Be prepared – your home life will be disrupted by noise, dust and people coming and going for weeks, maybe months. The results are worth it… if you can hang on.
So, you think it’s time to renovate your home. Do you know what it takes to remodel a single room much less an entire floor? When you prepare to remodel your Madison WI area home, be ready for a significant disruption in your daily routine. The first thing to understand is: Reality TV is NOT REAL. The wonderful remodeling programs compress weeks and months of intense work into 60-minute episodes. Don’t create a remodeling plan expecting a quick fix.
Homeowners planning for their new dream kitchen or bathroom have a short, but detailed list of expectations:
Smooth process – once they decide to move on a project, homeowners want the process to be easy and fast. When they’re ready to buy they don’t want to be pressured. They want interior designers and remodeling contractors to be counselors not salespeople.
Timely communications – with all the tools at our disposal, it isn’t unrealistic to expect good, up-to-date communications on a regular basis. When you’re paying top dollar you want progress reports. Contractors and subcontractors that “disappear” are unacceptable.
Promises kept – is it too much to expect phases of the project to be completed when they are supposed to be? Unfortunately you must expect the unexpected. Delays are a fact of life.
Respect – there will be people coming and going every day. Homeowners expect – and deserve – to have their property and possessions treated with respect. Your street will look like a parking lot from time to time.
Keep it clean – any remodeling generates dust and dirt. No matter how contractors try there’s no way to keep the fine dust from getting into the rest of the house. Be prepared for it. Your construction team does what it can to keep it down, but dust is a fact of life.
Prepare To Remodel – Match Form To Function
Changing your home isn’t just about how it looks. A renovation is an opportunity to create space reflecting your personality, lifestyle demands and changes. The person who wants to change because “I hate my kitchen” wants more than a new color scheme. Blending good looks with efficiency is a top priority.
As you make plans, consider:
How long you plan to live in the house
What changes in lifestyle are on the horizon
What’s important to you every day
Choices – once you’ve decided to take on a remodeling project the tough choices are at hand. Attention to the slightest detail guides the project to a successful end.
Begin your preparation with an analysis of how you use the space you have and how you hope to use the new space. Map out your daily routine. Create a traffic pattern flow chart. Consider the routine of each family member:
Do children need space for homework or is play space a premium. And how soon will they need less play space and more homework space.
Is there enough work space in the kitchen – will adding an island make enough difference?
Is there enough storage space in the room you’re remodeling? Kitchens are always top priorities – if you take out a wall to open the floor plan will you have enough cabinets?
Do you need office space with plenty of connections for chargers, printers and devices?
An overall consideration is how many people use the space every day. A young family’s needs change quickly as kids get bigger. The changes continue to the point where parents have the house all to themselves.
Prepare For Lifestyle Changes
If you could see into the future what potential lifestyle changes are on the horizon? Prepare to remodel based on significant changes you see coming. There are three stages in family life to consider:
Growing family with children – the demands of preschoolers is much different from active teenagers. Kids grow up fast. A renovation with an eye on changing with the demands of growing children is a wise investment. Young children need space to play and enjoy life. Older kids need places for homework and their play routines demand less indoor space – and more electronics.
Just us – as families mature children move away from home leaving an empty nest. Are older resident ready to downsize or redirect the use of space? Are changes necessary to help “age in place” so you enjoy their homes well into their senior years? Does the plan call for space to accommodate visiting friends and family?
Taking care of family – more and more people look to renovate their homes to make room for aging parents. Or for themselves as they deal with aging. Features include fewer stairs with all daily needs on the ground level. A popular feature is the addition of a walk-in bathtub/shower.
There are changes to improve daily living that result in just rethinking the purpose of the space. Use your imagination. Combining a formal dining room with a formal living room creating a modern family room is a popular option. Your lifestyle dictates what makes sense. If you need space for office-type work like family bookkeeping but don’t need a real office consider converting a closet. The same approach can be applied to a spot for crafts and hobbies. A Lot To Take In When You Prepare To Remodel There are so many details to iron out, thoughts and ideas to process and concepts to absorb. The process can be daunting. But don’t let the long list of options keep you from your dream home. Use these guidelines as you set out on a home makeover adventure:
It will take longer than you think (unless you’ve done it before)
Your household routine will be disrupted for weeks – prepare for traffic inside and out. How long can you go without having access to your kitchen, bathroom or living space?
Time is money – plan carefully and completely. Coming to your contractor with a “what if we do this” idea will delay the whole project and raise your costs.
Do you still want to take on a remodeling project? After you’ve taken a hard look at the pros and cons of are you ready to begin? Westring Construction LLC specializes in renovations throughout the Madison area. Whether you want to recreate one room or the whole house, we’ve done it all. Our skilled staff takes the guess work out of remodeling. Call Westring Construction LLC at 608-441-5435 or email us to help you prepare to remodel your Madison WI home.
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