Planning:
Have you considered what disruption the project will have on you and your family’s day to day ability to function?
As an example, laying some ceramic tile on the bathroom floor may take the bathroom out of service for two days. In a one bathroom home this could prove to be a major obstacle to any bathroom renovation.
Kitchen renovation can also cause complexities if major appliances have to be temporarily moved, besides the necessity to make sure floor surfaces are not damaged while providing a temporary relocation, refrigerators need to be powered. Even a small project such as repainting a room can create major inconveniences because of furniture relocation and paint odors.
If it is a major home improvement, remodel or renovation, software packages are now available that will allow you to plan your design and see the changes in 3D. These software packages are available for your landscape as well as home additions:
Always make a list of material and tools that you will require, before starting your home improvement project. Then make sure you know where the tools and material (the material that you believe you already have) are, collect them, verify that they are useable and then place them all in a convenient location so that you can find them when you need them.
Knowledge:
Whether you are going to do the home improvement project yourself or hire a contractor, knowledge is the second key to ensuring that the job will be completed to your satisfaction.
Invest some time in learning about the materials that you are going to use and the tools needed to install them. Believe it or not, the manufacturers of the materials and products that you are going to use know more about them than you do. If a manufacturer says allow the adhesive to cure for 24 hours before applying the grout, don’t apply the grout in 12 hours. If a manufacturer says that his flooring needs to acclimatize in your home for 72 hours before installation, don’t bring it home and immediately start installing it.
If you are hiring a contractor, you must check his references and you must understand what material he is intending on using. There are vast differences in quality levels of materials. If a contractor says he will install an oak plank hardwood floor, there are many questions to ask about the grade, dimensions and finish of the material. Prices can vary from $2.00 to $15.00 a sq. ft.
Proper planning and knowledge will make a big difference in the overall success and satisfaction with your next home improvement project.