Tips on Getting Started

Plan ahead. Good planning keeps you organized, saves money and time, and helps to eliminate headaches.

Get good help. Work with people who can help guide you through the processing. Select a general contractor who will help you with just more than basic construction, but helps select materials, suggest design alternatives, understands your goals, and works with sub-contractors at a minimum.

Keep your goals in mind. Are you planning to stay in your home for many years to come? Or are you simply wanting to fix up your residence for a sale in the immediate future? If you are planning to use your property as a rental, then select basic materials and design that are more reasonable and that appeal to a wider audience.

Keep changes to a minimum. Many changes before a job begins typically result in delays, increased costs, and more frustration with both the homeowner and contractors. Planning out the project carefully well in advance will result in a less costly project that will take less time.

Develop a budget. Work with someone who can help you, and plan the project carefully. Consider all materials and labor, including the contractors and sub-contractors that will be needed to complete your project.

Plan with a good design. A “good” design will include quality materials, quality construction, and continuity. Material and fixture selection should work together well. The benefits of a good design include:

• Longevity – Good designs are relatively timeless.
• Higher return of investment – A good, quality design will be more attractive to a wider audience.
• Classic – Depending on your goals, keeping the design more classic will appeal to more people. When you sell your property, the design that appeals to a wider audience generally will result in a higher sale in a shorter amount of time.

Prepare for the unexpected. Be understanding of contractors…they are human beings. Surprises sometimes arise at the client locations, so reasonable delays may be expected.