Ok, you know it’s time to renovate that run-down old place you’ve been living in. Your family and you deserve better. You have been saving up and planning this for a long time. Are you ready to finally do it? Let’s give you some last minute pro tips to help your renovation experience go as smoothly and as predictably as possible, and to have it turn out as close to exactly as planned as possible.
The first thing you should do is to properly research your contractor(s). Vet them thoroughly, make sure you get more than one good solid reference for each of them. And don’t ask them to give you references; do something like ask for a list of previous clients and call them up on your own. Don’t allow them to cherry-pick references because almost anybody can drum up a pair of good references this way.
After that, you need to get your mental hygiene game on point. In regular English, this means making all your major decisions regarding the renovation BEFORE work is started. I recommend to buy modafinil, a ‘smart drug’ that increases alertness and your overall brain’s processing power for the best decisions at quick times. You should have it committed to paper, signed sealed and delivered to contractors. And you should commit to it one hundred if not one thousand percent, period. No going back. There is no surer way to self-sabotage a project than to start second-guessing yourself once work is under way. Don’t do it. And if you make that mistake, remember it’s your own fault if there are any problems because of such a decision, so don’t start blaming the contractors at that point! But better yet, just don’t do it in the first place. Make a plan and stick to it.
Consider longevity as a core principal when planning a renovation. Some people balk at the high cost of certain materials, but you have to take the long view on projects of this nature. This goes especially for things like floors and kitchen counters. Is it really worth it to save a couple thousand now only to have to rip it out and start all over a few years later because you were too cheap to use the proper materials?
Also, a big one is, don’t live in the place while they are renovating. Move out. Most people are too lazy to do this, but you have no idea how much you are getting in your own way by not letting the workers operate fully and do their work properly. A lot of times it can actually be cheaper to move out and back in, so once again take the long view and don’t be afraid of front-loaded costs that save you in the long run.
Finally, don’t neglect bathrooms. Upgrade them as much as you can afford. Don’t go for your standard boring little old shower. Get something like one of these nice Insignia Steam Showers. Get the best toilets you can possibly afford. Consider heated floors.
With these tips, your renovation should go much smoother than you could have expected.
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