A Few Home
Remodeling Rules
When you begin to
think about
remodeling your
home, it's easy to
go overboard, tackle
too much, or
overspend. However,
if you follow a few
basic home
remodeling rules,
you can avoid those
difficulties. Here
are some things to
think about--even
before you begin
your remodeling
project.
First, allow for the
project to cost more
than you originally
thought it would.
Regardless of which
room you decide to
remodel, you will
typically find your
ultimate cost to be
about 25 percent
higher than your
original estimate.
The same 25 percent
figure also applies
to the amount of
time it will take to
complete the
project.
For example, if you
have decided to
spend $10,000 to
remodel your kitchen
and give yourself
five weeks to finish
the job, you can
generally expect to
end up spending
about $12,500 and
seven weeks on the
project. There are
no hard-and-fast
rules, but one thing
experienced
remodeling
professionals have
learned--always
expect the
unexpected.
Next, take your
measurements
carefully, and do
lots of research
concerning the types
of things that are
available on the
market to help you
accomplish your
remodeling goal. Go
to your home
improvement store
and get test paint
color samples. You
can generally also
obtain test samples
of flooring
materials such as
carpet or hardwood
flooring. Don't be
afraid to ask your
retailer for
samples. They expect
it, and are
generally happy to
supply them. They
want you to be
happy--and you don't
want to make an
expensive mistake by
choosing the wrong
materials. Ask your
home improvement
professionals for
their input, as
well. They will
normally be aware of
the latest
developments in
whatever field of
remodeling you're
going to tackle.
Again, that’s their
job, and they will
be happy to help.
Third, once you've
decided on your main
components, don't
forget to spend time
on the small things,
as well. It's easy
to get caught up in
deciding upon big
ticket items, but
it's often the
interior design
details, like trim,
accent colors, and
hardware that really
make a remodeling
project come to
life.
Fourth, don't be too
hard on yourself.
Remember, remodeling
is a sort of organic
process, in which
you're going to make
mistakes, you're
going to change your
mind and do things
somewhat differently
than you had
originally planned,
and you're going to
run into things that
you hadn't
anticipated. That's
all part of the
remodeling game, so
just roll with it.
Finally, try to use
the best quality of
materials you can
afford. If you're
planning to be in
your home for
awhile, you're going
to be living with
the materials and
hardware you use in
your remodel, so you
want them to be as
nice as you can.
It's not worth it to
sacrifice your
future enjoyment of
the materials by
skimping on quality
during the
remodeling job.
Cheaper products
also generally have
a shorter lifespan,
so they may actually
end up costing more
in the long run,
once you have to
replace them again.
Overall, remodeling
can be a rewarding
experience, if you
just follow a few
simple rules and use
common sense along
the way.
Copyright © 2006
Jeanette J. Fisher
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