How To Remodel A House Step by Step [Checklist]

Are you seeking to remodel your home but can’t figure out the process involved?

You’re not alone. There are lots of homeowners that belong to this category. Even the most seasoned DIY enthusiasts will need occasional guidance on renovation steps for a house.

I want to renovate my house. Where do I start? This article seeks to offer the much-needed help you want.

Home Remodel Checklist And Planning

The systematic approach to home renovations always results in the best outcomes.

Because your home is your prized asset, it needs a detailed and careful approach to remodeling. Plus, getting desired results is always rewarding.

With this said, let’s get into our discussion on what’s needed for success.

Type of House Renovation

One of the first decisions you must make when remodeling your home is determining the type of renovation you want.

There’s the whole-house renovation and those focusing on specific house areas like bathroom renovations, kitchen renovations, and basement renovations.

Also, bedroom and bathroom additions may be determined by the homeowner. If you’re confused about these renovation types, we’ve discussed them briefly to clarify them.

• Whole-House Renovation Projects

As the name implies, whole-house renovation covers all sections of the house.

This type of renovation is common when there’s a change of ownership. New owners may decide to renovate the house and resell, while others may wish to buy them (used or old) and renovate the home to their taste.

The new house owner may wish to live or stay in the house for the latter. Irrespective of what applies to you, whole-house renovation projects seek to improve the entire home.

It may include several actions like floor change, painting, and re-roofing. Others may consist of ceiling change, among several others.

The goal is to make significant improvements to the whole home.

Whole-house renovation is only decided when the home is in bad condition, or the new owner wants a different look from what’s obtainable.

• Bathroom Renovations

Compared to whole-house renovations, bathroom renovations are much more restricted.

Here, improvements are made to the kitchen that may include the installation of new fixtures that may be luxury-focused or enhance convenience.

A variety of actions are common when it comes to bathroom renovations. They include changing the cabinet and replacing the bathtub with a more recent design.

You can implement these and many more actions.

• Kitchen Renovations

This is another type of renovation that’s restricted to the kitchen area.

This may be a necessary action to improve the property’s value before putting it on sale. Kitchen renovation may seek to expand usable space while also changing the cabinetry.

• Basement Renovations

Basements aren’t left out during renovation jobs.

It’s a standard way of improving the value of a property before it’s advertised or sold. Basements attract lots of renovation due to high humidity levels that cause various issues.

Also, you can renovate a basement to make more room space available. The amount of work done depends on the basement’s condition and size.

It also depends on your needs as the homeowner.

• Bedroom Addition

As the number of members within a household increases, so does the need to create more bed space. Here, the decision to add a bedroom or two is quite common.

For this to be possible, existing space needs to be remodeled or converted to achieve such a goal. Of course, proper planning is required to determine what needs to be done.

• Bathroom Addition

There are times when the addition of a new bathroom becomes necessary. This is especially true when the available bathroom tends to be insufficient.

A significant level of plumbing work is necessary for this to be possible. You might have to contact a professional to handle your bathroom addition task.

Here are standard renovation steps for a house.

Step-by-Step Home Renovation Checklist

House renovation is a serious task that might take a significant amount of time (several months to a year or more). It needs to be executed systematically to achieve the expected outcome. The most obvious decision you’ll have to make is finding the cost implication of the project.

Secondly, you need to decide who handles the job. Both of these should be captured in a plan.

Also, discuss the project with your insurance company. What are your priorities? Hire the right addition contractor. Is there a deadline for the completion of your house renovation? There should be!

Having sorted out the processes above, you’ll need to have the renovation site ready. Obtain all necessary permits and make essential purchases before the project begins. Now, you’ll need to start renovation work.

A review of the project should follow this after completion.

i. Cost Implication of the Project

Before anything else, you want to determine how much your house renovation project will cost.

This is important for budgeting purposes. You want to determine how much expenses you can afford and what financing options to benefit from.

After arriving at a figure or estimate, consider budgeting 10 to 20 percent extra to address any surprises that may drive up the cost of renovation.

ii. Who Executes the Job?

This is one of the first things to consider when prepping for house renovation.

There are two options: DIY house renovation or hiring professional renovation contractors. DIY’ers will likely decide to get their hands dirty. There’s no problem with that as long as the job is done right.

However, calling the pros will be safe if you’re not a hands-on person or have limited knowledge of the procedure.

The pros are experienced and have handled countless projects. Trusting their expertise wouldn’t be difficult.

iii. Have a Plan of Action

A thorough house renovation requires having a plan of action. This step is crucial as it encompasses all others. Through your project, you’re able to set priorities.

Also, you’re able to have the budget carefully worked out. To make your plan more comprehensive, you may have to take before and after photos.

iv. Discuss the Project with your Insurance Company

Have you discussed this with your insurance company yet? You’ll have to.

This is necessary to determine the insurance coverage available to you. It’s important to discuss with them before and after the renovation to see if you could increase the coverage limit of your house.

You need to understand that your house renovation project will likely raise your property’s value. If it does, you might have to increase your coverage limit for more comprehensive protection from destruction or damage.

v. What are your Priorities

Before renovation commences, you need to figure out what your priorities are.

In other words, you’ll have to identify the definite changes you want. These are immediate changes or those you cannot do without. The unique needs of your household might influence your priorities.

If you can’t set your priorities straight, you might have to discuss with a renovation contractor for more guidance.

vi. Hire the Right Contractor

You should hire not every contractor you come across for your house renovation project.

When choosing who to hire, you’ll need to consider multiple licenses, contractor insurance, referrals, and customer reviews. What more?

You need to find out if they belong to a well-recognized body like the National Association of Home Builders.

Never be gullible enough to accept any form of association membership flashed by the contractor. You’ll need to research the organization to determine if it’s legit.

vii. Have a Deadline for Completion

It’s not proper to commence house renovation projects without a definite deadline for their completion. This helps with better time management.

Plus, it influences the contractor to stick to the deadline. When hiring a renovation contractor, you’ll need to discuss your deadline to see if you can complete the project within the timeframe set.

Before setting a deadline, consider finding out how long it will take for your kind of project to be completed.

viii. Have the Renovation Site ready

It’s essential to have the renovation site cleared ahead of time. This helps create sufficient space for free movement and good work.

Getting the site ready may include removing furniture, kitchen appliances, and other moveable items that might stand in the way.

ix. Obtain Permits and Make Necessary Purchases

Wherever you live, you’ll need to determine what permits apply to your house renovation needs.

One of the ways to do that is by consulting with your contractor to help find and point out all regulations and permits. The such contractor is expected to know all of that due to their line of work.

Do you need to make any purchases for your house renovation job? More often than not, you will. Renovation materials may include drywall, lumber, and doors & windows, among others.

x. Commencement of House Renovation

At this point, the house renovation process begins. An experienced contractor will follow a definite pattern toward achieving set objectives.

House renovation may include demolishing specific spaces and rerouting electrical installations or plumbing systems.

xi. Review of the Project After Completion

With the job almost completed, you’ll do well to inspect the job site in your contractor’s company. This action is necessary to help identify areas that might have been skipped or where a proper job hasn’t been done.

These are detailed steps for remodeling a house. It’s best to use the services of professionals to achieve your desired goal.