How to Plan for Home Remodeling While You're Away

Yesterday I thought it was Wednesday until like 10 am. Not cool. Did you ever feel like you have so much in your brain that it might burst? That's me right now.

Anyhoo as I do sometimes, I'm giving the floor to someone to talk about things I will not ever be talking about, in this case planning for home remodeling when you're away. Which may come in handy for me in the future as I am never doing a home improvement project in a house I'm living in again after my near nervous breakdown during the kitchen remodel. About the author: Alec Neufeld is a retired builder, now freelance writer and part-time general fix it man. He has strong opinions on the use of alternate energy and is also an avid sports enthusiast.

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Doing a home remodeling project and micromanaging everything is already daunting as it is. Even when you’re home all the time, the project can still go over the budget and so many things could go wrong along the way. Scheduling the project for when you’re away on a holiday is just too much of a risk, isn’t it?

Well, not really. You have to do a lot of work prior to the project but doing a home remodeling while you’re away is a great way to get around the inconveniences and hazards. All you have to do is plan for the project carefully and I have just the tips in this article.

Do a Lot of Research

By a lot of research, I mean A LOT of research. Thankfully, you now have the internet on your side. Searching for the most credible contractor to hire, the right parts and appliances to buy, and materials to use is so much easier to do when you have sites like Consumer Charts providing you with valid reviews and tons of resources.

Research is a crucial part of the planning stage. You want to go into the details and figure out everything before finalizing the plan for your remodeling project. Don’t leave anything to chance; write down the plan to the last letter and make sure you know exactly how the project will go even before it starts.

Budgeting is also something you can do at this point. Since you can also get quotes and prices online, figuring out an exact budget for the project isn’t going to be very difficult. Add up to 20% to anticipate changes along the way and you’ll be fine.

Inspect and Review

The next part of the planning stage is inspecting the property. This is something that many contractors will now do for free as part of their marketing. At the end of the inspection, you will get a more detailed quote – preferably in writing – and additional information about potential issues that need to be solved before moving forward with the remodeling.

Let several contractors inspect your home and compare the results. Make sure you mention that you are comparing contractors so that you get the best deal every time. Multiple inspections allow you to see the bigger picture and help you prepare for the project better.

Set Boundaries

Before starting the project, go through the plans with the contractor of your choice in great details. Make sure the person in charge of the project knows what you expect from the project perfectly. If you want to ask a close friend or a relative to help supervise the project if necessary, now is the time to bring that person in as well.

The contractor needs to know about your boundaries. What kind of changes are you willing to accept? Which issues need your approval? Will you be reachable on your trip? Figure out these details and you can start the project without a problem. You’ll have to live elsewhere during bigger remodeling projects anyway, so why not go on a nice holiday while your home is being improved?

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Enjoy what is now actually Wednesday. See you back here tomorrow for Thursday Thoughts.