If you’re like most people, you probably have a long list of home renovations that you’d love to do. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t have a plan in place before they start renovating their homes, which can lead to disaster. In this blog post, we will discuss how to plan for a home renovation so that you can stay on track and avoid costly mistakes. This guide is for homeowners who wish to eventually renovate an entire duplex property but want to break it into stages.
If you’re planning on renovating your home in Ontario, it’s important to be aware that some projects require a building permit. Some of the most common projects that require a building permit include:
-Adding a new room or wing to your house
-Changing the roofline or exterior of your house
-Building a new garage, shed, or fence
-Making structural changes to your house, such as adding or removing walls
If you’re not sure whether your renovation project requires a building permit, it’s best to reach out to either a reputable contracting firm or an engineer first. They can provide you with advice and the next step.
On the execution side of things, it’s important to think about the order in which you’ll do the work. Many homeowners choose to start with the top floor of their house and work their way down. There are two reasons why.
1) Bedrooms are typically on the top floor along with two or three bathrooms. Once the top floor is complete, the homeowner will have a habitable environment while other parts of the house are getting completed.
2) Plumbing fixtures that require relocation may affect the layout of the main floor and basement. Some parts of the ceiling may need to be cut to facilitate these relocations. This would be a concern if the project started at the lower floor. There could be damages or changes made to the newly done lower floor when the time comes to do the upper level.
After the upper level is complete, we recommend proceeding with the main floor then the basement follows. The main floor usually consists of a kitchen, powder, family room, and meeting areas. This level is the heart of the home that serves many functions. If budget allows, we would recommend doing the entire floor together, otherwise, start with the kitchen. Kitchen alone can serve many functions such as cooking, dining and entertaining guest. This is also the area where you will get the most return on investment. Aside from function and investment, kitchens are usually located at the far exterior wall and other areas connected to it. Renovating other areas afterward will not impact the kitchen.
Basement would be next and there are several reasons why. The structure of main floor and the upper floor would’ve been complete, the homeowner does not need to worry about tearing out the basement ceiling or walls to facilitate other levels. Basement will impact life style but not essential enough that would impact lives. Homeowner can live without renovating the basement. Lastly, main floor and second floor will determine the overall theme of the home, the basement can match that theme more easily.
There are a few elements of the home we recommend doing at specific stages. We recommend completing stair to the second level after both second floor and main floor are complete. This avoid damaging the stair while other work are done. Any trimwork like wainscoting should be done after all levels is complete. This is for protection and matching accent to primary theme of the home.
By following this guide, you can stay on track and avoid costly mistakes. Renovating your home in stages will allow you to live in a habitable environment while other parts of the house are getting completed.
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