16 Things Our Customers Say About Renovating
We thought it might be helpful to share some great advice from customers who have undertaken major renovations—words of wisdom from folks who have “been there, done that”. Enjoy!
Customers Share The Things They Learned From Their Renovations
- “Never underestimate what you're going to spend.”
- “Do your homework!”
- “If you purchase an old house, it may be best to gut the room and start fresh—you don't know what you'll find under the walls.”
- “Stick to your budget on most items, but add one special thing you really love.”
- “Try to be on site while contractors are working.”
- “Look in a variety of places for inspiration: Catalogs, Home and Garden magazines, Architectural Digest, Ikea, Pottery Barn.”
- “Live in the house for a while before you remodel.”
- “Don't let your contractor bully you to spend more (or less!) money than you feel is necessary.”
- “Think outside the box. I realized my kitchen cabinets would have looked great in my bathroom.”
- “If you order online, always check return policy. Be sure there is a good customer service group who can answer questions. Even if you know what you want and how to order, call them to get a feel for the level of service and support the site provides.”
- “Don't assume you can't afford what you love. Do the research and you may find something similar in a less expensive product.”
- “Find a good contractor and get a written contract.”
- “Go for quality even on behind the scenes stuff, or maybe especially on behind the scenes stuff.” (Ed. note: A good example of a “behind the scenes” item is your shower faucet valve.)
- “Be prepared for a mess!”
- “If you make your decisions based only on price you may end up doing parts of your renovation over.”
- “You may think that a bathroom is small and therefore won't require much planning, but bathrooms have many parts and require as much planning as the kitchen.”
