|
 Yes,
you can remodel your Westchester home
with ease if you plan ahead and take one
step at a time. The home is often the
largest financial investment a person
will make, and the decision to alter
that investment by paying out more money
is not an easy one-but it is worth it.
Whether you are remodeling to sell the
home or just to make it more comfortable
for the coming years, remodeling is a
smart decision. But it is a decision
that requires planning and patience.
The National
Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)
suggests following this ten step program
when considering any remodeling project.
Step 1: Assess
your current situation. Do
you have the funds, time and patience to
remodel your home? Does it make sense to
remodel or simply move into a larger
home? According to the American
Homeowner Foundation, moving can be
extremely expensive, typically involving
a 6 percent commission on the sale of
the current home, plus another 2-4
percent for closing, moving and other
costs. They suggest that if you like
your present neighborhood, you should
look into what improvements you could
make for 8-10 percent of your current
home's value before you seriously
consider moving as an alternative to
remodeling.
Step 2: Decide
how long you intend to stay in your
present home. Are you
remodeling so you can sell faster or get
a higher sale price? Or are you
remodeling to create a more comfortable
environment for a long-term situation?
The answers to those questions will
determine how much money you should
spend and the scope of the remodeling
project you should realistically
undertake.
Step 3: Start
defining the areas of the home that you
want to change. You should
have some idea of what the remodeling
project will entail before you call a
contractor. Cut pictures out of
magazines. Make a list of rooms that
need to be altered and the reasons for
those changes. This information will
help speed the design phase of your
remodel.
Step 4: Clear
plenty of time on your calendar for the
project. Do not attempt to
remodel your entire kitchen the month
before Thanksgiving-it's unrealistic.
You should establish a realistic
timetable with your contractor that
allows for delays due to weather, supply
shortages, or other glitches that may
occur.
Step 5: Find a
reputable contractor. The
only way to protect yourself during a
remodeling project is to
hire a professional contractor. Make
sure that you choose a contractor who is
insured, licensed (if required in your
state) and a member of a professional
trade association, such as NARI.
Step 6: Create
a budget. Decide how much you
can realistically afford for the project
before you start. If you are remodeling
to sell, your budget should not exceed
the increase in sales price of the home
that is the result of remodeling. If you
plan on staying in the home for a
lengthy amount of time, you should spend
a little more to get what you want.
Step 7: Request
a comprehensive proposal from your
contractor. The proposal
should tell you how much the project is
going to cost and what types of products
will be used. If the proposal comes in
above your budget limit, talk to your
contractor about other options.
Sometimes you can accomplish the same
look with other products or design
techniques.
Step 8: Get a
complete, written contract before the
work begins. The contract
should cover the description of the
project, timetable, payment schedule,
types of products, etc., with provisions
for the responsibilities of the
contractor, subcontractors, change order
procedures, warranties, and alternative
dispute settlement clauses.
Step 9: Tie
payments to work stages. Be
wary of any contractor who wants a large
amount of money up front. Normal
contracts split payments by decreasing
percentages of total cost and are tied
to significant work stages in the
project. Please note, however, that a
large amount of money is usually
required at the start of kitchen
remodels to cover the costs of ordering
appliances.
Step 10: Take a
deep breath and keep your perspective.
Remodeling can be noisy,
time-consuming and disruptive to the
normal home environment. It's important
to keep your sense of humor and stay
focused on the end result, not the
process that takes you there.
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