When you first set out to remodel your home, it feels exciting! You may start with a vision of your dream home and then begin deciding on the specific upgrades you want to make to achieve that vision. This is where it can quickly shift from feeling exciting to completely overwhelming. 

There are a lot of details to consider when embarking on a home remodeling project, but with a little time and effort upfront, you can create a detailed plan to make it all feel more manageable. Careful preparation and planning is the key to a successful remodel, so we’re here to help you know what to expect and how to prepare for all the common steps and challenges throughout the process. Below, we’ll discuss everything from finding inspiration and budgeting to understanding permit requirements and hiring the right contractor, so you’ll feel more confident navigating every part of the remodel experience.

1. Create a Vision and Inspiration Board

First, it’s important to have a clear vision of the results you’re hoping to achieve through your remodel project. A great way to make sure your project maintains your original vision is by collecting inspiration to share with any designers, contractors, or architects you hire to complete the project. Gather ideas and inspiration from magazines, Pinterest, or your favorite design blogs and save them in a file or create a moodboard to show your interior designer and contractors at the start of the project. 

This step will help you define your style preferences, goals, and the scope needed to achieve the desired result. If you’re working with a designer, having tangible inspiration to reference will help communicate your wants and needs to create a design plan that will bring your vision to life with less guesswork. 

Next, it’s time to start visualizing how your design ideas will look and feel in your space. With recent updates in tech and AI tools, you have a wide selection of resources to generate a preview of how your renovated space will look with your desired upgrades. These tools can also help you find more inspiration and try out different ideas to discover what you like—and don’t like—in interior design.

2. List Your Needs and Priorities

Now that you have a vision of your dream home remodel, it’s time to get clear on your needs and priorities for the remodel. To do this, start by making a list, separating your “must-haves” from your “nice-to-haves” so you can clearly see what aspects of the remodel are most important, and what you may need to forego if space or budget create limitations. 

In setting priorities, be sure to consider how the space needs to function to support and enhance your daily routine. Assess how often and to what extent you cook, entertain, work, and exercise at home. These activities inform the necessary functionality of your home, and giving thoughtful consideration to how you need the space to function will help you achieve a remodel that fits your life, rather than having to adjust your lifestyle to design constraints. 

Your needs and priorities naturally change over time, so take into account your long-term versus short-term goals. Are you looking to make more space to grow your family in the future? Would you like to use your remodeled home as a rental property? Do you plan to sell your home eventually? Your answers to these types of questions will help guide what upgrades you should prioritize in your remodel.

3. Set a Realistic Budget

Without a clear and realistic budget, your vision can’t come to life, so this is an integral part of the process. When building your budget, be sure to include the cost of materials, labor, and any necessary permits. We also always recommend allocating a contingency fund in your budget, which should be 10-20% of your total renovation budget, to account for unexpected costs that often arise during renovations. 

Before you set your budget, it’s a good idea to do some research online to see how much your home remodeling project should cost. Seek out Reddit threads where you can ask questions to learn what other people have paid for a project similar to yours in Orange County. If you have friends or family who have remodeled their home recently, talk to them about what you should expect to pay. Reach out to local contractors and interior designers to get quotes for your project. If you can get referrals from friends and family, even better!

For a whole home remodel, it’s best to set your budget by room or project phase to stay organized and avoid headaches down the road. This makes it easier to ensure every detail is accounted for to get the most accurate budget.

4. Research and Hire the Right Professionals

When it comes to hiring professionals for your home remodeling project, it’s important to know what to look for and what steps to take to ensure you’re choosing someone who is qualified to take on the project and deliver quality work.

One of the best ways to find trustworthy professionals like contractors and interior designers is through referrals from friends and family who have had a positive experience working with them. You’ll also want to check reviews to hear about other homeowners’ experiences and know what to expect with specific contractors. Once you narrow your contractor options, schedule interviews with at least three different contractors to get a better idea of how they communicate and work, as well as the results they have achieved on projects similar to yours. 

To set the clearest expectations for the professionals you hire for your home remodeling project, it’s essential to understand the difference between general contractors, interior designers, and specialized tradespeople and subcontractors. General contractors oversee the entire construction project from start to finish and manage subcontractors. Interior designers plan the design of all indoor spaces to make them functional, safe, and beautiful, and select materials like paint and flooring. Construction specialists, or subcontractors, are skilled professionals hired by general contractors to perform specific tasks on a project, like electrical work, plumbing, or roofing.

