Initiating a home improvement project may seem daunting, but there are some simple steps you can take to get your project underway.
Find a reason
First, decide why you’d like to remodel. By understanding why you want to change, you will be happier with the end result when you meet your goals. ie.
- More storage or space for two people to cook..
- Tastes or lifestyle has changed.
- Entertain more people in the kitchen area.
- Increase market value for a future move.
Get inspired
It’s nice to watch remodeling shows and flick through design magazines to get inspired, but to really jumpstart the process you should start a stylebook. Websites like Houzz and Pinterest make it easy to collect inspiring images that will quickly show a clear picture of your desired style. That’s helpful for you, but it’s also helpful for the remodeling professional you will eventually hire.
“Seeing the customer’s style ideas really helps save time by focusing more on what’s suitable to their tastes” says Hanne Rex Michelsen, Interior Designer at Glenbrook Remodeling.
Prioritize
The next step is to make a big list of all the upgrades you’d like and divide them into 3 categories:
- Must-have items
- Would-like-to-have items
- Dream items
Creating this list will help you and your remodeling contractor prioritize during the project allowing you to to cut items if you can’t afford everything and add some if any upgrades aren’t as expensive as estimated.
Think about a budget
Once your list is complete, think about your budget… but don’t overthink it! A good estimated breakdown for kitchens is normally 60% for cabinetry, 25% for appliances, and 15% for countertops.
But you won’t be able to get a clear picture of exactly how far your budget can stretch until you talk with an experienced remodeler who can look at your space, is up to date with the latest alternative building materials, tax credits, rebates, cost saving methods and more.
Too many people get hung up on budgeting and never even begin their projects. Never decide you’ll figure out the budget along the way, make sure you start with a detailed estimate from an experienced licensed professional like Glenbrook Remodeling and then you can easily compare your realistic expectations with other contractors as needed. Remember the lowest bid isn’t usually the best.
Time for professional help
Once you’ve created your list and considered your budget, it’s time to get a professional remodeling contractor working with you to develop a plan to make your project a reality.
When dealing with something as important as your home, you don’t want to settle for just anyone. Selecting the unqualified, inexperienced, uninsured, or anyone promising you something that you know is too good to be true will cost you dearly in the end. You owe it to yourself and your home to begin speaking with a trusted professional.
What’s the next step
Just like organizing a wedding, orchestrating a home remodel is a big event involving many people. Numerous contractors are involved to make the end result look flawless including: designer, architect, engineer, demolition crew, flooring, dry wall guy, cabinet installer, stone fabricator, plumber, electrician, painter, tiler and more. It requires planning, demolition, plumbing, electrical, flooring, carpentry, all while respecting local building codes, this is quite a process and every single detail must be taken into consideration.
You could try and organize it all yourself, (good luck!), or get an all-in-one professional to make things easier.
Glenbrook Remodeling is a trusted all-in-one remodeling company in the Chicago North Shore area that takes care of EVERYTHING… from design, local materials and products to installation. You could be confident your project will be organized, completed flawlessly on time and on budget with our local team helping you.
Talk to Alex, Hanne or Momi from the interior design team who are ready to help you. Let’s talk about your ideas and help put your project in perspective. You can visualize your finished project (on paper and a color 3D rendering on the big screen), with detailed plans and a competitive price, all included in our no obligation free in-home estimate. Use this free estimate to compare and be confident you’re getting the remodel you want before spending a dime.
Simply complete the form on this page, or visit our showroom in Glenview to start:
