Just about any homeowner will tell you that their home is never “finished.” There’s always more work to be done or things that they want to change to make it more beautiful or functional. In an attempt to make a lot of changes all at once, some Long Beach, CA homeowners will undergo a major home remodel. With a home remodel, homeowners can enlarge their homes, while at the same time updating them and adding in the latest in-home technology.
But major home remodels are never simple. There are a million small and large decisions that need to be made and you have to trust the outcome of your home to professionals like Long Beach architects, general contractors, and interior designers. Here are some things to consider before you take on a Long Beach home remodel.
Have a Realistic Budget and Timeline in Mind for Your Long Beach Home Remodel
You probably already know that a major home remodel will be expensive, but the questions is, “How Expensive?” This is a hard question to answer because every home remodel is different, and every homeowner has different requirements. One homeowner could be perfectly happy with ready-to-assemble cabinets for their new kitchen, while another will accept nothing less than fully custom cabinetry. Similarly, you can find bathroom tile for under a dollar a square foot, or you could pay up to hundreds of dollars per square foot for high-end tile.
The best way to get an initial estimate of what your remodel might cost is to ask a local general contractor what their average cost per square foot is for a home remodel in Long Beach. This will at least give you a ballpark estimate so you can know if a home remodel is something you can afford to pursue further.
When it comes to timelines, an architect or general contractor in Long Beach can usually give you a fairly good estimate as to how long your home remodel will take from design to completion. Mark Grisafe, owner of Grisafe Architecture in Long Beach says, “One of the most common things that potential clients aren’t aware of is how long the design and approval process actually takes. We often get phone calls around September that include the statement ‘…and I was hoping it could be ready for the holidays.’ We usually say that as long as they are talking about next year’s holidays, we should be in good shape.” The plan approval process alone can often take several months in the City of Long Beach, according to Grisafe.
Hire Reliable and Experienced Professionals
There are a lot of ways to save money on a home remodel, but you should never compromise when it comes to hiring professionals like architects, general contractors, and engineers. You should always hire people who are experienced, skilled, and who have an excellent reputation for completing projects on time and on budget. If you cut corners, you’ll almost inevitably pay for it down the road, when your project takes way longer than it should because it doesn’t pass plan check or inspections, or when things don’t hold up over time and need to be replaced.
Don’t Compromise on Your “Must-Haves”
Before starting your home remodel, decide what your “must-haves” are. Maybe for you, it’s a new master suite with a walk-in closet and a five-piece bathroom, or a large kitchen with an island. Make sure your architect knows what needs to be included in your home remodel plans and don’t let him or her talk you out of it! If you do, you’ll always be disappointed that you went through the time, expense, and hassle of a home remodel only to not get what you really wanted.
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