Embarking on a remodeling project is more than a little intimidating. Home renovations can be a long and expensive endeavor, but if it’s worth it, it won’t be easy and based on our experience – it is almost always worth it.
Any home remodel (or even simple renovations) will come with unexpected ups and downs but what about when remodels go entirely wrong? Why does it happen and how can it be avoided? Keep reading for our pointers based on years of expertise and real-life experiences.
The Two Most Common Renovation Issues
Remodeling a home is never easy, but there’s a difference between the standard challenges and a full-on disaster. In all my years of being in this industry, I’ve seen remodel horror stories occur in two main departments: timeline and budget.
Your Project Took Twice as Long as Expected
Project delays are all too common these days as products are often on backorder and may end up being weeks or even months later than expected. Although this is an unavoidable factor, there are ways to avoid lengthy delays and make them less inconvenient. One way that your interior designer can make your project happen in a more timely manner is by ensuring that all products are ordered, received, and inspected before the project begins.
By receiving and inspecting products before beginning the project, you can avoid a situation in which you have a partially demolished room, and then you unexpectedly receive a damaged product. This might lead to weeks more of waiting for the replacement, all the while you’re having to live with a half-torn-up bathroom – yikes.
We may not be able to prevent products from being on backorder but we can plan the project in a more efficient way to avoid major inconveniences.
Another factor leading to project delays is a failure to draw up a comprehensive and accurate floor plan ahead of time. This can cause issues because it may be unclear for electricians or installers to know exactly where certain products such as fixtures and tile are supposed to go. They may make an inaccurate assumption and do something incorrectly.
Now the work would have to be redone, leading to an extended timeline and our next most common mistake: an increased cost.
Your Project Cost Twice as Much as Expected
Most homeowners’ worst nightmare is starting a design project then running into unexpected expenses halfway through. The last thing you want is to use up your entire budget before your project is complete because you’ll have a demolished room or home and you may be out of money. Or you could end up feeling like you have no choice but to continue spending money and end up draining your bank account.
In our experience, we’ve seen that contractors tend to inaccurately estimate the cost of products because they don’t always have an accurate idea of how much they will cost – especially higher-end products. If you’re wanting to install fancy light fixtures or opt for herringbone tile, you need an interior designer to accurately take these costs into consideration.
Not only are nicer products more expensive but the installation itself can cost more than estimated as well. Although some contractors may take these factors into consideration, this is rarely the case.
Two Situations with One Mistake in Common
An extended timeline and unexpectedly high budget are two common situations that we see homeowners run into, but there is one common mistake that often leads to both of these issues – they failed to hire an interior designer first.
Many homeowners make the mistake of hiring a contractor before hiring an interior designer. This often leads to issues because contractors might start the demolition phase of the project without drawing up a detailed plan, they may not receive and inspect all products first, or they might have an inaccurate idea of how much certain products cost.
Of course, we may seem biased but after seeing these issues occur firsthand, the least we can do is help future homeowners avoid making the same mistakes. The last thing you want is to have to live in a halfway demolished home for months or spend your entire savings on one small project. So, what’s the solution?
Always Start Your Home Projects with an Interior Designer
Consulting with an interior designer first can help you avoid a home renovation nightmare of your own. Interior designers help to eliminate the risk of timeline and budget issues and this is only a small part of what we can help with. Your interior designer will help you determine what you want out of your project, such as the quality of the products you want to order. We will help you draw up a detailed plan and most importantly, we will ensure that you fully understand how long the project will take and the cost before getting started.
Unexpected issues can occur in any situation, but we will do everything in our power to minimize these issues, all the while helping to make your home look and feel exactly how you’ve always dreamed. Schedule a free design consultation today.