You have heard the horror stories from friends and neighbors in the Upper Valley when their kitchen, bath or home remodel spun out of control. Perhaps it took twice as long as expected or it cost considerably more than budgeted. Ugh! More often than not, you can avoid most remodeling problems with proper preparation and realistic expectations. Those are two deliverables you should expect when you work with a professional designer and showroom.
Budget Realistically
Researching costs online and relying on home and garden television are recipes for disaster. While HGTV is a wonderfully useful source of inspiration and ideas, it is horrendously unreliable as a source for timing and budget. Have you ever noticed on home improvement television there’s an initial meeting and then work begins? What’s missing are the many hours needed to develop designs, select, order and quality control products, obtain permits (if required) and schedule labor. HGTV also fails to mention the cost of labor, and that can be more than 50% of the overall expense.
A professional designer and showroom is involved in hundreds of kitchen projects a year and knows what a remodel should cost. It would be best if you depended on your showroom professional to develop a realistic budget and timetable for your project. Even the best-laid plans can encounter the unexpected. That’s why we recommend to our clients the Upper Valley to budget a 20% contingency.
The Lowest Bid Rarely is the Lowest Cost
Homeowners in the Upper Valley who believe that the lowest bid and the cheapest products will deliver the best results are the ones who almost always are disappointed with results.
Instead of the lowest cost, you should be looking to obtain the highest value. Value differs for each homeowner. Many of our clients who love to cook, want appliances that provide professional chef functionality. Other clients can’t live without quartz countertops and custom cabinets. In every phase of a kitchen remodel, there are value opportunities. That’s why it is critical to identify the design and product features that are most important to you and your family. To do so, we recommend clients create idea books on Instagram, Houzz.com and other idea-generating websites.
Design Makes Huge Difference
Your new kitchen or bath should make you smile every time you cross the threshold. A professional designer can convert your vision into reality and provide a finished project that functions as well as it looks. That’s why the planning stage of a project is critical to a project’s success. It’s where we take a deep dive into the details that make all of the difference.
If you would like additional ideas to reduce the stress of your renovation project, please give us a call at 603-448-9700 or visit our showroom at 105 Hanover Street, Lebanon, NH.
