A whole home renovation is a massive undertaking, so having a detailed plan is a critical first step. Whether you’re renovating your existing home or purchasing a new one with the intent to renovate, mapping out the renovation plan and timeline will ensure you have a cohesive full-house plan in place before you begin construction. Even if you space out the projects over time, prioritizing and planning each project is essential to a house that flows together. Read on for more insight into where to start when renovating an entire home.
Assess the whole home
Assess the whole house from top to bottom. Determine what works in the house and what doesn’t work, and begin planning your projects around your functional needs. For example, if you need to borrow space from the family room to build a mudroom, create a plan for the mudroom construction before you paint the family room. Or, if you’re planning a complete kitchen renovation, avoid refinishing the floors in the surrounding rooms until the kitchen construction is completed.
Avoid doing projects in a silo
While completing one project at a time can feel more manageable, the best way to create a well-designed home is to have a general complete house design plan before you begin designing the details of each room. This will ensure that each room flows together and feels intentionally designed.
Design in proximity
Renovating adjoining rooms will give your renovations momentum and result in a home that feels completed faster. If you don’t want to renovate all at once, renovating the rooms that flow into each other will help you avoid jumping around. For example, if you begin your renovations with the foyer or entryway, next renovate the adjacent living room. Then, renovate the adjoining dining room, so this entire section of the home will be complete.
Work from the inside out
Ensuring the house is structurally sound is vital. While updating the home’s mechanics, such as the HVAC system, plumbing, or electric, or making any foundation or roof repairs won’t make a visual impact, renovating a house with a strong foundation will offer invaluable peace of mind.
Be thoughtful with finishes
Painting or selecting the flooring can be easy projects to cross off the list, but try to make these projects the last ones you complete. Saving the flooring until the final renovation stages will ensure all the flooring flows from room to room and prevent it from getting damaged. Selecting the paint last also means that you can most accurately choose an entire house paint color scheme that flows and complements the extensive renovations, such as new cabinetry.
