Home Remodel Tips for Newbies: How to Tackle a Renovation Like a Pro

Embarking on your first major home renovation can feel like setting sail in a storm: exhilarating yet intimidating.

As the owner of Compelling Homes for the last 15+ years, I've helped dozens of Des Moines homeowners tackle their first major home remodeling project. I think I've heard of nearly every possible hurdle and pitfall a first-time renovator can face.

In this article, I aim to share the distilled wisdom and practical advice that comes from navigating countless renovation projects. Whether it's budgeting woes, timeline troubles, or the daunting task of choosing the right design, I understand the unique challenges you're up against if this is your first renovation project.

Here are my top ten tips to help you navigate your renovation journey confidently. My goal is to help you make informed decisions, avoid common mistakes, and ultimately transform your house into the space you've always dreamed of, with as little stress as possible.

Tip #1: Consider Moving

Really! A major home renovation, especially one that involves sweeping structural changes is a big deal that will require a big commitment of your time and money. It's not for the faint of heart. If you aren't committed to your home's location and think you might want to move soon, it may make more sense to shop for a different home or to look into new construction. But if you love your neighborhood and can't imagine moving anytime soon, it can be extremely rewarding to upgrade your "forever home" to meet your needs.

Tip #2: Spend Some Time in the Space

This tip applies to folks who have just purchased a new (to them) house and is an often-overlooked first step in the renovation process. I always recommend living in a home for at least a year, if not longer, before planning any major renovation projects. All of us have habits and behaviors that are part of how we navigate through our homes, and it may at first seem like you definitely need to modify your home to fit your needs, but let those thoughts simmer for a while. It's important to get to know the space slowly so you can see what works and what doesn't before committing to any updates. You may be surprised that the thing that most bugged you about the house when you first moved in turned out to be a non-issue.

Tip #3: Set a Reality-Based Home Renovation Budget

One of the biggest questions homeowners remodeling for the first time is, "How much will it cost?" That's a great place to start when planning a renovation project. Unfortunately, solid answers to that question are hard to come by, and there is a lot of incorrect or downright misleading information out there.

Take HGTV and other home networks. Home remodeling shows typically show the budget for a project, but it's documented that the products and building materials on these shows are often discounted (to account for the free publicity), and the network often pays for some of the labor on the side to keep things moving on schedule.

My advice, when it comes to pricing research, is to skip reality TV and go right to the source. Ask remodeling companies directly if they can share typical price ranges for the type of work you want to do. Some firms will share price ranges specific to their local area, like in our own Compelling Homes Remodeling Cost Guide.

Tip #4: Get Design Help

Over the years, I've learned that regardless of the size of your home renovation project, it almost always makes sense to work with a professional designer. There's simply no substitute for having a detailed plan that captures your vision and expectations for the finished project.

A designer's role goes far beyond just picking colors and finishes, a common misconception. They are instrumental in space planning, ensuring ergonomics, and providing clever storage solutions that enhance livability and beauty in your home. A designer can also help you develop a master plan for your renovation, allowing you to tackle the project in manageable phases.

Beyond all of this, having a professional design can also save you money when it comes time to build by ensuring that every little detail is planned for and accounted for. Construction is so much smoother and more efficient when your contractor doesn't have to call you during the workday to make spur-of-the-moment design decisions, or worse, not consult you at all. Having a professional designer work with you to make all those decisions ahead of time is a lifesaver.

Should you hire a standalone architect and general contractor or choose design-build?

The traditional approach is to hire a standalone architect or designer to design your project, shop the plans around for bids, and then hire a general contractor to do the construction work. One of the main issues with this approach is that bids can come back way higher than expected because your designer didn't have access to accurate building cost estimates during the design process.

Design-build remodeling firms solve this problem by putting the designer and the builders under one roof. Costs are carefully estimated during design, so you never end up with a set of plans you can't afford to build, and some design-build firms specialize specifically in home remodeling, offering up design solutions that are buildable, on budget, and remarkable for you. (You can probably guess that my company Compelling Homes is a design-build firm and that I am a super fan of this approach!)

Tip #5: Ask for References and Actually Reach Out to Them

Ensuring your contractor is reputable and skilled is crucial. Here's a quick guide to doing your due diligence:

• Review online testimonials. (Google and Houzz are good sources for reviews.)

• Engage in direct conversations with potential contractors.

• Contact previous clients, especially those who've been in their homes for over a year, to assess long-term quality and service response.

