More and more homeowners are making the decision to remodel their existing home rather than buy new. Making this decision is one that should not to be taken lightly. You can certainly wake up one morning and decide to throw a fresh coat of paint on the living room walls without much advance planning, but when your home is in need of an overhaul, time and preparation are the keys to a successful home remodeling project.

There are many things that need to be considered before starting your remodeling project.

My top 10 are: What exactly are you looking to accomplish by remodeling, What is your 5-10 year plan, Do you need to hire a qualified Contractor, Architect or Interior Designer, Do you have the time necessary to complete the project, Will your home be livable during the remodel, What is your budget, What is your personal style and do you have visual representation, how much do you want to be involved in the remodeling process , Do you plan to do your project in phases, and do you want to go “Green”?

To save time and money on your remodel you will want to hire a qualified Contractor, Architect, and/or Interior Designer. These trades will offer creative solutions to your project, provide project management, space planning, recommend vendors, introduce you to an unparalleled array of products and create a custom look to fit your personality and style. Make sure before you hire someone you ask for a list of references, project portfolio, licensees and qualifications, and the most important thing to consider is that your personalities match. You want the process to be fun and you will be spending a lot of time with the people working on your project. It will become a mini marriage and you want to make sure you are very comfortable making decisions with these individuals.

When thinking about the areas to remodel, think about how long you will live in this home? Is this your forever home or do you plan to sell in 5-10 years. If this is your forever home, make your remodeling decisions based on what best fits your family’s style, needs, and budget. If this is a home you plan to sell you will want to consider remodeling the areas of the home that add the most value. In order the areas that add the most value are, the Kitchen, Master Bath, Master suite and Closet, Exterior facade and landscape, and the basement.

For more information on remodeling, hiring a qualified Contractor, Architect or Interior Designer, and getting some of your remodeling questions answered, listed below are some useful resources.

www.aiacolorado.org
www.denverdesign.com
www.builtgreen.org
www.asidcolorado.com
www.hbadenver.com
www.coloradohomebuildersdirectory.com