom, but might require a music room with sound proof walls and good acoustics. Also, as you grow older, you require certain conveniences that you did not consider essential earlier. Sometimes, as you go up the career ladder, you are required to entertain more often and so need to add a formal drawing room to your home.
The state of Michigan’s consumer alert asks all home owners to always enquire if the contractor they retain to remodel their home is licensed and insured. Also, the state government advises people to check the contractor’s papers and obtain proof of the license and insurance.
When you start considering a major project such as home remodeling, you need to plan ahead to ensure that the entire process is easy and smooth. Remodeling a home requires plenty of time, effort, money, and coordination among various people involved. Take these five steps before you commence your remodeling project to have a great experience and a home that suits your needs.
1. Consider Current & Future Needs
When planning the new design for your home, consider not just your current needs, but your future ones as well. If you expect that your children will move out within a couple of years, consider the future use of their rooms as well, before you come up with design options. Similarly, if you are planning to start a family, keep this in mind when considering the layout and décor of the rooms. Choose a design that is child friendly and easy to clean, as it will save you many hours of watching your children to ensure they do not hurt themselves against the fancy mantel that you had installed.
2. Budget
While everyone would like to have a great looking home with all the latest equipment and furnishings, keep in mind that extensive changes to the layout of your home can cost a lot as well. By listing your top priorities and working them into the design first, you will be able to have a comfortable home without having to incur heavy debt or worry about your finances.
3. Draw Up the Design
Before you approach a contractor with your designs for the remodeled home, draw them on paper or view computerized 3-D images of what you want. This will help you decide if that is what you really need. Also, by having a pictorial representation of your ideal design, you will be able to better communicate your ideas to the contractor.
4. Learn from the Experience of Others
Before you contact a contractor, talk to others who have remodeled their homes recently. This will give you an idea about costs and the time taken for the remodeling to be completed. By asking them what they would do differently next time they remodel their home, you can avoid making the mistakes yourself.
5. Get Required Permissions and Clearances
Remodeling your home involves a lot of paper work. You need to obtain permission from the local authorities as well as clearances. You also need to check building codes and zoning laws for your locality to ensure that the design you have in mind will not violate any of them. By contacting a contractor who knows this business in and out, you will be able to obtain the help of an experienced remodeling team who will be happy to help you execute the project from start to finish. The contractor will guide you about the clearances you need to obtain and help you choose a design that meets your requirements and conforms to local regulations as well.
As with any large project that takes a lot of time and money, a remodeling project can be most efficiently accomplished by preparing ahead and approaching a contractor with a clear idea of your requirements. This will ensure that the entire project starts and is completed on time and at the lowest possible cost.
As a Design+Build General Contractor, I offer my clients a one-stop shopping approach to all of their home remodeling projects. I work with my clients from initial conception of a project through its completion. Every aspect of the job is managed by me and my professional crew. You will be included in every step of the design process until the final drawings are completed. No detail is left to chance. General Contractor Specializing in Kitchen & Bathroom Design and Remodeling Throughout the Los Angeles area.
Written By:
Offer Steuer
President
OTM Designs & Remodeling, Inc.
For more information you may contact us via email at service@otm1designs.com or you may call us at 888-981-1415. Our website is www.otm1designs.com.