Your home should not be just a place where you go to nap after a long day’s work. It should be your personal retreat. It should help you to unwind, relax and rejuvenate. If your home doesn’t make you feel comfortable, it is time to renovate it and make it desirable for you.

A home renovation project can be excruciating for homeowners. It is because they often forget to be cautious while making decisions. But, if you are practical and make the right choices, you will be successful in transforming your home into a comfortable living space.

Total Attention ensures Total Success

A home renovation project does not simply begin with a budget. It is important to make informed decisions because renovating a home is an expensive task. If you make a mistake, you will have to spend your savings on rework. So, it is better to be attentive during the entire process of the home renovation project.

Before starting the Process
Fixing a leaking faucet may be a DIY job for you. But, not every home task can be a DIY job. For large-scale renovation, you will have to call the experts. When you are in the process of choosing a home renovation contractor, consider the following points:

· The Best is always Busy

When it comes to hiring a contractor, you must remember that a slow response is not a bad sign. Usually, the best contractors are busy and so they may require a few days to get back to you. It is important to have patience because hiring a wrong person can be a nightmare for you.

· Never do Business with a Buddy

It sounds amazing to have your best friend working with you. But, remember that renovating a home involves making several decisions. It may result in arguments between you and your buddy. Instead, you should focus on word-of-mouth. If you have received glowing recommendations of a contractor, visit his construction sites, talk to his customers and then, make an informed decision.

· You get what you Pay for

Experience is costly. So, expect an experienced contractor to charge you higher price than an unskilled one. You cannot imagine obtaining the same level of skills from the two contractors. So, make a wise choice after considering your budget.

During the Process
You cannot relax even if you hire the best home renovation contractor in town. In order to get the best results, you have to ensure the following things:

· Do not go on vacation and leave the contractor alone. He may need you to make a few decisions.

· It is wise to visit the site regularly to ensure that everything is in order. It will help you to avoid rework in the future.

· If the renovation work affects more than half the area of your home and you are unable to use any of the bathrooms, you should pack your bags. So, make arrangements for your accommodation well in advance.

· There are high chances that your home renovation project may exceed the budget due to unforeseen circumstances. So, keep aside money for the same.

· The contractor may require a couple of days more for finishing the project. Be ready for it.

After the Process
· Once the contractor informs you that his work is finished, inspect your home. If there is any incomplete work, ask him to finish it.

· You can hire a third-party inspector to do the inspection for you. An experienced inspector will be able to find problems that you may not be able to find.

· Do not forget to create a Punch List to provide detailed information regarding the pending work to the contractor. You must include all the incomplete installations as well as any accidental damage to the existing structures.

Renovating a home is not an easy task. But, we all know that Rome was not built in a day. If you want to transform your idea into a reality successfully, watch over the entire process of the home renovation project.

Budgeting for home renovations is always tough. Even when you plan for everything and even a few glitches along the way budgets often find a way to be busted. In order to keep your progress from ending in a budget stale mate here are a few things to keep in mind when renovations are planned for your home.

First decide why you are renovating your home. What do you hope to accomplish with the renovation? Are you adding space for a new addition? Are you adding space for a kids play room or do you hope that with your renovation you increase the value of your home. Knowing exactly what you hope to accomplish with your home renovations will make it easier to create a budget and stick to it. It is often when a plan is not created that we go overboard with spending. So the more you can think out ahead of time before renovations on your home begin the better your finances will look in the end.

Speaking of a budget determine how much you can afford to spend on this home renovation. If you realize that what you hope to accomplish is not possible within the funds you have allotted for the project than you can easily put it on hold at this stage of the process. Determine the cost of all materials, tools and furnishings that will be needed to complete the renovation. If you are doing a kitchen renovation make sure to take into account large items like stoves and refrigerators. If you are doing a bathroom remodel take into account a new tub, sink and vanity. A toilet and new fixtures should also be added to the budget.

Next ask yourself are you up to taking on the challenge of a remodel or is it better for you to hire a contractor to ensure a smooth renovation. If you are the handyman type simple renovations can easily be done on your own and can save your contractor fees. If you are going to hire out a residential contractor make sure to look at examples of their previous work. Ask for references and check out their website. The detail put into their work, references and website will give you a good idea of their work and work ethic. It is also important to make sure your gut tells you that the contractor you have chosen is right for you and your home renovation.

A timeline is also important in home renovations. It is important to go over this with your contractor and get in writing a plan of attack. It is important that each step is broke down into a time frame so that you and the contractor can work together to make sure progress stays on track.

Making sure that the contractor you hire is on the same page as you is one of the most important steps in home renovation. You can have this by opening the lines of communication from the start. Know that sometimes things can take an unexpected turn but that you are interested in keeping up to date with the progress and would like updates even when something goes haywire

Once you have agreed upon a plan do not keep changing things. Nothing makes a contractor bitter more than an indecisive customer. They to have a time frame to stay within so that they can continue work with other clients. Every change adds time and money to the budget so stick to the original plan of attack. It will ease the schedule and budget if you stick to the initial renovation plan.

The last thing you will need to decide is if you plan on living in your dwelling during the construction or if you plan on finding a place that is more conducive to your life. If you decide to live in your home during the renovation make sure that you do not interrupt the progress. A happy contractor makes for a happy homeowner.