How to Begin a Home Renovation: Setting Yourself Up for Success 🤸☺️

Starting a home renovation can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Whether you’re updating a single room or undertaking a whole-home remodel, the first steps you take will shape the rest of the journey and the outcome. A successful renovation is so much more than choosing luxurious materials or designing the right layouts—it’s about building the right team, setting clear goals, and creating a plan that allows design to support function that leads seamlessly to bringing a beautiful vision to life.

Here’s how to begin a home renovation the right way: [You can🌟DOWNLOAD THE 6-STEP CHEAT SHEET!🌟]

1️⃣ Define Your Goals and Priorities (1–2 weeks) 💕

Before you meet with professionals, spend time clarifying what you want to achieve. Ask yourself:

• What problems do I need to solve in my current space?

• How do I want my home to feel, flow, and function?

• What’s my budget and timeline?

This stage is about vision-setting, not perfection. Being able to articulate a clear list of goals and “must-haves” will enable the team you assemble to guide you toward smart, realistic solutions that suit your budget.

2️⃣ Get a Professional Home Inspection (2–3 weeks including scheduling and reporting) 🔍

Next, hire a professional home inspector to uncover underlying issues—structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical—that could impact your renovation.

Why this matters:

• Budget impact: Hidden problems can consume a portion of your renovation budget if not planned for.

• Specialist involvement: Some issues may require specialty tradespeople or mitigation experts.

• Permits: Certain repairs or upgrades may require specific permits, impacting your timeline.

Investing in an inspection upfront gives you and your team a clear picture of the “bones” of the home and prevents expensive surprises later.

3️⃣ Assemble Your Renovation Team (2–4 weeks to interview and hire) 🤝

One of the most important steps is building your team early. Renovations are rarely successful when handled in silos—the best results happen when all the experts collaborate from Day One.

✔️ The Architect

The architect designs the structure, creating layouts that are functional, safe, appealing, and code-compliant.

✔️ The General Contractor

The contractor oversees construction, manages trades, and ensures the project stays on schedule and on budget.

✔️ The Interior Designer

The interior designer shapes how you’ll live in the space—ensuring floor plans that flow; optimizing location of electrical outlets, switches, and lighting; choosing color, finish and material palettes that support aesthetic and lifestyle goals; and spatial planning for furniture layouts.

Too often misunderstood as “the person who picks finishes and paint colors,” the interior designer’s role is far more integral. Brought in too late, their expertise is underutilized and costly changes can occur. Brought in early, they prevent you from wasting time and money, advocate for the design vision throughout the project, and ensure your home reflects you and feels truly yours.

4️⃣ Align the Vision and the Budget (2–4 weeks) 🎯

Now that your inspection and team are in place, you’ll revisit your goals against a realistic budget. This phase often involves:

• Prioritizing “must-haves” vs. “nice-to-haves.”

• Building in a contingency (10–25%) for unknowns and surprises.

• Confirming the scope is achievable within your budget and timeframe.

5️⃣ Develop a Detailed Plan (6–12 weeks, depending on scope) 📆

Your architect, interior designer, and contractor will collaborate to create a detailed roadmap:

• Floor plans, elevations, and renderings

• Material and finish selections

• Lighting and electrical layouts

• Construction timeline and phasing

The more detailed the plan, the smoother construction will go.

6️⃣ Begin Construction (Timeline varies: 2–12+ months) 🏗️

With permits approved and plans in place, construction begins. The length depends on the scope:

• Small projects (1–2 rooms): 2–3 months

• Bath remodels: 1-3 months

• Kitchen: 1–6 months

• Whole-home renovations/additions: 9–12+ months

Living in Your Home During Renovation: Tips ✨

Renovations impact daily life—dust, noise, and limited access are realities. Here’s what to plan for:

• Safe to stay in: Cosmetic updates, painting, flooring in non-essential rooms, or projects isolated to one area.

• Consider alternative housing: Major kitchen/bath remodels (if an extra bath is not available), plumbing/electrical overhauls, or whole-home gut renovations. Temporary relocation may be more cost-effective (and less stressful).

• Plan phasing: Your team can sometimes phase work so you can remain in part of the home while another section is under construction. This requires clear communication upfront.

The Takeaway 📝

Renovating your home is one of the most meaningful investments you can make. The secret to success lies in the steps you take before construction begins.

1. Define your goals.

2. Get a professional inspection.

3. Build your team (architect, contractor, interior designer—all working together from Day One).

4. Align your vision and budget.

5. Develop a detailed plan.

6. Begin construction with confidence.

By investing in proper planning, assembling the right collaborators, and understanding how the process will affect your daily life, you’ll be prepared for a smoother renovation. The end result—a house becomes your home, telling your unique story. 🏡 🫶

🌟DON’T FORGET: DOWNLOAD THE 6-STEP CHEAT SHEET!🌟