Getting started

Assessing the Project

Consider the budget you have for the project?

Be realistic in your expectations and make sure you have a contingency plan (we all tend to underestimate)

Why Renovate?

Add extra space to accommodate an expanding family, or simply to add a sense of spaciousness.
Add rooms for special purposes, such as an office or games room.
Change the configuration of the house for better flow, open concept, additional washrooms, etc.
Update and remodel to give the house a fresher, more modern look – this could involve major changes such as taking out walls to enlarge a room, putting in a new kitchen, or new wiring, lighting, insulation & drywall.

Know the costs

Invite contractors/designers to give you a rough estimate of your planned renovation. Be honest truthful about your budget. They may make suggestions to cut cost in a way that may still achieve your goal.

Why Hire a Designer

A licensed Designer can prepare permit ready construction drawings and specifications. A good Designer can bring their professional knowledge, experience and education. For example: you may think you need to put an addition on your house to get the main floor powder room that you want. A professional may see an opportunity for a powder room within an existing space in the house which could save thousands. A good designer is trained to think outside the box and provide a multitude of ideas for you to consider. These ideas can be drawn up to scale on a plan to ensure feasibility and get pricing from contractors. A designers fees are a small percentage of the overall cost of the renovation and the planning of the design is the most important part of the job and can eliminate potential disasters when in construction.

Getting Estimates or Proposals

Ask contractors to give you an accurate quote based on the drawings. You can then evaluate the cost and take into consideration the quality of workmanship and timeline requirements.

Hiring a Contractor

Get multiple quotes from the contractors. Never base you choice solely on the lowest price. Ask for references and call to check references.

Sign a Contract

Getting a written contract is a must for both for you and the contractor and the designer. It should include a clearly defined scope of work, a pricing structure, explaining how incidentals will be dealt with, a timeline for completion and a concise payment schedule.