Home remodeling is an exciting time! You’re finally getting the kitchen or game room you’ve always wanted. If this is your first time, you’re most likely unfamiliar with some of the common problems homeowners face. To help you avoid needless headaches and stress, we’ve put together a list of 7 home remodeling mistakes to avoid. While each home is unique, some errors apply to all scenarios, causing delays in the construction or increasing costs. Keeping these tips in mind should help your home renovation project go as smoothly as possible.

1. Going With the Cheapest Bid

Yes, in an ideal world, you’ll get the best results for the lowest cost. Unfortunately, it’s extremely unlikely for this to happen. Finding a contractor that’s offering the cheapest bid and is readily available seems appealing, but you want to be wary of this. They may have hidden costs, use low-quality materials, are unskilled, or plan on cutting corners. The results, unsurprisingly, will be less than ideal. You may even need to get additional work done later on to repair any issues.

2. Failing To Plan

To ensure the project goes smoothly, you should thoroughly plan out your renovation in advance. Changing your mind or realizing something won’t work mid-project can bring everything to a halt and may end up costing more money. It’s best to have every detail figured out before construction begins. At Julz Corp, we understand that you may not be able to plan out the entire process yourself, which is why we help you from concept to clean up!

3. Changing Your Mind a Lot

As we mentioned, changing your mind a lot can cause problems. It’s common for homeowners to change their minds about something during the renovation project, and often isn’t a problem. What can lead to issues is when indecisiveness becomes a recurring theme throughout the project. Even simple changes can require a lot of back-end work that you don’t realize. For example, moving a light switch a few feet could cost hundreds of dollars or more!

4. Buying Your Own Materials

In theory, this makes sense. Homebuilders mark up the price they pay for the materials and pass off the additional costs to you. Keep in mind, if it’s a reputable and established company, they likely get their materials at a discounted price through their suppliers. Even with their mark-up, it may still be cheaper to go through them.

If it’s something you use or touch every day (drawers, cabinets, flooring, etc.), you don’t want to skimp on quality. Your contractor will understand where you can afford to use lower-cost materials and where you need to have high-quality materials. Plus, when homeowners shop, they tend to choose things based on how visually appealing they are, not how well they perform.

5. Fixing Up a Money Pit

Remodeling a fixer-upper can be incredibly rewarding, but in some cases, the house is too far gone, and fixing it up will cost much more than it’s worth. There are some things to look out for, such as faulty foundations, termite or insect infestation, outdated wiring or plumbing, and much more. You’ll want to evaluate how much work needs to go into the house to avoid a financial sinkhole.

6. Rushing the Project

Thanks to home renovation TV shows, it may seem like an entire home can get built in a week with no problem. Unfortunately, in real life, renovations take a lot of time and planning. A big project will probably take a couple of months, along with a few extra weeks for cushion. Trying to get it done in as little time as possible will lead to added stress, shortcuts, and unnecessary problems.

7. Neglecting Your Budget

When creating your budget for the project, you want to keep in mind that home renovation projects usually cost a little more than you think. Unexpected costs can generally be expected when renovating a home, especially with older ones. Adding 10%-20% of your original estimate to your budget will help give you a big enough cushion if any additional costs come up. You’ll be prepared for any surprises, and if your project comes in under your initial estimate, then you’ll have some extra money to decorate your home!

Julz Corp: Home, Kitchen, and Bathroom Remodeling

Whether you’re remodeling the majority of your home or just a single room, our list of 7 home remodeling mistakes to avoid will help everything run smoothly. We’ve been in business for ten years and have seen and done it all! We’ll help you thoroughly plan out your remodeling project, making sure we include every detail. The best way to get started is by scheduling a free consultation with us, where we’ll meet and discuss your home renovation plans and goals! You can schedule it by calling us at (760) 795-9697, or you can reach out to us through the “Contact” page on our website.