10 Remodeling Tips To Know BEFORE You Start Your Project

The time is ripe for remodeling and today I’m sharing my top 10 tips to know BEFORE you start your project in 2022!

I first compiled this list of ten remodeling tips over 10 years ago! It was published on my old blog and has gotten a lot of traffic over the years. It still stands the test of time and is worth republishing today with a few updates.

These issues seem to always come up as something my clients should know and that we review before they begin construction. I think you’ll find them useful to keep in mind.

For 2022 - I’m also linking within this post to some updates on product availability and shipping issues that have been dragging our industry down this past year. I’m sad to report, this isn’t all going to rectify itself anytime soon.

My main message to anyone seeking to start a project in the new year……plan ahead, order early, and be prepared to wait. :-)

Floor Plan for a kitchen remodel. Good planning makes for a good remodel.

1) Allow Time to Plan your remodel project carefully.

Spending a minimum of two months planning and designing your new kitchen, primary bath, etc., is a good time frame for getting the smoothest possible construction period and the best price and value for your money.

Sometimes it takes longer, especially if the scope of work keeps growing or changing along the way. If you are doing a full gut or an addition, etc., the design will basically be like designing a new custom home. It could take 6 months, a year or even longer, depending on the size of the home, customization and how decisions are made along the way.

I hate to say it, but as with anything, it can look fairly straightforward to tackle a remodel on your own. However, you don’t know what you don’t know, I’m afraid.

Kitchen moodboard with finish selections, appliances, plumbing and lighting selections.

Taking time to lay out the function of the room, select your finishes and fixtures, and design all the details that will make your room work and look the way you want will give you peace of mind once the construction begins and will give contractors a concrete idea of what to price out.

The more vague the plan and product selections are, the less accurate your pricing will be.

I see so many homeowners that call in several contractors right off the bat to give them pricing on remodeling and with no selections and just some verbal direction given, there's no way you will really be able to compare their pricing. Hiring an interior designer to help you in this phase is an expense that pays for itself in the long run!

Master bath moodboard for an elegant bathroom with plumbing fixture selections, lighting, and cabinet door style.

2. Be realistic about a Project schedule.

If you are doing a total gut on a kitchen or bath, a minimum of 8 weeks should be allowed and if you are adding in some unique features, special products, or rearranging everything, you should allow more time.

It’s not going to be finished in 2 weeks! Unfortunately, real life isn't HGTV. :-)

For 2022 - One thing I’m seeing a lot of from pros in my circle, is that both designers and contractors have wait lists these days. Don’t hold off calling a designer or contractor thinking they’ll be ready to start right away at whatever point you are ready to start in the year.

I met with a former client last week and she gave me a realistic deadline of one year for the two additional rooms she wants to redo, her home office and a secondary bathroom. Flexibility with time is a big factor for remodeling in 2022.

3. Allow for cost overage.

Remember to allow 10% extra in your budget for unexpected expenses. It is almost surely to be spent. Remodels are full of surprises and if you are mentally prepared for that and have budgeted accordingly, you will handle them with much lower blood pressure.

No doubt, you will also want to add something here and there along the way too.

For 2022 - Manufacturer pricing on goods is steadily increasing. If we haven’t gotten price increases on furniture, lighting, building materials, etc., from any vendor in the last 6 months, then we will likely get it as the new year rolls in. I’m already seeing emails come in about Jan 1st price increases.

Another big factor is shipping costs, which have gone up tremendously in the past year from freight companies. There is also a lot more damage being done to products these days during the shipping process. You just would not believe some of the damaged goods stories out there! And shipping from North Carolina to Texas taking 2 months! I used to think a month was bad!

As products need to be ordered far in advance these days, we are also seeing issues with warehousing product. If some products come in as expected but the job isn’t ready for them or if not all goods are here to install at once, then extra warehousing costs are accrued. Many clients like for things to be installed right away when they come in, but it actually costs more to do multiple installations than to hold off, pay the extra warehousing, and wait for one large installation.

Keeping a job open and on the books costs a contractor and a designer money. Having these long lead times and generally less product available to choose from creates more work and more difficulty finding appropriate products for the job. I expect project fees, from the design to the labor part of the job, to go up in 2022.

4. Prepare for the inconvenience.

If you are living in your home during a remodel, you should take note of these items that will make your remodel a little bit easier to endure.

This is a good time to get rid of some extraneous items in your cabinets, closets and drawers so that you don’t have to store them during construction. If you know you don’t want to keep that old set of dishes, get rid of it before the remodel starts.

For a kitchen remodel, plan a temporary kitchen somewhere in the house with a microwave or hotplate available. Move your refrigerator in to that space if you can for convenience or get a mini-fridge temporarily if you will be getting new appliances.

