We’ve put in a lot of time helping people make their dream homes – or dream renovations – a reality, and today I thought I’d throw out a few kernels of wisdom that may be helpful to people considering a dream project.
I’m not going to be the first or last person to share this advice, but I believe that some of these rules of thumb can’t be repeated enough.
One of the dream projects we were honored to help bring to life
- Please understand that the real world does not operate like the world of HGTV.
I can’t tell you how often those of us who do this for a living away from cameras run into the notion that miraculous things can be achieved in a week … or less.
If you want a great, lasting result, you should not suggest that your contractors do your renovation at warp (or TV show) speed.
- Regarding your budget: Think ahead and make sure your early decisions/upgrades/changes don’t translate to scary shortcuts on the back end.
Sometimes, our involvement comes later in the process, and by that point, it’s not uncommon to find that clients’ budgets are shot. This can then lead them to decide that they’re going to go with cheaper cabinetry to make up the budget shortfall. We’re obviously biased about this, but we think it’s a bad idea to have to resort to low-end, non-custom cabinetry at the last minute, especially when the rest of your new home or renovation has gotten the high-end treatment.
Save yourself from these late-in-project dilemmas by making budget decisions all along the way that keep the entire project in mind.
3. No matter what time estimate you hear at the beginning, make a mental note that it will probably take double that amount of time. And I’m not sure doubling is even enough. You may have the very best contractors and specialists working on your project, but even then, things happen. Unpredictable things. Big things. Or a succession of small things. Or a mix of the two. Regardless, the more mentally and logistically prepared you are for these things to come along and delay the move to your dream home, the more sane you will be when move-in day actually arrives.
We hope these reminders are helpful and not daunting – we can tell you from experience that when you’re patient and committed to the project you’ve dreamed up, the outcome will be worth it.
~ Chris Dehmer and the Dark Horse team
