There is a strong temptation to go directly to a home renovation project. The sooner you start, the faster you finish, right? Unfortunately, that doesn’t work like that if you haven’t done important planning in advance. Every designer and contractor operates in a different way, but homeowners often must take the same steps to reach the point of construction.
Here are some important steps to help you plan a successful home renovation:
- Choose a design professional. To make a detailed plan and scope of work, most homeowners hire architects or interior designers. Many designers work on projects that do not involve additional structural work, and also offer assistance with material and colour selection. Architects can do various jobs, or just work on floor plans and permits, and submit electricity, bath, and kitchen plan details to other designers. Choosing a design professional will normally begin with a direct meeting and how long the process will take depends on how many professionals you meet with. For Construction Companies Manchester, visit https://www.piggottandwhitfield.co.uk/building-services/
- Make a plan. After choosing a design company, it’s time to start making plans. The plan is called schematic design; they usually involve a rough floor layout and some simple appearance of the exterior of the house if there are additions. It takes time for the design professional to finish it, and usually one or two weeks for the homeowner to consider it and make a decision. If the project is larger or the homeowner wants additional changes to the scheme, this initial design phase can take several months.
- Contractor interviews. Contractors are often brought into the process once the final schematic design has been chosen. Usually there is at least a general idea about how the house will look from the outside, the dimensionless plan and some initial material choices. With this much information, it is possible to provide an initial cost estimate.
Contractors are often asked to estimate schematic design as part of the interview process. It may take several weeks to arrange interviews and generally at least two to three weeks after the interview to receive estimates. Overall, it takes four to six weeks to interview candidates and accept estimates. After that, you may want to call a reference, visit the workplace or do additional research before making a decision about the contractor you will rent.
- Get your permission. Depending on the scope of your project and where it is located, planning permission can take a day, months, or even years. You must have several ideas before applying for permission about the length of the process, which will give you an idea for when your project could likely begin.
- Ready, set … With the plan submitted for permission and selection of materials made, your contractor will be able to complete pricing and write contracts for construction. If the selected material costs more than the budget, there may be some change to the size of work or materials to reduce costs. When the contract is signed, your contractor will identify items containing longer lead (such as cabinets, windows, doors, tiles, and sometimes pipes or electrical equipment) and may even order them before the start of construction, depending on the time of your project.