12 Things to Do and Expect During a Home Renovation

Renovating a house is a big undertaking, and even if you’ve done it before, you can almost always expect something new. Knowing what to do and what to expect can help make the process go much smoother.

When remodeling a house, it’s important to prepare as much as possible before you begin. Below is a list of things you can do to ensure a smooth renovation process, as well as a list of things you can expect to help you be well-prepared.

Things to Do During a Home Renovation

There are many things you will need to do during a home renovation. Being able to prioritize and focus on the important ones can have a significant impact on how well your renovation goes. The following sections describe what you should do during the renovation of your home.

Stick to Your Plan & Organize

Stick to your plan and stay organized during the renovation. Before you start, you should have a goal in mind for your renovation, such as increasing the value of the house or transforming it into your dream home. After you start, focus on your goal and make sure not to over or underdo it for the home and the neighborhood.

Keeping order is an essential part of the renovation process, especially if you will be living in the house during the remodel. Here are a few tips that can help you stay organized: 

• Prepare for new living arrangements, whether you plan to live in the house during the renovation or you’re heading to a hotel, a friend’s, or family’s place.  
• Pack up your valuables.
• Clean and organize while packing.
• Prepare for dust by removing carpets, curtains, and covering furniture.
• Communicate regularly with all contractors you hire.
• Have a place for important documents you want to keep, such as:
  • Contracts
  • Construction agreements
  • Receipts
  • Mortgage documents
  • Samples
  • Schedules and plans
  • Notes and reminders

Set Your Budget

When renovating a house, it can sometimes be hard not to dream big and go all out. Be realistic with yourself about what you can afford and what items will cost. Give yourself a cushion for unexpected expenses, as they are highly likely to occur. Expect to spend an additional 20% for surprises.

 When setting your renovation budget, you should do the following: 

1. Go to stores and look at item prices to get a feel for how your expenses will look.
   • Try to select items that comfortably fit within your budget but still offer the look and design you want. 
2. Know that what you see on TV isn’t a fair estimate of renovation costs.
   • TV can be misleading, especially when it comes to high-end items and their prices. 
3. Before starting the remodel, call contractors and others to get cost estimates for projects.   
   • For example, if the furnace needs to be replaced, get one or two cost estimates for it.
4. If you spend more in one area, try to save in another. 
   • For example, if you want a nice high-end countertop, consider spending less on lighting or sinks.

Remodeling costs can add up very quickly, so keep track of all expenses. Make sure to balance your “checkbook” at each step of the remodeling process and keep track of where you stand with your budget. By staying on top of it along the way, you can avoid overspending. It will also tell you where your extra money has gone.

Boost your budget by selling some of the older items in the house that you remove during the demo process and no longer need. For example, if you remove bathroom furniture that is still in good condition but doesn’t fit the new design of the house, instead of paying to have it taken to the landfill, sell it online or at a thrift store to earn a little extra money for your remodel.

Keep Your Receipts

Another great thing to do when remodeling and working within a budget is to keep your receipts. Remodeling receipts can be useful in three ways:

1. If you remodel, you often buy items that you end up not using anymore. By keeping receipts, you can return those items for a full refund without any hassle. 
2. Receipts allow you to track where your money is going. 
3. The renovation increases the value of the house, and if you plan to sell it, you can deduct your remodeling expenses from the sale profit. This can save you a significant amount in taxes. 
   1. For example, if the renovation costs you $20,000 and you sell the house with a profit of $60,000, if you can prove that you spent $20,000 on remodeling expenses with your receipts, then you only have to pay taxes on a profit of $40,000.

Hire the Right Team

Don’t expect to be able to complete every remodeling project on your own. There may be some work that you need to hire out. So make sure you hire the right people for the job. Decide if you want to work with a company that can handle all your renovation needs or if you want to hire multiple different teams to complete separate and individual projects.

When selecting a team, make sure they are easily reachable and understand your wants and needs for the home. Also check the following qualifications to ensure they are financially responsible:

• Licenses
• Proof of insurance
• Certification
• Lien history
• Bond number

Follow the Remodeling Steps

When remodeling a house or even just a room, there are some steps you can follow to keep the renovation organized. Below are some steps you can use in each room or project of the house:

