Getting Through a Home Renovation

Patti Stern, a principal of PJ & Company Home Styling, LLC , and an interior decorator and accredited home stager, recently remodeled her master bathroom and offers these tips for surviving any home renovation. 

4 Tips to Getting Through Any Home Renovation

Throughout the process, I kept a journal and noted some key tips and advice for all home owners when taking on any renovation project including:


1. Have a written plan. Be sure that you are absolutely clear with your interior decorator, contractor, and carpenter — whomever you are working with — regarding the remodeling job and have a written plan and contract.
2. Plan ahead. Make sure you have all of your design plans and materials for your remodeling project ahead of time (including windows if applicable). Sometimes, though, things do have to change once the remodeling starts.  Be flexible and plan for an additional 10- 15 percent above your budget for “just in case” scenarios.
3. Don’t skimp where it’s important. When putting in a shower floor, for example, make sure your contractor is using the right materials to prevent leaks, mold, and mildew. Sometimes spending a little bit more on better quality items will save you money in the long run.
4. Think about the big picture. How will your remodeling project affect other rooms or even future plans for your home? Will a wall being knocked down impact another room? If so, you may have to consider painting or repairing any walls in the impacted space. Are you thinking of selling your home in a few years?  If so, you’ll want to make changes you’ll enjoy now but that also will appeal to potential buyers in a few years.   Read more about Patti's actual bathroom makeover experience.  It might help you with yours!

Bathroom Makeover Tips for Staying on Budget

For several months, I have been contemplating a bathroom makeover for the master bathroom in my home.  The size of the bathroom is sufficient, but I want to make it more functional.  I have an older home and "function is job one" for me.  The bathroom "boasts" (I use that term lightly) a jetted tub that I hate!  I never use it (it takes forever to drain) - so pretty much all it does is collect dust and is difficult to clean.  I want to remove the tub, make my shower larger and more luxurious (rainmaker showerhead, nice fixtures, a shower seat and nice shower doors) since that is what we use and enjoy.  I want to replace my pedestal sink with one that has a cabinet for extra storage and add something like a dresser or a piece of furniture of some kind that will give it a warm look while, again, adding storage. Oh, and I want a mini chandelier - I just have to have one!  Finally, I would like to tile the walls to some extent and replace the vinyl floor with tile or wood. 
So with my budget of $5,000 in mind, I began checking out what some of the home centers have to offer and how much things cost and it soon became evident that I may have to find different ways to achieve the look I want in order to stay within my budget.  For instance, instead of having a tiled shower, I could install a prefab shower and kind of frame it with tile on the wall around it.  I'd seen it online and it would save a lot of money, but the impact would be the same. 
I came across this article in HouseLogic, 7 Smart Strategies for Bathroom Remodeling, which illustrates just what I'm talking about.  It offers bathroom makeover tips that can help you stay within your budget and leave you satisfied with the result. 

 

7 Smart Strategies for Bathroom Remodeling