Renovations are some of the most exciting and daunting endeavors in home ownership. Often expensive and sometimes drawn out, these projects can easily take up more time and money than expected. The key to a successful project that meets your expectations comes down to proper planning.
“When planning any project, it’s never advisable to plan for tight deadlines, as they often lead to frustration, unexpected expenses, sleepless nights, and restless days,” says agent Aaron Tetzlaff of Coldwell Banker Warburg.
Here, real estate experts offer tips on how to plan and execute a renovation timeline and how to effectively manage it.
Planning a Home Renovation Project
When you look around your home, chances are there are rooms or fix-it problems you repeatedly encounter and think about addressing. Oftentimes, when it comes to beginning these projects, homeowners look for ways to jumpstart their enthusiasm, and sometimes that’s by setting a deadline.
“Throughout my career, the three dates I see clients most often plan their renovations around are Thanksgiving, winter holidays, and the start of the summer rental season,” Tetzlaff says.
But with a tight deadline centered around a holiday, things can get dicey. With that in mind, planning a project must begin well before a deadline.
“Once a homeowner decides on a renovation project, it is never too early to get a general estimate of the projected costs and timeline,” says broker Andrea Saturno-Sanjana of Coldwell Banker Warburg. “An early conversation with a general contractor licensed in the home area can help the homeowner understand all of the components of the project and the anticipated timeline for completion.”
“Most architects, designers, and contractors will compose their own inter-related Gantt Chart, in which the project is broken down into distinct project phases, milestones, project check-ins, and inspection dates scheduled months in advance,” Tetzlaff says.
It helps to have some knowledge about how long these projects can take, in order to set realistic expectations. Agent Karen Kostiw of Coldwell Banker Warburg says new floors, depending on square footage, can take 1-3 weeks, kitchen remodels can take anywhere from 2-5 months, and bathroom updates can take 1-3 months. Similarly, finishing your basement can take 2-4 months.
Factors Affecting Your Timeline
As you get started, keep in mind that the following factors will have the biggest impact on the estimated length of your project.
Permitting
Once you have a plan in mind for how you’d like to update your bathroom, for example, be sure to check into zoning and permitting laws.
“The permitting process is crucial to ensure that licensed contractors adhere to local building codes and regulations. A delay in obtaining permits will lengthen project timelines and will impact the bottom line,” Kostiw says.
Many projects require some level of permitting from your local municipality, and timelines for when these approvals are handed out will vary. Many cities also require checks by city staff throughout the project, which can affect your schedule. “Always check with your local town or municipal office, and if you’re ever unsure; contact your local architect or interior designer,” Tetzlaff says.
Scale of the Project
The amount of work you plan to accomplish will play the biggest role in your timeline. If you’re planning to repaint your living room, you can expect to complete your project in a matter of days. But ripping an old kitchen down to the studs and rebuilding is a different ballgame.
“Every project is unique. A two-story, 5,000-square-foot primary suite addition complete with a home gym and a radiant floor heated bathroom is going to be significantly more complicated and time-consuming than retiling the bathroom or re-doing the countertops in your kitchen,” Tetzlaff says. “The scale of your project—its square footage and how many trades will be necessary to complete your renovation—will determine how long your renovation project will take.”
Type of Project
Similar to the scale of your project, the type of project you’re planning will also affect your timeline. Bathroom and kitchen renovations, which involve plumbing and electric, will often take the most contractors and the most work. A new concrete patio or driveway might take a few days with a single crew.
“From my experience, ground-up construction of a home will typically take 18 to 30 months; small additions of 1,000 square feet or less will take 8 to 12 months; interior renovations can take as little as 2 to 12 months depending again on the complexity and scale,” Tetzlaff says.
DIY vs. Contractors
If you’re opting to do a project yourself, you can still follow much of the advice listed above aimed at contractors. With plenty of advance notice, a schedule of when work is to take place, some wiggle room for errors, accounting of material delivery, etc, you can also finish a project.
As with all DIY endeavors, you’ll want to account for the fact that you might lose steam and daily life could get in the way. With that in mind, it’s smart to have a few friends and family you can call on for help. And don’t be afraid to call in a contractor to help bring your project over the finish line.
Materials
Material shortages and delays during the pandemic reached an all-time high and made for a good reminder to homeowners of how long many projects can take.
“External factors due to weather, supply chain product problems, labor shortage or availability cause delays in project timelines and can be costly for the project,” Kostiw says. “To avoid these problems, homeowners and their general contractors and designers should order the products earlier and make sure all the pieces are present and in good condition.”
Tips to Stay on Track
Good communication, a built-in cushion, and a well-defined scope and expectations can ensure you meet your deadline.
“Setting up weekly round-table meetings and making regular site visits, complete with project reports and photos tracking the progress, are ways in which professional architects and designers make sure a project is on track and progressing,” Tetzlaff says. “If you’ve decided to go it alone, you should make some attempt to stay in weekly contact with your contractor. Visit the site regularly, and document everything you see for posterity, and in case anything goes awry, you’ll have a record of the pre-incident conditions.”
Tetzlaff also suggests putting a completion date in your contract. “If this date has financial implications, like if a client will need to extend a temporary rental term if work is not completed on time, I strongly suggest including a ‘penalty clause,’ also known as a ‘liquidated damages clause,’ in your contract with your general contractor,” Tetzlaff says. “This is a predetermined amount of money that might be considered to cover housing, and other additional expenses which are being incurred due to the lack of the project being completed on time by the contractor.”
One way to stay on track is to account for delays with materials as well. “Staying flexible, and building in a timeframe cushion is your best bet. With most things construction, always build 20% – 30% for cost overruns and extensions in your project timeline minimum,” Tetzlaff says. “It’s a hard truth to swallow but it proves itself true more often than not.”
