image courtesy of lowes.com
Renovation Goals
Part II in our Renovate or Refresh Series
So, you have decided that you need a full-on renovation. Yay! Now it’s time to figure out what direction to go in, and in order to do that we need to set some goals for your space. Here are the steps to get you started:
The goals should be specific. State what you want to achieve by doing the reno, and state how they relate to your daily living.
For each goal be sure to write down all of the areas of your home that will be affected by the construction. Think of how you currently use the area that will be torn apart. How does this area connect to other spaces in your home? What will you miss if this space is inaccessible?
What are the existing problems in this area and how are you going to correct them?
What new features do you want to add and how do you expect to use the space once the reno is all done?
What is your timeline?
What is the estimated cost?
If you are new to the reno gig, then this might seem pretty vague, so let’s draw up an example. Let’s say we are doing a kitchen reno.
Goal: Enlarge the kitchen area and make it more up to date
Areas Affected: Kitchen and back landing (including laundry). Access to the back yard will be diverted from the back of the house now, and through the garage door. All appliances will be inaccessible and a temporary cooking space will have to be set up in the rec room downstairs, along with using the games table as the temporary dining table. Laundry will be done off site for the duration.
Existing Problems:
Kitchen is cramped
We can only seat 4 people in the dining area of the kitchen
Not enough counter and prep space
Not enough storage space in cupboards and pantry (if you can call it that)
Kitchen is currently isolated from the entertaining space
The room feels cave-like as it doesn't get much natural sunlight
Existing dining room is rarely used
What do we want in the new space:
A large farmhouse sink
More electrical outlets (some built in to cabinetry re: appliance station)
More natural light
Large, central island
Better task and ambient lighting
More natural light
Larger, functioning pantry space
Dine in space for minimum of 6 persons
Incorporate the dining space into the new kitchen layout
Install a light source product, like a Sola-tube, in order to get more natural light
How we will be using the renovated space:
We will be able to host more family dinners with a larger number of guests
Congregating in the kitchen will not be problematic as we will have more space for everyone to gather
Storage won’t be an issue
Prep space will be readily available which will make cooking more enjoyable
Timeline:
The estimated timeline, from initial tear out to full renovation completion is stated as 3 months by contractors
Estimated costs: We have two separate quotes:
$35,000 for local company that was recommended by a neighbour
$47,000 for a company that comes highly reviewed and has a more metropolitan client base. They use all higher end finishes with their renovations.
No matter what size of renovation you are thinking of doing it is always important to set goals. This helps you to see the full scope of where you want the space to end up, as well as understanding the impact that it will have on your day to day life, during the renovation process, and afterwards when you can enjoy your brand new space.
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