Are you ready to get started on a home DIY renovation? Seems daunting… I KNOW!
Here are 5 tips that helped us through the process!
1. Make a master list
This may sound too simple, but I promise for us it was not. You need a master list and plan that covers every inch of the project. We walked our house and property multiple times to help us think of what all needed to be done. This does not mean we were able to tackle all of those projects in the first few months. However, knowing what all was going to be done helped us prioritize the timeline and budget.
2. Make a schedule
You have your list of all the projects. Now, what do you do first? The easiest answer is that structural and hazardous issues have to be addressed first. After that you should prioritize based off of time and budget. For example, for us the exterior was the least important. We needed to make the house livable and were willing to spend our money on the inside and wait to tackle the exterior portion.
The other piece of the schedule is knowing when to schedule trades. I will talk more about this in a moment.
3. Decide what you can DIY and what to hire out
We are not electricians nor cabinet makers. It was an easy decision for us to hire those jobs out (and more). My husband, thankfully, was able to tackle a major structural issue, do all the demo work, replace doors, and much more. Decide who you need to hire and start taking names!
You should get 2-3 quotes per project/trade. This lets your know that you are getting good value for the job. I am not suggesting you always take the least expensive quote. There’s something to be said for good references and reliability.
4. Scheduling trades
This was one of the most difficult concepts for us. The electrician would show up and say, “this dry wall has to come down first.” The plumber would show up and say, “I need this to be framed out first.” Various instances happened like this multiple times. You should ask specifically, “What should be in place for you to get ___ task completed?” Many times these trades are used to working with a general contractor that would be expected to know the answer. Managing the project yourself is a bit different and often confusing what comes first.
5. Get Started!
No where to go but up, right? Whether you’re renovating a half bath or renovating a whole house. It is not going to complete itself! Get going! Start with demo and just keep working. Stay positive and keep good communication between you, your spouse, and the trades. It will be worth it in the end!
