Homeowner’s Guide to Nailing your Renovation
Renovating your home can be both exciting and challenging, especially when you want to achieve high-quality results without exceeding your budget.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate this process and make sure your renovation is a success
KND design and casual table lay for multiple bathroom renovation in Northwood Hills
1. Define Your Renovation Goals and Budget
Clarify Your Vision: Start by outlining what you want to achieve with your renovation. Think about specific features, design elements, and the overall aesthetic you desire. Prioritize your needs over your wants as you narrow in on your scope of work. A contractor and designer will be good to weigh in and advise.
Set a Realistic Budget: Determine how much you are willing to spend and allocate funds for different aspects of the renovation. Be sure to include a contingency fund for unexpected costs. A qualified contractor and interior designer will always account for these unknown costs. Do not use quotes from HGTV, Angie’s List or what your best friend paid five years ago. Feel free to reach out to us for some good starting price points for various areas, we’re happy to provide ranges for you as a reference.
KND design walk - reviewing primary suite addition with homeowners and their builder
2. Research and Select a Licensed Contractor or Remodeling Firm
Licensed and Insured: These two words are crucial - ask for up-to-date proof of both. If they cannot or will not, then next! Licensing ensures they meet local regulations and education, & insurance protects you from liability in case of accidents or damages. When you see acronyms in their signature or on their business card like NARI, NKBA and CKBD – these are all bonuses.
Background Check: request to learn about their experience, years in business, liability coverage, handling permits, referrals and even home tours of past projects for very large projects. Check BBB.org and read recent Google reviews – direct referrals from friends and family are best.
More important interview questions: ask about change orders and their policy, timeline and scheduling, frequency of communication, payment structure, how they handle closeout, punch, final cleanup and any possible warranties for labor.
KND design for whole house update in University Park
3. Research and Select the Right Design Professional
Review Portfolios: Look for designers who have a proven track record of high-quality work within your style preferences. Compare portfolios to find a match for your vision. Check out their company website, Instagram and Pinterest boards. Request resume and a latest project list, as they may not have these out there for the general public to access. When you see acronyms in their signature or on their business card like ASID, RID and NCIDQ – these are all great as it establishes them as a certified & licensed professional. Be sure to check the various associations to confirm they are still in good standing and in compliance with their accreditation(s), just to be sure.
First Date Call: Request a 10-minute free consultation (we call this a blind date) and we love to hear from potential partners. It allows us to visit casually, discuss your goals and to see if we’re a good fit for one another. We’ve included a Booking button at the bottom of this post for whenever you’re ready.
Check References: Ask to get contact info so you may speak with previous clients to understand their experiences and the designer’s ability to deliver on budget and design expectations. If they cannot offer this, they may be new or their clients may be very private – ask for testimonials or look for Google Reviews.
KND design for guest bathroom in University Park
3. Prioritize Key Design Elements
Focus on High-Impact Areas: Identify the most critical areas of your home where design changes will have the most impact, such as the kitchen, living room, primary suite, primary bathroom and/or outdoor spaces such as guest house or in-ground pool. Secondary areas (guest bedroom, home office and less important areas may get more cost-effective finishes and fixtures/selections).
Balance Quality and Cost: Choose high-quality materials and finishes for these key “money-maker” areas while opting for cost-effective solutions for less visible parts of the renovation. A qualified designer will know the appropriate materials and which sources to select from to stay within your budget.
Avoid the trends: steer clear of trendy finishes, colors or patterns as these may date your design when you go to sell in the coming months or years and affect your return on investment (ROI). Be sure to discuss with your contractor and designer what your plan is for the investment – flips may be able to feature some trends, though we prefer to steer clear of these as to save future homeowners from tearing out the work later, thus creating further waste and consumption.
KND design for whole home restoration following a flood in Preston Hollow
4. Develop a Detailed Design Plan and Timeline
Create a Comprehensive Plan: Work with your designer to develop a detailed design scope and floorplan that includes materials, colors, finishes, fixtures and final layout. Ensure that the plan aligns with your budget and your timeline. They should know appropriate percentages for shipping, handling, receiving, calculate taxes for your region and handle any hand-off of warranties for appliances.
Establish a Timeline: Set a realistic timeline for the renovation, including milestones and deadlines, to keep the project on track and minimize delays. Remember projects may be able to be phased out, however it is most cost-effective to have more areas to work on for your trades to get better pricing – each additional trip equals more trip fees, which means less money towards your materials thus taking from your overall budget. A qualified GC and designer will be able to strategically work through phasing out a project should it be too much to do all at once.
KND design for large addition for a Dallas family with their own builder
5. Monitor Progress and Communicate Regularly
Stay Informed: Request regular updates from your designer and contractor to ensure the project is progressing as planned (on schedule) and staying within budget. We suggest weekly updates at a minimum and keeping it all in writing via email to hold us all accountable. Site walks or facetime are great for walking you through the jobsite to see it in-person (in situ) for full context. We suggest to keep it in email form of writing because texts get lengthy and should be saved only for very urgent or time-sensitive matters.
Address Issues Promptly: If any challenges or changes arise, address them promptly to avoid costly delays or additional expenses. No snowballs! We get it, things happen, and unforeseen issues may arise, but it is up to your team & how they will handle them that will determine the success of your renovation and major home investment. When they address them promptly, they will be able to navigate through them and not have them become a project obstacle.
KND design progress walk of a flip house for a private investor
6. Review and Finalize the Project
Conduct a Walkthrough: Once the renovation is complete, review the finished work to ensure it meets your expectations and quality standards. Your GC and designer will do what we call a “punch walk” and then a final punch – be sure to walk in that very final one with them so nothing is missed and you’re 100% happy. It is very hard to get someone back onto a jobsite to correct one small thing if we all missed it the last time we walked it as a group - so the more eyes, the better. Anything found post move-in may be assumed was caused by your relocation professionals and then its your cost to repair and correct it.
Make Final Payments: Complete any outstanding payments as agreed upon, ensuring that all work is satisfactory and meets the agreed-upon scope. If you have any questions about invoices or payment structures, then take them up with your designer or contractor directly. This will help you to avoid mechanic’s liens, stop work notices and/or failure to punch out your home project nor clean-up/remove the final jobsite waste.
By following these steps, you can achieve a successful home renovation that delivers high-quality results while staying within your budget. We hope you found this information helpful and insightful. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions - we’re here to help in any way we can.