My First Home Renovation Project: 7 Lessons
Home ownership and improvement has always been an area of excitement and interest for me and my partner, and it also happens to be an area where we work really well together.
Homeownership and improvement have always been an area of excitement and interest for me and my partner, and it also happens to be an area where we work well together. We found this out early when within 12 months of meeting each other, we got engaged, planned a wedding, bought and remodeled a home with our sweat equity, and got married. It wasn't easy, and it required using the majority of our wedding budget as a down payment (leaving me with a max budget of $200 for a dress - no small feat either), but the result was worth It. Together, we created a place we got to enjoy every day.
Fast forward 20 years, and two homes later, we were ready to undertake our first extensive home renovation project. We were going to hire a professional. I often say, "It went wrong in almost every way, and I loved everything about It." This process eventually led me to pursue a career in interior design–something that might not have happened if everything had gone "right."
So, here's how the process went down.
Home Renovation Step One: Getting Started
While I had a point of view on general design aesthetics, I still needed to learn what was feasible for my home renovation, how much it would cost, and how to translate it all to a General Contractor. We decided to start with a local design firm known for working with builders. They had a large showroom with tile, cabinetry, lighting, and furnishings, which made it seem a little easier and less overwhelming than going to half a dozen different places for each thing. The designer we worked with was incredibly helpful in choosing items for the house and helping educate me about the process…and the investment. She helped us think through the scope of work we wanted, a general idea of construction costs, and the specifics of what it would cost to work with a designer, purchase the furnishings and accessories, and the role she would play in renovating our home. This was a conducive starting place for our first major home renovation.
Home Renovation Step Two: Finding a General Contractor
Using names provided by the design firm, we interviewed three general contractors and chose one based on both recommendations and seeing the general contractors work in other home renovations. We were ready to move forward with a project scope that included a complete kitchen renovation, converting the screened-in porch to a sunroom, and cosmetic updates to the living room, such as new carpet, cladding on the fireplace, furnishings, lighting, and window treatments. The timeline was 12 weeks, and we were excited and confident enough in the timeline to commit to hosting Thanksgiving in our new space that year. (Keep in mind, this was 2016.)
Home Renovation Step Three: Firing the General Contractor
With that said, it took a little while to realize that we had made the wrong choice about our general contractor, who wasn't showing up and getting the work done. By the end of week 12, we were far from the finish line, so we decided the best path forward was to let the general contractors go and take on the role ourselves. From then on, we would work directly with the trades, cabinet maker, and designer, coordinating every step and decision. Was it stressful? Absolutely! Could the vendors tell we were new to the process? Yep. But there's no better education than by fire, and I learned a lot in a short amount of time about job site project management and how to renovate a home.
Home Renovation Step Four: Being the General Contractor
The biggest thing I learned in this role was job site management. Coordinating all of your vendors and trades is a true ballet. You can't have an electrician and cabinet installer tripping over each other. But there's also a domino effect if one person falls behind - all the others must be pushed back. The final 30 days were the most stressful as all the little parts and pieces came together.
Lessons Learned
Now, I know that's not the ideal order of events for most homeowners. But thanks to this experience, I can give some excellent advice on what to expect from a home renovation and how to avoid some major pitfalls (assuming you aren't looking for a life-altering challenge that may lead to a significant career change).
Pick a solid partner to start with. For me, it was a designer. From there, you can build out the rest of your home renovation team. That first partner will often have recommendations for the rest of the team, so if you start with a reputable partner, you (usually) will wind up with a reputable team.
Reconcile what you want to be done (scope of work) with your budget while also considering what your home's market value may be post-renovation. There's the financial input and return on investment, but there's also the intrinsic value that only you can define. Ultimately, make decisions that are best for you and your situation.
If one part of the team is significantly underperforming, you must be willing to have tough conversations and potentially part ways. With that said, no new build or renovation project happens without mistakes along the way. People make mistakes, and that requires grace and understanding. But continuous mismanagement requires a parting of ways which should always be done respectfully (and in writing).
Listen to your trades and craftsman when they run into issues and work with them towards solutions. You are paying for their expertise, so trust that the problems they bring to you are legitimate and that they will help guide you toward the best outcome with your home renovation.
Ask what you can do to be a good client. For most builders and partners, that means responding to questions and making decisions promptly, being respectful to all trades when on-site, staying calm and respectful when the inevitable problems arise, and making payments promptly.
NEVER plan a big party the same week as the handover and pay for a professional construction cleaning crew between handoff and furnishing installation. As you may have guessed, we did not do either. The final sub left our house at 11:00 PM on a Tuesday. We then scrambled to clean everything throughout the night to be ready for furniture and drapery installation starting at 8:00 AM Wednesday so that we would be ready to host 12 people for Thanksgiving that Thursday. That night was pretty terrible! But, after months of chaos, waking up Friday morning to a new kitchen and living room and enjoying my first peaceful cup of coffee in our new sunroom was joyful and made it all worthwhile. I was so hooked on the process that I sat there that morning thinking, "what's next?"
Final note: I did not get professional photos of this space, as you can tell. Whenever possible, invest in professional photography, even if you're not planning on a career in design. They are always good to have for resale purposes or for showing your aesthetic to future designers or tradespeople when you're ready for your next project!
I hope these tips have helped you in your home renovation projects. Remember not to be too hard on yourself and that we all start from somewhere, and if you need any help, don’t hesitate to contact me!
