Five Tips for a Successful Home Remodel

By: Craig D. Antonelli, President of Antonelli Construction, LLC and

Chairman of the Rochester Homebuilders Association

Your home is your castle, but it still needs attention to keep it looking great.  Remodeling is a great way to update your home and create an environment that can meet your family’s changing needs and tastes without you having to spend a significant amount of money.

Before you spend your hard-earned dollars, make sure that the changes you make now will have long-term benefits for you when you look to sell your home in the future.

Building Professionals know how to balance these long term benefits.  They can evaluate space needs relating to the re-sale value of your home.  They can also translate a home owner’s dreams and budget into a beautiful reality.   They have the expertise and skills to work with a home owner and make sure all building factors are appropriate for the family’s lifestyle.

The following are five tips for planning a successful home remodel that you can enjoy for many years to come:

1. Assemble a list of home remodeling ideas and draft a budget for the work.

Remodeling ideas may consist of projects such as modernizing the bathroom, renovating the kitchen, replacing the windows or repairing the roof.   Many problems can be avoided by planning ahead.  Prioritize your wish list: Maybe you don’t have the budget for your dream remodel, but you can maximize your dollars by doing the work in phases, purchasing budget-friendly products and materials, and implementing creative design solutions.

In addition, investigate features that are standard for homes in your neighborhood.  If you only have one bathroom but most of the other homes average two or more, you will want to bring your house up to that standard.  On the flipside, try not to make changes to your house that is too extravagant or out-of-place for your neighborhood.

Finally, make sure you are not making changes that will turn off prospective buyers.   Keep in mind what future home buyers would like to see in their next home.   It is often financially wiser to add an additional bathroom or bedroom or upgrade your kitchen cabinets rather than adding a sauna or an exterior fire pit.  These luxury items are very nice but may be costly and will not necessarily be a priority for a future buyer.  Maintenance-related projects, such as siding and window replacement are also popular because they are repairs that are seen as a minimum need by the future owner.  They can also help improve the curb appeal at fairly low costs, in relation to other projects.

2. Look for a Building professional to help plan the project.

When you hire a Building Professional you are buying a service rather than a product. Start by searching www.rochesterhomebuilders.com for a Directory of Available Building Professionals along with www.nahb.org/remodel for additional remodeling information.  Also, ask friends and neighbors for names of qualified remodelers and building professionals.  This will help you find the correct builder match for your project.

3. Check the references and background of the Building Professional.

After interviewing the Building Professionals, find one or two who match your project’s needs.  Be sure to conduct some background research by checking with the Better Business Bureau, talking to their references, and asking if they are members of a trade association, such as the Rochester Home Builders Association.  Remodeling teams with these qualities tend to be more reliable, better educated, and more likely to stay on top of construction and design trends.

4. Compare an “Apples to Apples” Scope of work

Understand what the Building Professional is providing and what you are receiving for the proposed price.  Make sure all the professionals include and exclude the same items in their proposal.  This helps you get to a “REAL” number without any future surprises.  If there is a large discrepancy between the proposed numbers then that is a clear sign that the scopes are NOT likely to be the same.  Also ensure that the professional has insurance coverage, and ask about any warranties provided with their work.

5. Agree on a written contract.

Review all the details of the home remodeling project and begin reviewing the contract.  Document as many specific scope items in the contract as possible.   This will help avoid any scope of work disagreements during the project.   Clarify who is responsible for obtaining any building permits, and understand the process for making any change orders after the contract is signed.   Make sure that you and your Building Professional see eye to eye before you sign on the dotted line.

The Bottom Line is This: Whether you are looking to sell your house soon, or are just looking to update your home for personal reasons, it makes sense to research your Building Professional and keep an eye on how the changes you make now, will reflect on your biggest investment down the road.  This can be accomplished with very little effort and it can save you money and aggravation in the long run.  Now is a good time to invest in your home or Buy New.

To find a Building Professional in your area that can help you with these upgrades, or for more information on why now is a good time to buy, contact The Rochester Home Builders Association at www.rochesterhomebuilders.com

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