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To keep remodeling costs under control you need to understand and manage the four key remodeling cost drivers. The design of the remodel, the materials you use, who manages the project, and how you pay for it. Lets review ways to save money on the design of the remodel
Many “amateur” home designers come up with great ideas, and since you are living in your home day after day, you can have better ideas than the “pros.” Get a pencil, make 100 copies of your current floor plan, and sketch out all the alternatives. It doesn't matter how good or bad they are; experiment with alternatives. At this point it's free, so enjoy!
You can get a drawing of your current floor plan by making a sketch yourself. You can do this freehand, or you can purchase a computer program to make the resulting drawing neater. You can also hire an architect or a home designer to create a floor plan for you. To find a great architect or home designer, just visit www.remodelormove.com/forms/contractors.cfm and answer a few questions about your project. We will use this information to locate an architect or home designer who does work in your neighborhood.
Get quotes from both architects and home designers they are both qualified to do the design work for most remodels or additions. Interview several and you will likely find someone that understands your needs and gives you a quote that fits your budget. Then decide if you want to do it yourself or hire a professional. If you are doing the design yourself check with the city or other agency that gives permits for home remodeling in your area and request a list of required documents and drawings that you need to submit before you can start construction.
As you get closer to making your final decision on your plans, reality needs to come into play. You are almost always better off sticking with a traditional size and shape in a home, both for resale value and cost for your remodel. This means room sizes should be close to standard, not too large or too small. Doors and windows should be sized so that they are easily replaced, and floor plans should be traditional as well.
Having a kitchen on the second floor may strike you as a clever and unique solution, but if it means moving the gas, electrical wiring, and plumbing up to the second floor, this change will add significantly to the project costs. You should also consider resale value. You may plan to stay in your home forever, but the unexpected does happen, and if you installed bright orange tile on all the floors, most perspective buyers will deduct the cost to replace it from their offer even though you installed it just two months before.
Do you have remodeling or moving questions? I will be glad to help if I can. Feel free to email me your questions at dan@remodelormove.com.
Thanks.
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