At this time of year, few of us are thinking about the New Year’s resolutions we might have made back in January. Many of us don’t remember if we made any—or what they might have been. We’re in good company. About 30 percent of resolutions are broken within the first week.
The rest disappear in less than a month. Why? One reason is that resolutions are often too vague (“lose weight” or “exercise more”) and they are not backed up with a specific plan.
It’s easy to make that same mistake when you think about remodeling your home. It may be exciting to think about having a fresh, new look and feel in your home, but what exactly do you want? “I want a new kitchen” or “I want to redo the bathroom” or “I want to upgrade the master bedroom” may be legitimate desires, but you need to be specific about what you want to be different—and then formulate the plans for making that happen.
Here’s a brief overview of some specifics you may want to consider for three of the most common room renovations.
• Replace kitchen cabinets or refinish existing cabinetry
• Install new flooring
• Put in new appliances
• Install new countertops
• Replace tables, chairs, stools, and lighting fixtures
• Put in new wall and floor materials, new trim, new paint
• Replace cabinets/vanities
• Install new plumbing fixtures, toilet and sink
• Replace existing bathtub with a walk in shower
• Replace existing bathtub with a whirlpool/spa
• Replace lighting fixtures
• Add new towel bars and robe hooks
Master Suite Remodel
• Install a walk-in closet or a dressing room
• Add some built-in storage
• Install a flat screen TV, audiovisual equipment and speakers
• Repaint, and install new flooring and new window coverings
• Upgrade lighting to more functional, romantic directional style
• Add an enclosed eco-friendly gas fireplace
These aren’t plans. They’re just ideas to help you get more specific so that you and your builder can develop a specific plan. What would you put on your list? Once you’ve figured out what you want, you can move on to creating a specific plan that will make it happen.