Once you select your design and construction team, it’s time to start planning your project schedule and signing contracts. Request all contracts and timelines up front to ensure a transparent process for all parties. Review all details thoroughly before signing contracts and beginning any work on your home. 

5. Plan the Project Timeline and Sequence

Work with your renovation team to create a detailed schedule for every phase of your project. With their expert help, you can plan which projects should come first for the most streamlined sequence and best results. When determining project timelines and sequence, be sure to allow ample time for material delivery times and build in a buffer for potential delays. 

6. Understand and Secure Permits

If your home remodeling project includes structural changes, electrical, or plumbing work, you most likely will need to apply for permits to proceed with the work. During the planning stage, be sure to research local building codes to know which upgrades will require permits. Hiring a professional licensed contractor is a big help in this area, as they will be familiar with local codes and regulations and can help guide you through this step. It’s important to start the process of acquiring permits early to avoid delays once your project is in process.

7. Prepare for Construction and Disruptions

As exciting as it is, a home remodel doesn’t come without disruptions to your daily life. As part of your renovation preparations, you’ll likely want to make temporary living arrangements for the duration of your home remodel depending on the extent of the work being done. To prep your home, you may need to clear out all decor and furniture, or use tarps or plastic sheets to protect your belongings before construction begins. It’s always recommended to store valuable items in a safe space away from construction sites to ensure they are not lost or damaged in the process. 

Be sure to communicate with your contractor early in the process to set expectations around disruptions, including noise levels and construction debris. Establish a point of contact for daily communication to more quickly address issues like noise complaints from neighbors or project delays.  

8. Plan for Clean-Up and Waste Disposal

Over the course of your home remodel, there will be plenty of clean-up needed to keep the job site as safe and organized as possible. If you plan to do any part of the work yourself, it may be a good idea to rent a dumpster to avoid overflowing trash bins. When working with a contractor, they will typically provide dumpsters and include the price in their quote. 

Throughout the project, regular clean-up days are necessary to keep your home as free of unnecessary debris as possible for a safe work zone. This also makes cleaning less laborious when the project is complete. Make a plan for post-project cleaning and inspection early in the process. This is essential to make sure all work was completed to the contracted plan and local zoning codes and that the home is in a safe, livable condition. 

9. Anticipate Common Remodeling Challenges

We’ve talked a bit about setting expectations here, but perhaps the most important of those expectations is anticipating the most common home remodeling challenges. Your remodel plan should include considerations for the things that tend to cause scheduling issues. You’ll want to create a contingency plan for hidden structural damage that may be lying beneath the surface and can only be discovered once demolition begins. Inclement weather can cause significant delays for outdoor work. In Orange County, the most common weather challenge is extreme heat, which can slow down progress and may require schedule adjustments for worker safety. Material backorders can potentially push timelines back for weeks or even months, which is why we recommend placing orders for necessary materials—especially specialized or custom items—early in the planning process. 

To navigate these challenges most effectively, plan for frequent check-ins and regular, open communication between you and your general contractor throughout the project. Ask questions throughout the process to ensure you have all the details you need to make informed decisions if and when changes are needed to the original plan or timeline. Your general contractor should provide you with regular updates, notify you of delays, and let you know if change orders are needed. 

Budgeting for these challenges in terms of time and finances is essential for a more stress-free remodel experience. This is where your 10-20% contingency fund will come into play. Build in a buffer of a few extra weeks to ensure your timeline is flexible enough to account for these delays when they occur. 

Conclusion

With a detailed plan, you can navigate your home renovation project with less stress and more peace of mind. The steps we discussed here will help you build that plan to ensure clarity for you and your entire remodel team:

1. Define your vision and collect inspiration
2. Decide on your needs and set priorities accordingly
3. Research costs and set a realistic budget
4. Find and vet qualified contractors
5. Set your project timeline and sequence
6. Ensure you have the proper permits before starting your remodel
7. Make living and dining arrangements during construction if needed
8. Have a plan for keeping the job-site clean and disposing waste
9. Consider all of the common remodeling challenges and delays

By using these steps to guide your next home remodel project, you’ll have a clearer vision throughout every step of the process. Home remodel projects can be a stressful experience, but with the right preparation and a qualified team on your side, you can feel more in control and confident taking them on—and achieve better results 

If you’re looking for expert project guidance and renovation professionals you can trust, connect with Revive to find a partner that will support your project and goals every step of the way and access our network of trusted, vetted professional contractors.