So you’ve decided to remodel one of the rooms in your home. Here are some things to keep in mind before hiring a contractor.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Hiring a Contractor
Remodeling one of the rooms in your home? How exciting! But before you take a sledgehammer to that wall or sign on the dotted line with that contractor, take a little time to plan the interior design of your home project.
Doing so may make a difference in how happy you are with the results. Here are a few things you should consider:
- Overall Vision: Think about the big picture and overall goals of the room. Why do you want to renovate it? How does the room renovation fit into the vision for other adjoining rooms, or your home as a whole?
- Functionality: Who will be using the room, and for what activities? Do certain elements need to remain in the room? What about the floorplan? The onset of a renovation is the best time to adjust the floor plan structurally to your liking or to relocate wiring, plumbing or fixtures.
- Color Scheme: Don’t just pick a paint color that you like for the walls. Think about how the color will look with existing items in the room, such as flooring, tile or carpeting. Consider a neutral color if you plan to sell your home down the road, in order to appeal to more buyers. A painter doesn’t want to get into the business of recommending paint colors, so research ahead of time so you won’t make a hasty decision when it comes time to start your project.
- Design Style: Along with the color palette, consider the style of your room before beginning a renovation. This becomes important when picking things like tile, countertops, cabinets, light fixtures or other elements for the room. Start with the design of your home. In what era was your home designed? Is it a ranch-style home or a farmhouse? In some cases, you may want to preserve the integrity of the home’s architecture when choosing your design style. In addition, consider the design style of the rest of the rooms, in order to coordinate them.
- Repairs: Before starting a renovation, look around the room for anything that needs to be updated or repaired. For example, do windows or doors need to be replaced? Is the drywall in need of patching? Are there leaks or is mold present that must be treated? Add these to your contractor’s list.
- Furnishings and Décor: While furnishing your new space may not be on your mind at the start of a renovation, consider what furnishings and décor you would like to keep or add to the space before starting a renovation. This becomes important as you choose paint color, carpeting, tile and fixtures, so that everything works cohesively. Use magazine or Pinterest for inspiration and ideas or contact an interior designer for help with a design plan.
Remember: remodeling isn’t just about hiring the manual labor. Consider all elements of a room’s design, color, style and functionality before you undertake a renovation.
Doing so will ensure that you are content with your new room and all its elements.
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