In our last blog we talked about establishing a budget for your remodel, and deciding between needs and wants. I would like to expand further on this subject. I am getting more and more calls from potential clients who are interested in remodeling their kitchen or bathroom, but they do not know where to get started.
If you have any questions that you would like to have answered, feel free to post a response to this blog and I will do my best to get them answered in a timely manner.
When I am talking to the home owner on the phone, I go through a list of questions to better help me understand the situation. The one question I ask, and it always seems to be uncomfortable for the homeowner; “What is the budget?”
A budget is not what you expect the remodel to cost, but rather what are investing for the remodel in terms of dollars. When making the initial call to a remodeling company, be prepared to talk about your budget.
What can I get for my money?
There are basically three degrees for a remodel; surface alterations, changing the layout, changing the size of the space.
Surface alterations can best be described as removing the existing items such as cabinets, countertops, appliances and replacing the items. Surface alterations for your remodel are a good choice if you are happy with the layout of your kitchen or bathroom and would like to have a new look, while maintaining the original footprint.
Changing the layout can best be described as removing cabinets, countertops, shower, bathtub, appliances, and etc, then rearranging to a new location. This requires moving the electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning lines, but not moving the walls.
The price of the remodel increases significantly when changing the layout due to the increased costs for plumbing, electrical, and gas lines that need to be moved and/or added. If you want to change the layout of the room, please take the time to think about what you like and dislike about your existing space. Check out the spaces of your friends and see what you would like to have.
Changing the size is more about removing an existing wall or adding on to the existing structure to increase the size of the space you are remodeling. Maybe you want to remove a wall between your kitchen and family room, and then add an island or peninsula to create an open feeling to the room.
In some cases when changing the layout, the change may require adding a structural beam to support the load of the home.