The Three Common Mistakes Include:
🚫 Calling contractors for quotes as soon as you decide to renovate
🚫 Approaching an architect for structural drawings as the first step before you call contractors
🚫 Hiring an Interior Designer to do the design work for you
Want to know why these approaches don't work?
1️⃣ Typical homeowners start out by calling contractors for quotes because you don't know what else to do or what you can afford. But here's the thing: if you're calling them as your first renovation step, you're not providing them a detailed plan.
And if you don't have a detailed plan that specifies everything from the number of lights and the size of your island and the flooring and countertops you want, then you can't get an accurate quote.
So if you sign on with a contractor before you have these details, you will either end up with cost and time overages because the quote wasn't based on what you really wanted, or you end up with regret because you find out during construction that you can't afford what you really want.
2️⃣ Savvy homeowners think they are one step ahead when they start with architect drawings...because contractors will have something to quote, right?
Wrong. Architects typically don't do all of the decision making and drawings that are actually required for a renovation, like your lighting and electrical plans, cabinetry elevations, and where you're going to put your kleenex box and hand cream. And it's these decisions, more than the overall layout, that make it possible for a contractor to provide an accurate quote. The type of countertop stone, your cabinetry, your electrical needs, your flooring...all of these decisions will affect your renovation costs far more than just the 2D layout from the architect.
3️⃣ Hiring a designer is a far smarter approach than going directly to a contractor or architect... but here's the issue with that: we are expensive. 🤷🏼♀️ And every designer will vary in terms of their skills in decision making and documentation. AND most importantly, a designer will never understand or care more about your home than you do...so they will never be as equipped to make decisions about your home as you will be.
...It's as simple as that!
How I Did It:
I saved over $150,000 on my recent home renovation
...without DIYing the construction,
...or picking cheaper finishes. (In fact, I splurged on high-end products!)
All while keeping my day job & being a busy mom to two young kids.
Planning and Designing my own renovation using the action-by-action process inside Renovation Planning Academy is my exact secret for how I did it.
