3 Details Home Makeover Shows Don't Want You to Know About Real-Life Renovations

One thing designers find ironic when watching home improvement shows is the reveal. In our experience, clients typically live through their renovation than outside the home, making the final reveal almost impossible. But if you can live away from home, maybe during the winter months as a snowbird, we create weekly updates and send progress pictures along the way. This way, everyone working on your project is informed of the progress.

1. Planning Happens Long Before Demo Day

Planning is 100% a must to do before a hammer hits the walls in a renovation. Starting a project without having all the critical components selected is setting yourself up for a disaster and many stressful days. Of course, there could be surprises, but planning as much of the "could be's" beforehand will make for a smoother result.

2. Trades Need a Reasonable Timeline

Watching some of the home improvement shows, designers often chuckle at the fact that they have so many trades working simultaneously. This is sooo not true to reality. Patience is vital to living through a remodeling project, and one thing you need to understand is that the process is done in steps, including the trades. Having tradespeople working in the space simultaneously will likely result in something being overlooked, as well as cranky contractors. Give them their space to do their job correctly.

3. Understand Your Investment 

The total investment for your remodeling project is the labor, construction, and materials. We often get asked how much a project will cost. Any contractor that gives you an estimate without knowing what product is being installed is what we call a WAG-Wild Ass Guess. This WAG will come in pretty low, so you may think it's a great deal not knowing of all the extras that will they will bill you once you’ve already committed to the project, which typically results in spending much more than you intended. 

The materials you choose will also decide the type of investment you will incur and determine the final proposal from your contractor on labor and construction costs.

Watching home improvement shows is not a clear reality of what truly happens, and the misconception can be costly. To avoid as many unknowns as possible, we offer an Exploratory Service.  An exploratory is a small investment to figure out how much your next remodeling project will cost before committing. Again planning is key, resulting in a beautiful space within your intended investment.

If you're ready to chat with home pros that have your real-life best interest in mind, please reach out. We can't wait to hear about your project!

Warmly,

Trisha