Home improvement can be costly, intricate, and time-consuming. However, after a while, your home will need to be reconditioned and renovated to make it look attractive. The importance of home improvement varies depending on the homeowner.
Tips for Planning a Major Home Renovation
- Determine your budget and the money you can afford
- Find your reasons why you want to redecorate your home
- Assess the structure, systems and general condition of your house
- Check the local bylaws and regulations
- Take a look at your neighborhood
- Don’t concentrate on trends, as they are not permanent
- Try to keep it simple
Some projects can take more of your time and longer to finish. You can do some work yourself or have something done by a pro. A DIY project can be fun and save your money. But, you’ll need to spend more time on renovation and less time on homework. You may say that “I need time to write my essay,” or “Who can help write my essay so that I have enough time for DIY projects?” Some college essay services offer help with your homework at reasonable costs.
Being a homeowner can be a profitable experience, but this status also needs much attention and hard work. Home improvement and home maintenance are closely tied together. A proper maintenance checklist will identify if any repairs are required. You can have monthly, biannual, and seasonal maintenance checklists. The need to repair your home varies depending on the time of year. Remember that home improvement and maintenance should be made at the right time to maintain the optimal quality of life. It’s recommended that about 1-3% of the house purchase price be dedicated to maintenance, and three percent each year to the renovation.
Two essential considerations of homeowners for redecoration include the benefits added to the quality of life and adding value to the house for resale. In some cases, you can have both goals within one renovation. But if you’re a college student, you have to choose, because you most probably care for financial issues. Make sure you can afford to pay for the remodeling without thinking about how big or small the project is.
There are many aspects of the work that you must consider before investing money in home renovation. A good general rule can be narrowing down the idea of refurbishing your apartment to a checklist.
A checklist helps you know what to do, in which order to do it, and how to save you time and money. You can have someone to plan, design, and make financial arrangements for you. But it would cost a lot of money if you’re a college student. Instead, follow how to prepare a checklist for remodeling advice. You have to plan a timeline for the improvement too. For instance, a common home redecoration timeline looks like this:
- Planning: it takes about one month
- Demolition: about two weeks
- HVAC, Electrical, and plumbing: about five days
- Framing and Drywall: ten days
- Painting: one week
- Cabinets and Fixtures: one week
- Doors and Windows: five days
- Clean House and Air Vents: one day
- Flooring: about one week
- Trim and Finish work: one week
1. Planning
Before adopting any measures, make a plan of your priorities. What should take place now and what has to be postponed? Then, prepare your financial plan and determine the maximum amount you want to spend on remodeling.
Decide on which tasks can be done by a contractor and which are DIY (do-it-yourself). Hire an experienced contractor to handle the project.
2. Demolition
To clear the path for the new life, the old debris has to be moved out first. So, planning is followed by demolition. Destruction can be risky, especially if performed carelessly. So, it’s recommended to use a dumpster to keep the renovation efficient, reduce the mess as much as possible, and finish the home improvement quickly.
3. HVAC, Electrical, and Plumbing
It’s time to think about interior like ductwork for central heating, installing electrical and plumbing systems, and all the works related to the floors or walls. Ask plumbers or electricians to inspect the house before flooring, drywall, and painting to avoid any damages.
4. Framing and Drywall
When plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are updated, you can go to the next step of covering interior walls by hanging sheets of plasterboards, using drywall compound, leaving the compound dry, and sanding it smoothly.
5. Painting
The smooth drywall is now ready to be painted. As a college student, you can save your money by doing it yourself. But if you want a flawless paint wall, hire a professional painter!
6. Cabinets and Fixtures
The path is almost paved. The newly painted walls are ready to accomodate cabinetry, bathtubs, lighting, showers, sinks, and toilets.
7. Doors and Windows
Verify if all windows and doors are installed before placing any caret to see if they can open and close freely. Besides, it’s better to install laminate floors once the doors are hung.
8. Clean the House
You’re almost done! It’s time to remove all that renovation dust. It’s a good idea to sweep or vacuum up the remaining grime and have a pro to clean the air vents.
9. Final Touches
Congrats! Once all the doors and windows are installed and the flooring is placed, it’s time for decoration and the finishing touches. This can be anything you deem appropriate for creating a cozy atmosphere in your apartment.
Bottom line
In short, a checklist for a home remodeling plan may include costs, return on investments, processes, and rankings. Preparing a list in which all processes are narrowed down can guarantee your home improvement goes as satisfactorily as possible. It’ll help you make the right choice for a home renovation and monthly, yearly, or seasonal maintenance.
Rank your priorities for improvement projects. The preferences vary depending on the new additions to the family, moving out, and increased or decreased salary. You can hire a professional contractor to plan, design, and budget the project for you. But if you want to save money, give DIY projects a try.
