11 Items you should considered before you remodel:
1. Decide who will be on your team.
You will need to hire a Professional Home Designer or Architect to produce a set of plans if your project involves removing or changing structural elements. As a Professional Home Designer Yvonne can help you with your vision and producing the documents required by the local building department.
If you need decorating advice -- help selecting draperies, paint colors and coordinating fabrics -- you might want to consult an interior decorator who specializes in surface decoration. But if you're having trouble figuring out how to reorganize a room so the space functions better, consider working with an interior designer.
Will you be doing the work yourself or will you need a contractor? If you plan on doing some DIY check with the prospective contractors as some are more open to DIY than others. .
2. Select a contractor.
Hire a licensed, bonded, insured general contractor who will perform the work himself and/or work as a project manager by hiring subcontractors including plumbers, fabricators and installers. It is ideal but not necessary to choose a contractor who has relationships with your home designer, so all of the people you're working with know each other and work well together.
3. Plan for DIY work.
Consider how much, if any, of the work you want to do yourself, and which part you want to leave to the pros. Consult and inform your general contractor so you can coordinate your activities with them.
4. Remodel with purpose.
Do you need to make room for a baby or an elderly parent or get the house in shape for resale? Or are you just tired of your old decor? If it you are just looking to freshen up your decor you will not need a Home Designer or Architect
Before spending a bundle on cosmetic changes to keep up with design trends, direct your investment toward necessary upgrades and repairs to the roof, appliances or safety features that will make your home more comfortable and help you avoid emergency spending, which can be more expensive than a well-planned renovation.
5. Budget budget budget.
Work out a comfortable budget, and let your contractor know how much you have to spend. Access to a contingency funding may be prudent as there are often undiscovered problems with your existing structure that can be uncovered during the remodel. Especially if you are remodeling an older home. Problems that might be discovered include termites,mold, dry-rot, asbestos, unconventional or unsafe construction.
If you want to collect bids from several contractors and don't have finishes and appliance picked out you can delineate specified allowances for these items in our bids. That way each potential contractor will be bidding apples to apples. Without that information, a general contractor won't know which kinds of materials to include in your estimate and each contractor may bid different levels of finish work. With a budget up front, the pros can help you find impressive items that fit your budget.
6. Inform your Home Designer upfront.
If your home is governed by CC&R's (Codes, Covenants & Restrictions), In a flood plane, a home owners associations, registered or restricted as a historic landmark.
7. Setback restrictions
Your building department has restrictions on where you can build on your lot. If you build closer to the property line than the specified distance for your area you will be required to use one hour fire restive assemblies.
8. septic considerations
If your remodel includes adding bedrooms and you are not connected to city sewage you may need to extend you septic lines or add capacity.
9. Strategically Remodel.
Estimate how long you plan to live in your home. If you're planning to sell soon hold off on items with low payback and think about your remodel more in terms of resale and potential buyers.
If you're planning to live in your house indefinitely, think about changes that will make your home more comfortable and accessible as you age. Widen doorways throughout the house and add grab bars, a step-free shower and a higher toilet to the bathroom, ramps to the front door, living space for a caretaker.
10. California Title 24 requires you to go green.
This is a complex California mandate for both new constructions and remodels. This mandate comes into play anytime you increase the size of your home or square footage of window glazing. Title 24 should be taken into consideration.
12. Get permits.
Always obtain the proper city or county permits for the work and honor all building codes. You need a permit whenever you disturb the electricity, plumbing or structure of your house -- if you add a room, install a pool or do other major construction. It doesn't matter if you get the permit or if your contractor does, but you're the one responsible for making sure a permit is issued. You will often time need a set of plans to submit to the building department to obtain your permit. Beyond the permit cost you may need to pay other fees including, school mitigation fees (if your adding a bedroom), Health department (septic field inspection).
13. Upgrade to current codes.
The work your contractor does must comply with today's building codes, even if the rest of your house doesn't. While your contractor will be on site it may be cost efficient to rap in upgrades to your existing structure.to comply with current safety and energy codes.
14. Make mentally preparations.
Prepare for the stress that comes with remodeling. There are often undiscovered problems with your existing structure that can be uncovered during the remodel process (termites,mold, dry-rot, asbestos, unconventional or unsafe construction). Prepare for noise and mess. If your prepared for these challenges you are likely to handle them as if they were expected and with a better attitude. Talk to your contractor or select a contractor that can get the job done quickly so the duration of your family inconvenience will be minimized.
