Establishing Your Remodeling Priorities

In order to maximize the value of your remodel, it’s important for both you and your remodeling professional to have a clear understanding of your priorities for your project. Determining the most crucial elements of your renovation can also help you select the remodeling professional that is best for you.

Priorities for the Project

There are several methods you can use to help you hone in on your priorities for your remodeling project. Here are a couple we recommend:

• The Bucket Method: Separate out what you need, what you want, and what would be nice to have, but you could live without. Each “bucket” can be used as a tool to help you categorize what you really want to achieve with your project.
• The Pain and Importance Method: Think about what in your home causes you the most strife. Is your kitchen and living area too small for entertaining? Do you have to run up and down several flights of stairs to get from your laundry room to your closet? It’s just as important to know what you dislike about your living space as it is to know what you like. Then, make a list of what is most important to you and rank the items on the list. Compare the two lists; you might discover that there are things that cause you pain but are not as important as other things you want to get done.

Value Engineering

Value engineering is essential when you’re doing a larger project. If you’re remodeling a kitchen, dining room, and family room all at once, prioritizing different elements of your remodel becomes more important. Many homeowners will try to place equal value on the design and quality of materials/products. However, if you are a skilled cook who spends more time in the kitchen than on the couch in the living room, you may want to allocate more of your budget for installing high-grade kitchen appliances versus spending the same amount of money on both the kitchen and living area.

Priorities for Selecting a Remodeler

Before you start talking with prospective remodeling companies, you should determine what you value in a contractor. After all, whoever you decide to work with will be in and out of your home and around you and your household for an extended period of time. Here are some things we recommend you consider and rank in order of importance:

☐ Reputation
☐ Licenses & insurance
☐ Adherence to code & proper permitting
☐ Guarantees you will pass inspections
☐ Certifications & qualifications
☐ Experience & expertise
☐ Portfolio of work
☐ Quality of design
☐ Quality of construction
☐ Quality & durability of materials used
☐ Maintenance requirements
☐ Energy efficiency & costs
☐ Quality of service
☐ Chemistry with remodeler
☐ Communication style
☐ Schedule
☐ Price
☐ Value
☐ Trust in remodeler
☐ Level of involvement you want to have
☐ Level of guidance you want
☐ Warranty

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