Creating Priorities to turn your Wish List into a Project Scope 

Priorities

  1. First of all you should always give yourself a buffer, a little contingency plan for unexpected issues or labor costs that arise. On average people set aside 10% - 20%

  2. Any structural issues or deferred maintenance should be dealt with asap so that the problems don’t grow into much larger finical burdens and projects. Examples:

    1. Roof Repair

    2. Rot on siding, windows and doors that could lead to ice dams and leaking

    3. Foundation issues

    4. Mold or Water Damage

    5. Safety concerns: uneven flooring, exposed wires, etc

  3. Select to do the work that is hard to replace later. Examples of items that you typically don’t want to do later;

    1. Any rough in work (electrical, plumbing or HVAC) when a wall is open, that is the time to replace or move your utilities. Once the wall is closed up, plastered, pained and even tiled or wallpapered, you will not want to go back into the wall without having to cut holes in the wall, totally redo the tile and/or wallpaper

    2. Replacing windows. If you are already working in a room and have the walls open. Replace the windows at that point.

    3. Cheap cabinets, if you are renovating your kitchen or bath, you will not want to replace the cabinets once the counters and tile are in. This one is common sense, but must be said. You want good cabinets that will last, they are very costly to replace.

    4. Appliances are often expensive so don’t want to have to replace them if you don’t have to.

  4. Choose what will have the greatest impact on your families enjoyment and value of your home.

    1. Kitchens are the number one room that increase the value of your home and by far get the most traffic. Put your money into a room that you will see a portion of that investment back when you sell your home as well as a place that your family spends most of its time.

    2. Bathrooms

    3. Main Rooms like the Entry & Family room where you and your guests will spend the mist time.

  5. Rooms that are helpful to your life and your daily routine

    1. Mudroom

    2. Laundry Room

    3. Playroom

  6. Group phases together. If you already are renovating your kitchen and you want to replace the vanity in your powder room, you might lump these items together while holding off on replacing the lighting and wallpaper until a later date.

  7. A gift to yourself, there is nothing wrong with putting our oxygen mask on first. If you are the one who is in the daily trenches of your life and you need to create a refuge for self at home to make it all easier and more bearable, Then you do you. We recommend that you set a budget on projects like this to make sure that you are wisely investing your income and understand if you will get that invest back if you plan on selling your home. And by the way, maybe you don’t care. Maybe you just need to have your meditation room…and we say “Nameste”. Just be informed.

    1. Master Bedroom

    2. Dressing Room

    3. Sunroom

Things that can wait

  • Replacing light fixtures. This is something that can be done with little extra cost down the road by having your electrician coming and charging you by the hour to swap out the light fixtures. (If you are planning on moving the light fixtures than that is a different story as they will have to come to the house once to open wall and move wires, then the wall has to be patched and plastered, then painted, then the electrical will come to hang fixture in new locations.

  • Wallpaper - We love it!! We love it! But it can wait

  • Furniture This area is our bread and butter, but we recommend that you hold off on replacing furniture until the main projects have been addressed. Rooms like a family room, kitchens and entryways can get bumped up on the list when needed because this is where you spend the majority of your time. New parents also will need to invest in proper furniture for their little ones, so that can go to the top of the list when needed.