1. Demo. Demo everything you need to remove from the house or room, then clean up the space to prepare for the next steps.
2. Fix the exterior. Before you start anything inside the house, focus on the exterior. Make sure the roof is in good condition, the foundation is secure, and the windows are functional. Once these exterior elements are taken care of, the interior renovation of the house will go much smoother.
3. Replace old plumbing. If your remodel space has old plumbing, take care of it first before moving on to other projects.
4. Replace HVAC, electrical, and lighting. Make sure the house’s HVAC is running efficiently and properly. Next on the list is replacing electrical or lighting fixtures. However, with some lighting, you’ll need to wait to hang them until the drywall is finished and the paint is complete. 
5. Add drywall. If you demoed walls, you’ll need to drywall and mud them before painting and priming.
6. Paint. Next, paint the ceilings, walls, doors, trim, baseboards, and anything else that needs painting. Adding a fresh coat of paint goes a long way. You’ll get a fresher, newer, and cleaner look in the house by repainting.
7. Install flooring and baseboards. Some trim and baseboards you may want to paint and install before flooring, depending on what the flooring will look like. For example, you’ll paint and install baseboards before installing carpet, but if you’re installing hard flooring, you’ll install and paint the baseboards after the flooring is laid down. 
8. Install cabinets, vanities, toilets, tubs, doors, shelves, etc. Depending on the room you’re working on, next you’ll add furniture pieces that will be mounted in place. For example, in the kitchen, you’d now cabinet in. 
   • Consider adding storage space – Most people are attracted to homes with plenty of storage space. Storage helps keep the home from feeling cluttered with things that don’t have a place. It can also be a selling feature if you intend to sell the house.
9. Install countertops, if applicable. Once cabinets and vanities go in bathrooms and kitchens, next you’ll make the countertops.
10. Add wall fixtures. Next, you’ll hang your wall fixtures and add any backsplashes.
11. Install appliances and hardware. Bring in the appliances and have them installed.
12. Clean up. Now that you’re done with everything, clean up the house or room thoroughly.
13. Bring in furniture and personal items. Add your personal touch by bringing in your furniture and personal items.

Stay Positive

Remodeling can sometimes be physically and emotionally draining, especially if you’re doing the entire remodel yourself. Prepare yourself mentally for bumps in the road and remember to stay positive even in the worst times. Keep your end goal in mind and know that the remodeling won’t last forever.

Take it one day at a time and find the small victories each day to keep you going and feeling cheerful. Having a positive attitude about what you can do to fix and improve things, rather than blaming why something went wrong, will help you stay happy and motivated.

What to Expect During a Home Renovation



By setting the right expectations for a home renovation, you can avoid stress and better prepare for unexpected issues. The following sections explain what you can expect during home renovations.

Your Daily Routine Will Be Disrupted

When you take on a renovation, your work and leisure routine will go out the window. You’ll spend most of your time at the house working and managing the workers you’ve hired. Expect to spend hours on end on the phone with contractors, repair shops, or others you’ve hired to help.

If you’re living in the house, you’ll experience an even greater disruption to your lifestyle. Here is a list of some changes you can expect when living in a house that’s being renovated: 

• You could be without a kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom for weeks.
• You might be without power for a few days.
• You might even be without cooking or reheating appliances, so you may have to order food. 
• If the water gets shut off, you won’t be able to shower or use the bathroom in the house. 
• When painting or replacing windows, you may have to spend the night without blinds to maintain privacy.

Expect a Messy Home

Renovating a house can get very messy, from demolition to the day you add the final touch. There will be dirt and dust to cover floors and walls. Nails and debris will be everywhere. Do your best to clean up along the way, but be prepared for the mess.

If you plan to live in the house during the renovation, try to keep your living and sleeping area as clean as possible, but don’t let the mess bother you because it will never be perfectly clean. If you can’t handle living in a messy home, consider temporarily renting somewhere or staying with a friend or family member.

Expect Project Delays

Ideally, you have a specific timeline from start to finish at the beginning of a renovation. However, renovations rarely stay on schedule as one project starts and ends. Several things can cause project delays during a renovation, and most likely, you’ll experience at least one or two of them during the remodel.

Take a look at the list below to get a sense of what might delay your renovation:

• Contractors take longer than expected – Contractors often give you a deadline, but don’t be surprised if they take longer than stated. 
• Changes of heart – You may start a project and decide halfway through that you want to do it differently. This can set you back time-wise, but if it’s what you want, then go for it!
• Material and order delays – When you order materials online or through stores, shipping delays may occur that are beyond your control.
• Equipment not readily available – You may need to rent or borrow certain tools that aren’t readily available.
• Weather delays – Weather changes can have a significant impact on your schedule when you’re working both inside and outside of the house. For example, rainy, humid days cause paint to dry slower and any outdoor projects you’re working on to be postponed.
• Lack of funds – Renovations can be expensive, and if you end up spending more than you budgeted for, you may need to put some projects on hold until you can afford to pay for them.

Expect Changes

During the remodeling process, expect plans to change. You may start a project and decide at the last minute to change the design or color scheme. By anticipating changes, you can better handle them.

Changes are not always bad. Changes can have many reasons. For example, you may start in one area of the house and realize you can make the space more functional by designing it differently than originally planned.

Expect to Exceed the Budget

You’ve set a budget for your remodel by doing research and getting quotes before the projects start; however, expect to exceed your budget no matter how well you did your research. Expect to spend an additional 20% more than you budgeted for.

The budget can be exceeded for several reasons: 

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