Carol and Steven Kirson made a smart decision before they started a gut renovation of the five-bedroom home they purchased in Newton, Massachusetts, in August 2000: They delayed their move-in date.
With the house empty, the renovation was easier for both the contractor and the family, who escaped the disruption, noise and stress that usually accompanies a home improvement project.
But two years ago, the Kirsons decided to remodel their kitchen and a bathroom — and this time, they planned to stay in the house. Without access to their kitchen for two months, minimizing the disruption was key, especially because Steven works from home.
The couple set up an 8-foot-long table in the family room to hold a coffee maker, crock pot and toaster oven. They moved a mini-fridge into the room and converted a small table previously used for puzzles into an impromptu dining table.
“We created a makeshift kitchen and did all of the cooking there,” Carol says. “It wasn’t a perfect situation, but the easier you make it on yourself, the less stressful it will be.”
With home renovations forecast to increase next year — annual spending for home improvements and maintenance is projected to grow from $472 billion in the third quarter of 2024 to $477 billion a year later, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University — more homeowners will be facing the prospect of a renovation soon.
If renovations are in your future, here are eight things you should do to prepare.
[Related:8 Home Renovations Under $20,000]
Consider Doing It Yourself
If you’re a tradesperson or contractor, you likely have the expertise to handle your own project — although you may not want to. Handy homeowners can likely complete some DIY-friendly jobs — and save money in the process.
“A lot depends on your skillset and physical condition,” says Elizabeth Gomez, co-owner of Bridge City Contracting in Battle Ground, Washington. Smaller jobs, like replacing cabinet hardware or painting, are easily handled by most homeowners. But for structural changes, or electrical or plumbing work, Gomez recommends hiring a pro.
Think About Phasing Your Project
Doing the entire project at one time can certainly speed up the process, and you’re likely to save money because the contractor will be on-site the entire time. However, breaking it up into phases may be less disruptive for your family.
Create a Budget
Gomez says that failing to create a budget — and sticking to it — is a mistake she commonly sees. “A lot of people go down the rabbit hole of Pinterest and make like 200 boards showing what they’d like to do,” she says.
But prudent homeowners will create a budget based on what they can afford and will live within its parameters. Be sure to share that budget with your contractor as well, because that will help him or her choose products and materials that will achieve the look and feel you want at a price you can afford.
[READ: How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take?]
Find a Qualified Contractor
The best way to find any contractor is to get a referral from someone you know and trust. Even with a referral, it’s essential to do your due diligence and make sure the contractor is licensed and insured. Check the local better business bureau or sites like Angi for reviews, speak with prior clients and make sure the contractor’s style matches your own.
Lee Bardin, owner of Expert Renovation Team in Newton, Massachusetts, says the best contractors don’t advertise because they’re already busy and attract new clients through word of mouth. He suggests going to a local lumberyard or plumbing supply shop and asking them about contractors they deal with regularly to get quality referrals.
Decide How to Pay
Many homeowners pay cash for their projects. But with data provider Intercontinental Exchange reporting that the average homeowner with a mortgage had $319,000 of equity in their home at the end of the third quarter of 2024, many are tapping that equity to pay for their projects, either via cash-out refinances or home equity lines of credit.
Clear the Area
Make sure the work area is cleared of furniture, accessories and clutter before the contractor arrives. Although this may seem obvious, contractors report that homeowners often fail to clean up.
“It happens a lot,” says Shreyas Sudhakar, chief executive officer of Vayu Industries, an HVAC contractor in Menlo Park, California. “We’ve had to ask our technicians to move a bench press rack to be able to access equipment, and I’ve personally had to ask homeowners to move piles of clothes so I can access their attic space.”
[Read: 12 Home Improvements That Don’t Add Value]
Communicate Clearly and Be Available — Even if You Move Out
Clear communication between homeowner and contractor is essential for any renovation to be completed correctly. Sudhakar says it’s especially important for someone to be present in the morning to go over the day’s plan with the team and at the end of the day to see what they’ve accomplished.
The team leader should have the homeowners’ cell numbers so they are reachable at all times to answer questions or address issues that arise.
“The worst thing that can happen is for a contractor to make decisions on the fly because the homeowner is not reachable,” Sudhakar says. “Then the homeowner sees it and says that it’s hideous, and that becomes a whole situation.”
Leave
The best advice Bridge City’s Gomez has for homeowners is to not be home during the renovation. Instead, she suggests staying with family or friends or relocating temporarily to a short-term rental or hotel, if you can afford it.
If you prefer not to leave, try to section off an area of the home that remains clean and quiet. Remember that renovations create a lot of dust and dirt, and that may impact people with allergies.
“Construction work is noisy and generates a lot of debris, and a lot of homeowners just don’t realize what they’re getting into,” says Sudhakar. “They get frustrated when they hear drilling during their Zoom call for work or when we have to turn off a circuit breaker and they have no power. Homeowners need to understand — before they do a big construction project — that it can be painful. They really need to prepare themselves mentally for it.”
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8 Things Homeowners Should Do to Prepare for a Renovation originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 12/09/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
