You have an incredible house that you love, but there are just certain parts of it that you, well… don’t love all that much. So you begin considering the possibility of getting a home remodel, but after researching a bit, you realize you have absolutely no idea where to even begin.
Major home remodels can seem intimidating if you’ve never done one before. Each type of remodel – master bedroom remodels, whole house remodels, kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels, etc. – will call for a different approach. Regardless, the process of getting started is the same no matter what you decide on.
Where to Start with a Home Remodel
We’ve helped countless clients renovate their homes to the beautiful dream home they had always envisioned. We have dealt with customers who knew every detail of what they expected from a remodeling project, as well as customers who had no clue how to begin. It all begins with a few basic steps, so without further to do, here are a few tips on how you can get started on your dream home remodel:
1) Researching Vendors
It should go without saying, but before you start a home remodel, you’ll need to start searching for great remodeling companies. If you have any friends who have done home remodels in the past, they are an excellent source for referrals.
The first thing you should be looking for is experience – have they done the exact type of remodel you’re hoping to have done? Some of this will be exposed in later conversations, but you should be able to tell from their project portfolio and website what their primary focus is. We don’t imagine we have to remind you, but checking their reviews is also huge. If you don’t have a close friend to give you the low-down on how well they did with the remodel, Google reviews will be sure to fill in the blanks!
2) Issuing RFQs
An RFQ, or Request For Quote, is a simple way to get pricing from vendors for what a project will end up costing. But it’s actually an important piece of the vendor selection process for a different reason than you may expect – weeding out the vendors whose pricing is too low.
“Too low? Why would that ever be a bad thing?”
All professional remodeling companies are going to have very similar costs. The cost of labor, materials, permits, and all other pieces are going to remain incredibly similar between each remodeling company. With the exception of overtly high pricing structures, price is a bad reason to select a remodeling company. But it’s a great reason to weed out unexperienced remodeling companies. If the pricing is too low, it was probably scoped out on the back of a bar napkin and won’t be accurate by the time the project is finished.
3) Meeting with Vendors
The absolute most important part of starting a home remodel and selecting a vendor is meeting with remodeling companies. Given that pricing structures will be similar between most remodeling companies, you should be more concerned about finding a remodeling company that you mesh well with. If you find a great remodeling company that understands your goals, communicates well, and is experienced in your type of remodeling project needs but their pricing is a bit too high – talk to them about the cost! Chances are, they will meet you close to where you need to be pricing-wise.
