How to have a WILDLY successful renovation on your own!

HI guys! Welcome to Episode 147 of the Wildly Successful Lifestyle podcast. I’m finishing up a renovation and let me tell you it’s been a lot of fun. There were some ups and downs of course and if you’d like to see the finished product I will be posting pictures so make sure to follow me on Instagram @theheididawson, It’s not quite finished yet but it will be in about a week

There are A LOT of people renovating! Are you one of them? Maybe you are Thinking about renovating? I’ve been working in the interior design field for a while and let me say that post COVID, renovating is quite a bit different. All of the same rules apply but you have to be super patient and know that prices are going up…So maybe you’re considering a renovation and want to give it a go without the help of a professional designer? I have put together a list of tips to help you have a WILDLY successful renovation on your own!!! It does not have to be a painful process, in fact it can be an enjoyable one if you make sure you follow these tips. Experience is a big teacher and I learned all of these from lots of experience!

HAVE A BUDGET. This is number one for a reason. Make sure you have a budget and follow it! Costs can quickly get out of hand so make sure you have priced everything up front. And be aware, I just had my contractor tell me because of wood prices, a quote he got for cabinets was raised by $5000 by the cabinet maker….That is becoming a problem.
Along with the budget thought, Make sure you budget at least 10% for unexpected scenarios that may (probably will) come up. IE…..Rotten subfloor, leaks in weird places, having to move AC vents, hole patching….etc. We had a foundation issue that was unexpected with our renovation so you just never know…..
Have a priority list. This circles back to budget. When you have a priority list it ensures you get the changes you most wanted before you have reached your budget max! And let me tell you something…Get what you want in before the end of the project because whatever is left at the end gets nixed if you run out of money and that happens… a lot.
Get 3 quotes from 3 different subcontractors. Ask for referrals from any subcontractors you interview. Referrals from friends is a good way to find great work without the scariness of the unknown contractor, this is the best way in my opinion and that’s how we worked with our contractor and we couldn’t be happier.
Never pay 100% up front to sub contractors. Try a 30% down, 30% mid way and 40% upon walkthrough and completion.
Get everything in writing from the contractor you have chosen. This makes everyone more comfortable!
Have an overall vision for the renovation. You can do this through mood boards and design folders. With technology today it is easier and less scary than ever to do your own project. There are literally millions of projects online to help you decide what you like and how it will look when complete. pinterest.com and houzz.com are two of my favorites. This helps avoid costly mid project changes.
Measure and lay out templates for furniture. You are in this beautiful massive showroom and have found the perfect sofa (so you think). It looks like it will fit so you buy it only to have it delivered and it swallows the room. ALWAYS take into consideration room height, walkways around the new piece, other furniture that will be in the space. Low ceilings want lower profile furniture. Higher ceilings want taller furniture. Unsure how the flow will be? Lowe’s has brown paper in large rolls to make templates of the exact size furniture and using painters tape you can lay it out in the space to ensure the flow will be perfect!
On that same note, Make sure the furniture fits through every threshold it will pass, including stairs and rooms that don’t have a wide angle into the space. Always take the measurements and make the trek the furniture will make to ensure it fits through every threshold. You don’t want to send a piece back because it won’t make a corner…Definitely one I learned from a painful experience.
This last tip is more of an opinion. Paint is a wonderful way to freshen up a space….to create a space that flows beautifully, try to use one color throughout the main areas, or at least different values of the same color. (Value is the lightness or darkness of a color) This keeps the space from feeling choppy.