• Verify that any contractor you're thinking of hiring is licensed, bonded, and insured.

• Check for any formal complaints and confirm how long they've been in business.

Tip #6: Be Realistic About Your Timeline

Once again, HGTV skews expectations about how long the home renovation process takes. You can't just come in, hammer swinging, and build a new kitchen in a week!

After finalizing your design—You did hire a designer, right?—prepare for a possible wait before construction kicks off. Permitting can take weeks or even months, depending on where you live, and many top-notch contractors have their schedules filled months in advance.

Once construction begins, it should stay on the agreed-upon schedule. If you did your due diligence and carefully vetted your contractor, then they should present you with a detailed schedule with concrete milestones. However, sometimes things come up during the course of construction, such as unforeseen conditions, that may delay your project. Be sure to add some contingency time to your planning for these circumstances.

Tip #7: Plan Ahead Before Construction Begins

Before construction begins, take the time to prepare your home and family for the big changes on the horizon. Give yourself plenty of time to move your personal possessions out of the areas of your home to be renovated. (Anything left inside the work zone will likely be covered in drywall dust!)

If you are remodeling your kitchen, make a plan for how you are going to cook and eat while work is underway.

If you have pets, a remodel can be distressing for them. Make sure you set up a renovation free zone for them that is tucked away from the noise and activity of active construction. Likewise, if you have young kids, explain clearly to them what is going to happen, and set up a safe place for them to play outside the renovation zone. Kids can be very curious about what's happening in your home, and it's okay for them to ask questions, but make sure they are not disrupting your building team or stepping into a hazardous area.

Tip #8: Obtain Permits

For all but the most superficial remodeling projects, you will need permits, likely several of them:

• Construction/building permit

• Electrical permit

• Plumbing permit

Most contractors or their subcontractors will pull the permits for you as part of their service. Be wary of contractors who say you don't need permits or ask you, the homeowner, to apply for a permit yourself if they are the ones doing the work.

Tip #9: Sweat Equity May Not Actually Save You Much Money

Remodeling can be eye-wateringly expensive, and it's tempting to think about just doing some of the work yourself to save money. Some contractors allow this, but many don't. And there's a reason.

The professionals who remodel homes are usually quite efficient and quick at their work, which is necessary to keep a project on schedule. When you, the homeowner, make yourself responsible for some aspect of the job, then you could bring the whole operation to a halt if you are not able to perform the work at the required time. This could actually cost you more money than if you just left the work to the pros.

The same goes for planning to shop for all your own fixtures. Many homeowners think they'll find better deals by bargain hunting, but they risk throwing a wrench into the whole production schedule if the under-mount sink they ordered online isn't on site when the plumber shows up to install it.

The only time I recommend the DIY approach would be if you wanted to hire a contractor to complete your project to 90% or so, and then you would be responsible for putting on the finishing touches. It still often turns out to be way more work and stress than you might have bargained for, but at least you won't be bringing the whole project to a halt.

Tip #10: Be Wise About Change Orders

If you choose to work with a contractor who offers you a fixed price for construction (which I highly recommend), then most likely this will be exactly what you pay for the scope of work. However, it's still a good to have a contingency fund of around 10 to 15 percent of the project cost ready. This is designed to cover two scenarios: When you discover unforeseen circumstances, like rot behind the walls, or when you want to make a change or add to the original scope of work.

There's not much you can do about the former; unforeseen circumstances can come up occasionally, especially in very old homes, but you do have control over changing the scope voluntarily.

If you have worked with a good designer (See Tip #4 above), you should have an excellent design that you are happy with. True, there is a chance that, for instance, your kitchen island feels just a little too far away from your counter when you see it built, but generally it's better to avoid making major (or even minor) design changes during construction. The costs can add up fast because the contractor often has to undo everything they just built and then turn around and build it again.

Also try to avoid the "While you are here" trap of asking subcontractors to fix this or that little thing that's outside the scope of the project, just because they happen to be in your home working. They will undoubtedly bill your contractor for the extra work, and your contractor will have to bill you, and these costs can also add up quickly. Moreover, a flurry of little requests can slow down the main tasks at hand and could throw your project off schedule.

Ready to Tackle Your First Remodel?

I hope these tips arm you with the knowledge and strategies you need to make your first major renovation project a smashing success! If you happen to live in the Des Moines, IA, area, feel free to get in touch. We'd be happy to help in any way we can.