Designing a renovation is a process that needs to begin months before you want to do the work. There are no successful shortcuts when it comes to design. The age old adage “if you fail to plan – you plan to fail” if there is one place that counts more than any other it is in renovations.
By spending the time and energy up front you ensure that the intrusion into your life will be as quick and minimal as possible. I have seen renovations sprawl out throughout an entire home with multiple elements happening all at once and nothing actually getting finished.
Here is what you can do to make sure your renovation is a success.
– Create a clear picture of what you want to change in your home, create some specific goals you want to accomplish by renovating.
– Determine your priorities, from must have to would like to have.
Often clients have a specific picture of what they want, they get fixated on it and can miss some really important questions.
- How do I want this space to function?
- How has it not been working?
- How do I want this space to work in all 4 seasons?
For instance, when a client wants to add a large window in a wall to create a view, it might be really nice in our grey Kelowna winters to let more light in, but 6 months later in August that same window could become the source of frustration when the sun comes beating through and heats up the space constantly.
Experienced Renovators understand the importance of the design and planning stage. They should be able to walk through the project with you and will be able to specify the level of detail you will need to arrive at before an accurate cost for your renovation can be reached.
At the end of the design phase you should have a set of drawings you can use, whether you stay with that contractor or not. A successful design will give you everything you need to get proper pricing and approval at the city for permits.
Start with Design, but include a contractor in that process, they will know the limitations of what is possible and what is not, and if they are unable to help you make good decisions it may be time to find someone who can, that doesn’t mean they do your design, it means that they guide you on your journey, and can be consulted on feasibility and cost as you move through the process.