With a bathroom remodel that has a bedroom adjacent, do not plan on sleeping in that bedroom. The dust is everywhere in this vicinity of your home and it will get everywhere. If you leave the furniture in the bedroom during the remodel, cover your bed with heavy plastic drop cloths to keep the dust out of the mattress. All bedding is best stored in plastic bins in an unaffected area.

Empty your closet if doing a primary bath remodel. Again, the dust gets everywhere, in all your clothing, etc. It can creep inside drawers and into plastic bins. If you must leave things in the closet, put items in plastic bins and then cover the bins with plastic drop cloths.

5. Trust your contractor with the key to your house.

I know this is hard for some people. I’ve had clients that like to be home when the workers are there and want to let people in and out of the house throughout the course of the job.

If your contractor is insured and reputable, this will make the "waiting for workers to arrive or leave" annoyance disappear. I find this to be the most irritating of all for clients. They can't understand how the tile guy can be 45 minutes late!

First of all the tile guy or any other worker on the job is not on your schedule. They may be working between several jobs, have a crew elsewhere and need to check on them, need to pick up supplies, etc.

Usually they get delayed because their work on other jobs is delayed or is taking them longer to finish up. This just happens on a job and you have to be prepared for it.

They need access to your job when they are ready to work on it and if you want your project finished in a timely manner and you are a busy person who doesn't like sitting around the house all day long, this will give you some freedom.

6. Expect gaps in the work schedule

10 Remodeling Tips To Know BEFORE You Start A Project - For Remodeling in 2022! carlaaston.com

Know that there will not always be someone at your house working on your project every minute of the day.

People get anxious when there is no one at the house working, but trust me, it doesn't mean your contractor has forgotten you. If subcontractors are scheduled too tightly then if one takes a bit longer to finish, it throws the whole schedule off.

It's better to have a little time between subs and give them space to do their work. They don't like working on top of each other and I believe it is a good idea to keep your contractors happy when they are working in your house.

7. Keep communication open

One thing I see often is that people start to get irritated, but don’t say anything or fail to ask the questions that are nagging at them. This can just build into a lot of needless concern about the job and cause stress and anxiety.

If something is really bugging you, just ask, before you get mad. It’s better to inquire about something when you’re calm and just curious than when you are really upset and about to blow. :-)

Often, there can be a reason to blow your stack in a remodel, but it really helps the working dynamic if you can ask and discuss the situation before it gets to that point.

8. Order products before starting construction

It helps to order products like plumbing fixtures, appliances, lighting, and finish products before you start construction or early on in the project. If the project is many months long, you might have some leeway, but with single room remodels, these items need to ordered right away.

Tile and plumbing fixtures await installation in a master bath remodel.

Some products have long lead times. Electricians and plumbers will need to know where to locate lighting, plumbing valves, and electrical in the walls when they are opened up at the beginning of the project. Cabinetry cannot be built or ordered until exact appliance dimensions are specified.

9. Protect the Parts of your home not being remodeled

In order to reduce damage to the part of your home not being remodeled, make sure your contractor will take these precautions.

Use the the exterior door that is closest and most accessible. For example, use of a back patio door might keep contractors from traipsing through your whole house to get to the primary bathroom. Then you can close up that area with sheets of plastic for contractor use and not have any of them walking through the rest of your home.

Remove any miscellaneous furniture or accessories that might be close to this path. A plumber coming in with your new tub might bump into something. It's just better to have these areas as clear as possible for the duration of the job.

Make sure the contractor has put down good protection over your existing finishes that might remain. Masonite on top of wood flooring is wise, as it protects from any tools, ladders or equipment from denting a floor.

There is nothing that speaks to the quality of a contractor in my opinion more than the shape of their jobsite. Keeping things as tidy as possible, cleaning up at the end of the day, having new or existing surfaces protected as much as possible all go a long way in getting a good end result.

This contractor laid down plywood over a homeowner’s wood floors to protect them from damage from the scaffolding.

Watch out about taping paper down to the floor. Some tapes leave a sticky residue that is impossible to get off or will peel up a finish after being down for two months.

If you need access to the area to be remodeled daily, a zippered plastic tarp can be a good idea.

10. Relax!

Remodels are an adventure that can be enjoyable and interesting. You have a front row seat to a fascinating show.

If you've selected good people to work with, you will find yourself involved in a unique learning experience that will enrich your life and open your eyes. Whether it is interacting with the workers, learning about construction techniques, or just watching as your dream becomes a reality, a remodel project can be a fun and exciting experience!

For 2022 - We all know it will be even harder than ever to relax with the supply chain issues the world is having now!

For 2022 - Here’s a great article with a very current update (Dec 2021) on how the supply chain crisis is shaping up for the home industry in 2022, from Business of Home.

Need more tips on how to best prepare for a remodel? Check out these posts, below.