If it’s your first time planning a home remodel, we don’t want you to worry about making any mistakes. To help you avoid some common remodeling mistakes, MOSS offers a few words of advice.
- Avoid hiring an architect before a contractor. If you hire an architect to design your home remodel before consulting or hiring a contractor to build it, you’re in trouble. This is a common mistake because what often happens is that the architect draws out a beautiful new home remodel that you fall in love with. Then, when it comes time to construct, you can’t afford it because the design is out of your home renovation budget. An architect is able to capture the scope of your home and help it come to life through blueprints and in-depth conversations. However, without the expertise of a home contractor like MOSS, they don’t understand the actual cost of the work they’re designing. It’s important to work with a contractor before committing to a design from an architect.
- Understand your budget. This is a common mistake that homeowners make when planning a remodel. You probably have a dream design in mind, so you request a proposal for a home remodeling company like Moss Building & Design in Northern Virginia. Once you receive your proposal, you may have questions about the cost, especially if you’re unsure of what you want to or can spend.
Homeowners often don’t realize all the things that impact the cost of a remodel. We’re here to help you understand your proposal. As long as you’re aware of what you can spend and what you’re willing to spend, you should be OK. Do some research and budget to understand what you can afford and what you’re willing to pay before you move forward with a design.
- Have a realistic timeline. This common mistake is frustrating for homeowners and home contractors. Home remodeling contractors understand how long a home remodel takes, but a homeowner often wants it done as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this timeline is unrealistic and can cause tension during the remodel. To avoid this, it’s important for both parties to have a clear understanding of what a realistic project timeline is.
For example, if you need your kitchen for a graduation party or wedding reception in two months, hold off on a remodel until after the event. You’ll have a full working kitchen for your event, and no one will be stressed to get the project done in a short amount of time.
Remember: Each remodeling timeline varies, depending on the scope and any design or construction changes that happen along the way. Be sure to communicate effectively and clearly with your home remodeler to understand your specific project timeline.
- Understand why you want a home remodel. Oftentimes, you think you want or need something new, but you don’t know why. Why do you suddenly want an open floor plan? Why do you need a finished basement? Why do you crave a new family room or at-home office? Through Moss Building & Design’s consultative sales approach, we’ll help you get to the root of why you want a particular project, design, or layout. Using a series of in-depth questions, we’ll be able to determine more about how your family uses the space and how a new space solves any pain points that you’re experiencing.
To help you avoid making a remodeling mistake, Moss Building & Design is there every step of the way. To help with design, we offer MOSS 360. It’s our virtual design capability that helps you avoid design mistakes. With MOSS 360, you’re able to feel for yourself if the countertops are the right height, if the sink is in the right spot, and if the paint colors look as good in the sunlight.
For more information on how MOSS can help with your next home remodel, download the Beginner’s Guide To Home Remodeling. Click on the button below to get started: