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The Basics…4 of 4: Define what you are willing to do.

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Lastly, are you ready for what it takes? You will be investing much more than just money. Define what you are willing to do. Do you have the time to deal with a renovation? The bigger the job, the more time will be needed in dealing with all the decisions involved. If you are not excited and raring to go and ready to do what it takes to get through it, you may want to look closer at what is really involved. Are you going to have to move to get it done? If you are like most, the thought of moving all of your possessions…well, you really don’t want to think about it. And then you have to move it all back again! Conversely, a lot of people think they can live through a renovation to save cost, but after the water or electricity gets shut off, workers come and go at all times during the day, and the noise and vibration of construction doesn’t let up for days, to weeks, to months on end. And if they’ve tried to tough it out, they’re nerves are shattered, and patience, gone! They may e
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The Basics…3 of 4: Define what the benefits will be in doing the project.

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Third, what’s the value in doing your project? Many factors go into determining payback on your investment. From neighboring houses to market conditions to what you really want. How do you know what you want is the ‘smart’ thing to do? Define what the benefits will be in doing the project. What will it be worth when you are done? And in the future? Does the design appeal to others? Is it what most people would want? For the size of house? For the neighborhood? For the current economic conditions ! You may have heard the phrase, “Don’t price yourself out of the neighborhood.” And it’s true. However, looking at your neighborhood, what the future holds is what is usually going on down the street from you. In a few cases, this may not have any bearing on what you want to do. But most of the time, it does. A poor design may actually deduct from your home’s value, or at least from the return on your investment. Adding some amenities to your home may not be valued as highly as others. Or
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The Basics…2 of 4: Define what you can spend.

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Second, what’s your budget? This is where most projects die. Many people do not realize the cost of renovation and when they find out, say, “Forget it!” Even if you want what you want at whatever it costs (rare) you need to define what you feel comfortable spending. You can spend as much as you can imagine, but most everyone has a limit. Most renovation is a substantial investment and it goes along with some risk. Define what you can spend. What is the optimum amount you prefer to spend and what is your maximum. A budget will help whoever designs your renovation in providing you an appropriate solution or an answer of “Are you crazy?” Whom else you share this budgeting information with varies in opinion depending on who you talk to. Is your budget realistic? Can you get what you want for nothing? Not likely. If you are looking at doing something big, your budget should be the same. Do you have champagne taste on a beer budget? We all like ‘nice’ things, but what we can afford is g
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The Basics…1 of 4: Define what the project is.

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Not sure how to go about starting a renovation project for your home? This is the first in a series of posts discussing the most basic of overviews of what to consider when planning a renovation. Future detailed posts will discuss specifics of who, which, what, when, where, why and how. First, what is it you want to do? In starting any renovation project, having an idea of what you want to do will determine how long your project will take and how difficult it will be. Define what the project is and what you are looking for. Are you looking to improve an existing room? Expanding areas of your home, like the Family Room, Entertainment Area or Rear Porch? Or just seeing what possibilities exist and what the best improvements are to maximize your investment? Defining what you’re looking for in detail, will help those you choose to contact, and eventually hire, to provide you with the best service and focus on your needs and wants. Otherwise, you will have people telling you want they
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