Reno 2012 #2: How to survive Renovations

How to survive RENOVATION:

If you own a home that you didn’t just finish building, you’ve thought about it:  Changing things to make improvements.  For some, this means little things:  New curtains, fresh paint, new carpet, etc.  These things qualify as “freshening” or “personalizing”, and can be done by anyone.   For others, you step into the ever-daunting (and eternally frustrating) world of… (cue mystery movie music- “duh-duh-duuhnnnn”)  RENOVATION!

Let’s define what we mean by “renovation”.  Renovation means that you are going into a project that requires three phases:  Demolition, Building/Installation, & Finishing.  So!  If you’re not tearing something down (whether it be walls, countertops, flooring, or bathtubs), you are not doing a full-scale renovation (per my definition- hey… it’s my blog, right? *wink*).

This may come as a surprise to some, but Renovation comes with prerequisites.  To see if you qualify to proceed with pursuing your renovation dreams (without driving yourself, and everyone around you, completely insane), take a look at the points below:

1. Are you going to do the renovation yourself?  If no, consider point #2 & skip the rest.
2. Do you have a budget?  Really- this is not a joke.  Your budget doesn’t have to be perfect, but you should have one! If you haven’t taken the time to rationally consider what you are about to do, do not begin.  Going into a renovation project without knowing roughly how much it will cost is setting yourself up for failure- seriously!  Measure your spaces, figure out what & how much you are going to need (Darlings, if you don’t know enough about what you’re trying to do to figure out what materials you need, stop now and hire a contractor.  You have failed the pre-qualification!), price it out, get your bottom line figure, then add 25%- to cover anything you didn’t know about or think you were going to need.  
3. Are you trained (and/or have worked extensively) in any field related to construction:  Plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, HVAC, tile work, painting (only professional painters apply here), drywall?  If you answered “yes” to any one of these areas, you pass.   If you answered “yes” to more than one, not only did you pass, you’re hired(just don’t forget #2)!
4. Do you own tools?  Can you tell a “Phillips” from a “Flat Head”?  If you didn’t understand the previous sentence, stop now- you’re not going to make it. If you do not own a set of basic tools, you may be in over your head.
5. Do you panic when you get dirty?  Does the thought of cracking a nail while ripping out carpet make you queasy? If yes… contract out!  This job’s not for you!  You’re going to be seriously dirty; so will most of your house.
6. Are you prepared to live with major inconvenience?  Regardless of what happens on TV, unless you have done multiple renovations, you are not going to rip out a bathroom & have it up and ready to go in one weekend! Most people doing a DIY reno don’t have a crew of minions there working on the different components of a build at once.  It’s going to take longer than you plan.  Probably a LOT longer!  
7. Accept that there is a very high likelihood you are going to blow your budget- especially if this is your first reno.  Yeah… I know I just preached about carefully planning your budget- and I meant what I said.  It’s just… well… that is what is on paper & most people don’t bother with that extra 25%, or, worse… they need MORE than 25% extra because of what they don’t know about (if your home is old, plan for unknowns!). It happens.  It sucks.  So!  If you can’t deal with that stress… again… hire that contractor!  If you do it that way, it may be more expensive on paper, but you’re locked into a contracted price.

So!  How’d you do?  Think you’re ready to take on your first renovation?  Yes?  Great!! 

I remember our first renovation.  It was a ton of fun, and an absolute Hell!  We lived with half of the main level of our house stripped to the studs for weeks & weeks!  But!  We were young & just married; no kids; no dog… In some ways, it was kind of fun.  

I remember getting ready for my first company Christmas party with my husband’s company in our new bathroom.  The shower had no curtain, the walls had no paint, and the rest of the house had no actual flooring!  I remember eating pizza dinners with 5 gallon buckets for seats, and a radio covered with drywall mud & paint splatters.  We were filthy, sweaty, and exhausted, but so proud of our accomplishments!! 

There were downsides, too:  The hallway between the finished section of house & the unfinished section was draped with plastic & the smell of drywall dust hangs on forever!  But for me, I would renovate houses again & again!  I swear but you get addicted to it. 

Our renovation is still a bit of a work in progress…but that’s a story for another day.  Here’s to your renovation dreams:  May they become your reality!