No one can deny the frustration that comes with renovation, your space is being occupied everyday with workers and site managers, no matter what you do, or your site manager does your home will be covered with dust, your current furniture is covered with plastic to protect it, you are left with small space to live inside your own home. Why do we do that? Why do we accept having to go through all this hassle? The answer is simple; it is the REWARD we are after. It is the knowing that there is always beauty in the becoming and that what we feel right now is temporary and that the outcome of this whole project is going to improve our lives for the better.
But there are many ways to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety that might accompany us during a project like that. Here are a few things you can do that will give you control to handle this project.
The Planning Phase
Always be prepared for anything and everything in life; we prepare for our meetings, we prepare for our vacations, we prepare for our exams, and we must be prepared for our home renovation project. Knowing what we want and what’s our vision and how we envision our space is the 1st step in laying down the foundation for your project and from there you can start collecting ideas, visiting home decor websites, developing a mood board to capture your essence and express your personality. When you have the answers to all of that, the second phase would be your budget.
The Budget.
You can google many home renovation blogs and websites and they would all agree that renovation is costly. Therefore, knowing your budget and how much you are willing to spend can also help you prioritize your ideas. Your general contractor will be able to help you prioritize what can get you the best return on your investment.
Finding the right General Contractor.
Do your due diligence. Interview at least three general contractors. Compare pricing and estimates. Compare timeline and scheduling. Read the reviews. Ask many questions about experience, feasible ideas, and design possibilities. Ask about what payment terms X company has. Meet the project manager who will be handling your project, make sure your expectations are being set and understood, don’t underestimate chemistry, chemistry is very important in any project; hiring someone who can understand your vision and give you honest feedback will benefit your project. Find out what communication style your project manager has. Doing all these things before you hire anyone will give you peace of mind and control over the frustration and the hassle that will come with the project. Be reasonable, healing isn’t a one-night process, and it is painful, and so is renovation; it isn’t a one-night project and can cause us a little bit of frustration along the way. Always remember, renovating is something you want to do or it’s something you must do; either way you are a winner.
