So many people are choosing to renovate their homes right now. Homes that were just the right square foot for a family a year ago have quickly become too small. With many people working from home, exercising from home, and schooling from home, extra space is desired more than ever. It’s important to learn what to expect with your home remodel or addition project.
Are you thinking about a home remodel or addition in New Jersey? Take a look at some of these insider tips from experts in the industry to help you know what to expect before starting your home improvement project.
8 Things to Prepare For
It’s vital that you are educated on the ins and outs of a home remodel or addition in New Jersey before signing up with general contractors. A great advantage to adding an addition is that your home’s value will increase. With an existing structure in a great neighborhood as the starting point, your square footage will automatically increase with a home addition. This will bring your overall sale price up when it’s time to list your home down the road.
Many people are struggling with the space inside their home right now and are not wanting to move completely. A home addition is an excellent solution to that problem. Some frequently chosen additions include a home office or a two-story addition with an owner’s suite upstairs and a living room on the main level. These additions will result in the convenience and comfort that you are seeking inside your current home.
Costs
A home remodel or addition in New Jersey or anywhere can be a hefty investment. A one-room addition can easily cost $100,000. If you plan to stay in the home for 5 years or more, the benefits outweigh the cost. The extra living area, combined with the convenience to stay in your neighborhood and not have to uproot your family, make it worth it.
It is common for people to use a line of credit to invest in their home addition in New Jersey. Or they can take out a home equity loan. When you are putting money into your home addition that will deliver a return on investment, it’s not a risky debt to take on.
Another thing to consider with the budget is to always plan for additional costs. When your contractor finds pieced-together wiring, asbestos, mold, or other unexpected obstacles, it will be comforting to have a chunk of money set aside to cover those surprises.
Scheduling Challenges
Taking on a large project like a home addition in New Jersey includes various specialists and schedules to coordinate. If a plumber cannot get in until Thursday, then the toilet cannot be installed until after that. Scheduling challenges will come up where you feel like the project is sitting stagnant. A great contractor will keep you in close communication throughout the whole process.
Big Decisions
Be prepared to make a lot of decisions – and not just about whether to hire a designer or how the home addition in New Jersey will work with the current floor plans. But there will be decisions to be made on the spot regarding the unexpected situations uncovered along the way.
Hiring an architect and expert contractor is only part of the preliminary planning process. Decisions on whether to reroute troubled plumbing or change design colors will arise as the project comes together. Do not hesitate to speak up when something doesn’t look quite as you imagined it would. The quicker the contractor knows, the less cost it will be for you.
Material Changes
When planning out the addition to your house, there are materials chosen that may change along the way as the project comes to fruition. Change orders are very common in a construction project. There will be extra costs related to changing your mind along the way, but do not let that stop you from making the alteration. A home addition in New Jersey is a huge investment, and you don’t want to regret any part of it.
Project Delays
Throughout the construction process, there may be events that occur that push back the timeline. This could be snowfall, permit delays, sickness, backorders, change orders, etc. For a prolonged construction project, these delays can be anticipated but also frustrating. It is better to go into it expecting that you may meet some project delays along the way.
Noise
Any time you are adding square footage to your home, you have to expect it will come with noise. The constant buzz of saws and thumps of nail guns will be enough to drive someone crazy over a long period of time. If you work from home, do not plan to get in any professional calls without interruption.
If you want a quiet moment in your living room, that’s not going to happen when you have a construction team working on your home addition in New Jersey. If you are prepared for the constant noise and workers in your home all day long, it will help you manage. And investing in some noise-canceling headphones might be a good idea.
Dust
Even if your home remodel project is separated from the rest of your house, dust can be a big issue. You can wall off the construction area entirely with hanging tarps or even temporary walls for home additions.
If you have an HVAC system running into your existing basement or garage, sealing off the vents during construction may be a good way to prevent dust from being carried to the rest of the home. Be sure to check with your contractor before doing this to ensure that your HVAC system will still work correctly with part of the house closed off.
Feelings
Another aspect of a home addition in New Jersey to consider is the rollercoaster of emotions. You will feel elation as you watch the pea-green sink removed and thrown in the dumpster. You will feel frustrated as you run into setbacks and last-minute changes. You will feel overwhelmed with the noise, dust, and the time it takes to get the job done.
Remember that these feelings are temporary and a part of the process. Focusing on the final product and the conveniences it will bring into your home by having the extra space will ground you during the construction process.
How Else Should I Prepare For My Home Remodel or Addition?
The more prepared you are for things that may come your way during a home remodel or addition, the better. Here are a few more things to consider:
Consider Inconveniences You May Face
It’s a great start to budget and to prepare for setbacks that may be found during your home remodel or addition in New Jersey. Also, think of specific inconveniences that may come up. Make a list of mold, asbestos, sanding, pest elimination, junk removal, and all possible problems that may occur without warning during your project. Discuss the possibilities of each one with your contractor based on the age of your home and similar projects in the area.
Keep All Ideas and Receipts Organized
It’s a great idea to keep a home addition journal that will record each communication with your contractor. You can keep receipts and a running list of your budget compared to the money that has actually gone out.
When you encounter a setback, record the findings and the possible solutions and see which fix would fit into your “unexpected occurrences” line item in your budget. Receipts will be essential to keep if you need to switch out any hardware or have documentation of materials that have been paid for in phases along the way.
The more organized you are during the extended project, the more you will be prepared to answer questions and offer solutions to problems that may come up. As your design and layout ideas change, keep in direct and immediate contact with your contractor to inform them what you’re thinking.
Identify Storage Solutions
In any home addition in New Jersey, you will want to add storage. There is never enough storage inside a home. Small pockets of closets like the space under the stairs or attic space are great to open up as an option for storage. Planning out oversized closets in the master bedroom or a game closet in a living room is never a bad idea.
When it comes to storing away the furniture in the home during the renovation process, think about if a garage or an outsourced storage unit is the right place for your belongings. Clearing the area of all furniture can be convenient during an extensive renovation.
In Conclusion
When planning for a home addition in New Jersey, it is better to be over-prepared. Expect setbacks, scheduling challenges, and budget increases along the way. When you step back and look at the overall purpose –much-needed office space, a home gym, or extra bedroom, then your focus will stay on what’s important.
Now is the time more than any to start on a home addition project. While many people are home during the pandemic, you have people at the house during all hours of the day to check in on the team. You may find yourself with extra savings from gas and travel that is sensible to invest back in the place you’re spending all your time.
Professional Home Remodeling Services
When it comes to a home addition in New Jersey, you have nothing to worry about when choosing the right contracting team. At Tandem Contracting, you can trust that your project will be done right. Our expert team has all the equipment and experience to bring your vision to reality. Do not hesitate to set up a consultation today.
