Planning a Home Remodel This Year? Here’s What Rollingwood, West Lake Hills, Lost Creek, and Other West Austin Homeowners Need to Know
No matter where you are in the Austin area, planning a home remodel can be a big undertaking, especially if it’s your first time. A home remodel is an all-encompassing term that can include individual services like kitchen remodeling or bathroom remodeling, multi-room services like whole home remodeling or home additions, and larger scale upgrades like building an ADU or transforming your outdoor living space.
Whether you’re in Rollingwood, West Lake Hills, Lost Creek, Barton Creek, Bee Cave, Steiner Ranch, or Lakeway, we want to help you start with confidence. These five key steps will guide you through the early stages of planning a home remodeling project and help set you up for success.
1. Assess Your Needs and Desires
Before you talk to any designers or contractors, spend some time thinking about the space you want to remodel and why you want to remodel it. Maybe your floor plan needs to be changed to optimize workflow through your home. Maybe you need more space for your growing family. Or maybe you just think your bathroom tile is ugly and outdated. Whatever the reason, begin planning a home remodel by creating a list of all the things you need and want for the space.
Make sure to separate them into “must-haves” and “things that would be nice to have if budget allows.” From here, prioritize them. And then stick to that list. When you start looking at inspiration photos, shopping for fixtures, or working with a designer to see what the space could be, it’s important to focus on the priority “must-have” items. When you organize what you want from what you need, your one step closer to a vision. This is a vital step in the planning process that will guide and support your journey, ultimately becoming the foundation of your remodeling plan.
2. Set a Realistic Budget
There are a variety factors that affect the end cost of a remodeling project. You may look at materials and fixtures on a home improvement store website and think you have an idea of what the project will cost. But the reality of setting a proper budget when planning a home remodel is that easily half of your budget is going to be paying for skilled craftsmanship and specialty tradesmen. One of the best ways to get an idea of what a realistic remodeling budget looks like is to check out JLC’s Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report. You can also learn more about how your remodel could affect your home’s value and ROI in this blog post.
3. Gather Information and Design
There are four different remodeling pros you need to know about when planning a home remodel: architects & engineers, interior designers, general contractors, and design-build remodeling contractors. Of course, as a design-build company, we’re a little biased toward that approach, especially if you want to streamline the process by working with one company that handles it all from consultation to completion. But, from an objective standpoint, there are pros and cons to working with each of these experts. That’s why at Wild Creek Custom Renovations, we highly recommend you understand which pro you want to work with while planning a home remodel. Check out this blog post for more information about different types of remodeling professionals and the design-build process.
4. Find Qualified Contractors
Once you know what kind of remodeling professional you need for planning a home remodel, it’s time to interview potential remodeling contractors. This step is about much more than just getting an estimate and comparing cost. Often, the cheapest option is not a good one – remember: you get what you pay for.
Additionally, in the state of Texas there are no state requirements for contractors, carpenters, or project managers to be licensed. So, it’s important to research remodeling contractors that hold themselves to a higher standard. For instance, our owner serves as President on the Austin NARI Chapter Board of Directors & is a NARI Certified Remodeler, our project managers hold the CRPM certifications, and our lead carpenter holds a CLC certification as well.
Take some time to get to know the contractor’s you’re researching – understand their values, standards, and what you can expect from them if you hire them to renovate your home. You can read this blog post to learn more information on how to find a reliable home remodeling contractor in the Austin area.
5. Plan for the Unexpected
Stuff happens. Particularly when you are opening up walls and/or removing floor boards. Depending on the age of your house, and the quality of its original construction, you may uncover hidden issues that need to be addressed. Common issues include water damage and/or rot in the kitchen or bathroom, but sometimes, bigger fixes may be needed, like upgrading your electrical to bring it to code.
In the early stages of planning a home remodel, we recommend setting aside 5-10% of your budget for these types of unforeseen expenses – no matter what condition you think your house is in.
Starting Your West Austin Remodel with Confidence
Planning a home remodel might feel daunting at first, but with the right insight, it becomes an exciting opportunity to reimagine your space. We’re here to guide you every step of the way. By defining your needs, setting a realistic budget, learning about your options, choosing qualified professionals, and preparing for the unexpected, you’ll lay the groundwork for a successful renovation. No matter which type of remodeling professional you choose, the right partner will help bring clarity and confidence to the process.
Still exploring your options? Learn more about us to see if we’re the right fit for your project.
Have questions? We’d love to help you find the right solution. Give us a call or send us a message. We’re ready to help bring your vision to life!
