When you are doing a home renovation, you must be mindful of the scope of the work, the schedule you set and the budget you planned for. Of the three, scope is the one most likely to get away from you. The experts at Alair Homes Brandon offer tips on how to keep your redesign project on track.

Be Realistic

When you are planning the upgrade, make sure you understand the scope of what you want. It is one thing to change the color and banister of a staircase but quite another to completely reconfigure it and add storage space beneath. The latter option will drive up the cost considerably. Keep it real.

Have a Plan

You really love your brand new kitchen but suddenly notice that the family room carpet is looking shabby and outdated. It may seem sensible to go ahead and replace the carpet while the other work is being done, but you will be spending a great deal more to do so. Make a new, separate plan for the family room and stay the course with the current work.

Know What You Want

You had several contractors bid on your project, but the numbers are vastly different. This may be because you were not specific enough about what you want, which led to guesswork from the contractors. You should be clear on which materials to use and the amount of renovation work that is expected. Make your voice and choices heard.

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Make Room for Contingency

You have a well-planned project that is proceeding along well, then something unexpected happens. Perhaps a room needs rewiring or there is a rodent invasion that must be dealt with before work continues. The weather may suddenly turn cold and rainy, or the materials you wanted are delayed, and you are forced to choose something else. All of these situations will put a strain on a budget. Plan to add from five to 20 percent of your original estimate to the final cost.

Manage the Scope Creep

The biggest enemy of a well-panned redesign is scope creep. This happens when you change your mind too many times while the work is being done. Maybe the color you chose for the bathroom grout suddenly looks all wrong, or the stove needs to be in a different part of the kitchen. Changes are fine when they are either needed or small enough to not make a difference. Too many of them will add considerable cost to the project.

A renovation does not have to take over your life or break the bank. Follow the tips from Alair Homes Brandon to keep your project moving smoothly and ensure that the end result will be the home of your dreams.