Alisa Hofmann, Principal Designer
We’re often asked to talk about the mistakes that people make when remodeling. Other remodeling professionals ask us. Clients ask us. Mistakes happen. Recognizing that each client and remodel is different – we discover new mistakes all the time – here’s a list we hope you will find helpful.
1. Unrealistic Expectations
So many of us indulge in TV shows that are inspiring and encourage us to improve our lifestyles, declutter, and make our homes beautiful. These programs also do us a disservice. While many of them show some of the costs of products, they neglect to give us a reality check on what the real cost for living and remodeling in the San Francisco Bay Area would be. We need to adjust our mindsets around the cost of living in this market and what it takes to pay quality employees a real living wage compared to other parts of California and across the nation.
2. Not Hiring a Remodeling Team
The best way to start setting our expectations, whether it is planning a wedding, preparing for a new baby or remodeling a kitchen and bathroom, is to make an appointment and interview remodeling professionals. Meet in person, bring photos of what you have now, show them what is and isn’t working and show them some of your inspiration images on Houzz, Pinterest, and even vacation photos of a hotel your family stayed in over the summer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask about the costs of other projects they’ve recently completed that may be similar to your own.
3. Not Trusting Your Gut Instinct
The most important questions you can ask are to yourself. After you’ve met with a Designer, Architect, or Contractor, ask yourself these three simple questions: How did I feel? Could I trust them in my personal space? Did they listen to me and seem to understand, or did they force their ideas instead? These three questions can help keep you honest with yourself and help find the right designer to work with you.
4. Budget Driven Decisions
Buyer beware. During this interviewing process and discussing possible costs for your investment, you will come across a variety of responses. There is almost always someone who was so low it seems too good to be true. This is the same when selecting materials like faucets and cabinets. If you’re remodeling to “flip” or for resale of your home in just a few years you can probably be happy with the lowest end of product selections. But if you’re remodeling to stay in your home for 5+ years. You will get what you pay for, always. The uncertainty is in what will be significantly different than what you are anticipating. It could be the quality and longevity, timing and delays, or communication and lack of customer service.
5. Unprepared Construction Start
Plan your remodel to be a success, be fully prepared when construction starts. Have detailed plans, specifications, materials ordered and on site or on their way and no loose ends so that you don’t end up scrambling at the last minute and sacrificing for what fits your home with an “I guess can live with it” mentality.
These are our “Top Five.” We hope you found this helpful. Follow us here on our blog for more lists like these.