Whether you’re a new homeowner eager to make your new space your own or you’ve outgrown the interior style of your longtime home, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Many homeowners will choose to go room to room rather than complete a full home remodel. This is a great way to go about updating your home if you’re on a tight budget. But the question remains, which room should you plan to renovate first? Well, let’s take a look at the different factors you should consider when choosing a room to start with.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it a million times, nail down a budget before getting started on any home renovations. You need to have a solid understanding of what resources you have to work with for the project. Come up with a figure and account for some wiggle room for incidental expenses. From there you can try to piece together a project plan based on what you can afford to renovate.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer for which room a homeowner should start with when renovating. It will vary based on their situation. If you’re having a hard time nailing down which room to choose, take a look at some of these factors to narrow down your renovation options.
Is there a room that could really use an update in efficiency or functionality? If you have a room that is in dire need of repairs or updates in order to make your day-to-day life a little easier, this could be a good place to start. For example, maybe your kitchen appliances are old and not working as well as they used to. Perhaps you don’t have enough counter space for how often you cook. This might be an indicator that you should start renovations here.
If you use a certain room more often than the others, this could indicate that it’s either a good place to start or maybe a room you should put off until last – it depends on what will be more convenient for you. If you use this room often, you may want to wait on updating it so you’re not giving up that space for the duration of the project. But if you have somewhere else that can replace this space for the time being or perhaps you just want to get it out of the way, this could actually be a good place to start.
If you want to take an especially practical approach in picking out a room, remodel the one that will offer the best increase in value. Look into what room you can recoup your renovation costs and create equity more effectively. You can typically get the most bang for your buck when you remodel a kitchen or bathroom.
Make a list of your “wants” versus “needs” in regard to your dream home remodel. Include any repairs and immediate “needs” at the top and then all of the aesthetic and stylistic “wants” at the bottom. Start with the highest priority items on your “needs” list. This will help you narrow down the best room to start renovations.
If you don’t have a large enough budget to complete a whole room, you have two options: continue to save up or knock out smaller sub-projects. Look at what needs to be done in your first-priority room. If you choose to go the sub-project route, be sure to start with repairs. If you still have additional funds to work with, you can move on to cosmetic changes. But, if there are no immediate repairs needed in a room, save up and knock out the entire room when you have more money to spare.
There are plenty of home improvement projects that you can tackle on your own. With an internet full of video tutorials, you can likely handle cosmetic projects. As the homeowner, you can handle painting, flooring, tiling, and other stylistic elements. But if you want the best possible outcome, you may still want to consider calling in the pros.
There are some renovations you should always hand over to an expert. These include HVAC repairs, removing load-bearing walls, electrical work, and plumbing. You may inevitably cause damage to your home or even injure yourself.
The team at Forge & Bow is dedicated to helping our clients cultivate their dream homes. Whether you’re looking to remodel one room or you’re ready to invest in a whole home remodel, we are eager to get the job done. Get in touch today to learn more about our services!
