Tired of Renovation Nightmares? Be a Smart Homeowner -

If you’re like most homeowners you’ve heard a lot of nightmarish stories about how painful a home renovation project can be. From projects that take a year longer than scheduled to those that go 200% over budget, renovation can be a scary word for the average homeowner.

That doesn’t mean you can just stay in your house the way it is forever. Sure, selling and moving to a new place is an option, but that comes with a lot of headaches too. Renovating can also make your property worth more money if you ever do decide to sell.

Instead of hoping for a successful renovation project, do your part and make sure you actually have one. Use these tips to help plan a project that you can be proud of when it is finally completed on time and on budget.

Ask for References

Most people won’t pick a doctor or dentist out of the phone book. Instead, they rely on referrals from friends or family members. Maybe you found your doctor through your insurance plan.

So why should your home renovation be any different? Ask around, even among friends, family and colleagues at work, if they know somebody good. If they’ve had a positive experience in the past few years they will almost certainly be willing to share that with you.

If you can’t get a name from somebody you know personally, try asking others who have done work in your home. Electricians often know painters and architects often know contractors. It’s a small group in most cities, so don’t be afraid to ask for a referral from anybody in a related business.

Interview Multiple Contractors

When it’s time to start a home renovation project to most homeowners, that means that it should have been taken care of a while ago. Most homeowners simply put off renovation projects a lot longer than they should because of cost and the headache of finding somebody to do the work.

That doesn’t mean you should rush into hiring somebody once you finally feel ready. It’s easy to do that, but you need to take your time and interview multiple contractors about what they want to do in your home.

You also need to get your free estimate now from at least two or three different contractors if you want the best price. There’s no reason to pay more if you’ve got two or three reputable contractors ready to work for you.