Let’s clarify things for a second here. I am not a contractor, and this is not an article about the technical aspects of actually completing specific projects. I’m writing this because throughout 3 months of gutting and renovating a 2600 square foot home, I’ve learned a lot about the planning, process, and execution of a whole house remodel project. Even with a top notch general contractor, you should know the overall timeline and order of operations (so to speak) to complete a large-scale project in the most efficient and organized way possible. You may not be gutting and remodeling an entire house, but even if you have to tear just one room down to the studs, you should be familiar with the process of putting it back together. Completing a home remodel of this caliber isn’t entirely dissimilar from building new construction. Instead of pouring a foundation and framing a house, you’ll be tearing up existing materials. Depending on how much needs to be removed, you’ll start your reconstruction at a different part in the timeline. I’ll get more into the timeline and budget discussion in next week’s post, but for today I want to focus on planning, design, and scope of work.
Designer or DIY?
Many people choose to work with a designer for part or all of their home design. We met with a kitchen designer but ultimately decided to save several thousand dollars by figuring it out ourselves. Some may think that is a crazy idea, while others (like me!) love taking on the creative and strategic elements of a project. If you don’t want to be involved with the day-to-day work, you will probably want to plan to hire a designer to work with your general contractor to make sure all of the work is carried out according to plan.
Scope of Work
The first thing we had to do on a whole home remodel was to determine where to start. We needed a plan. Before you start on any of the actual house remodeling work, you’ll need to plan out what you want to do to the house and develop a scope of work. Are you simply swapping out paint and flooring? Do you plan to gut the entire kitchen? Are you going to re-use any of your original materials? Will you be taking down or putting up any walls? Significantly changing the layout of a kitchen or bathroom? Are you going to need to re-route any plumbing or electrical? When we took on our own remodel project, we considered the layout of the house and thought about how we wanted to use the space, what our future needs may be, and what we would enjoy aesthetically. The scope of work for our four bedroom, two bath house renovation looked something like this: Every Room:
Change wall covering Change flooring Update electrical fixtures New trim New window surrounds New interior, exterior, and closet doors
Kitchen:
Re-design current layout Custom cabinets Custom counter tops New sink and plumbing fixtures New appliances Move stairway and pass through to studio
Dining Room:
Remove pony wall Lower raised flooring Rebuild step up to sunroom
Laundry Room:
Custom cabinets Custom countertop
Living Room:
Install exterior French doors Update fireplace with cultured stone New mantle and hearth Remove built in storage Install wall between living room and hallway
Office/Studio:
Swap wood paneling for drywall Install interior French doors Remove built-in cabinets
Garage:
Convert storage space into pantry
Downstairs Bath:
Refinish existing bath tub Install new shower surround Custom vanity New sink and plumbing fixtures New toilet
Master Bath:
Remove built in Jacuzzi Install free-standing tub and plumbing Custom vanity and storage built ins New sink and plumbing fixtures Refinish existing shower New toilet
Master Bedroom:
Remove built in bench Frame a door between bedroom and master bathroom Install electrical for ceiling fan
Phew! I’m exhausted just reading that list. Lucky for me, I have an awesome family and lots of friends who were willing to help!
Selecting your Sub-contractors
One of the most overwhelming parts of planning a remodel is choosing sub-contractors. Lucky for us, my father-in-law, Jeff, has been a contractor since the 70’s and spent a TON of time helping us with our project. He helped with everything from demolition and framing to paint and finish work. He’s truly a jack of all trades and there’s no way we could have done this project without him. Another way we conserved costs was by asking our friends and family to give us a hand. Throughout the 12-week remodel my parents spent at least 30 hours a week helping me out. I can’t even begin to tell them how thankful I am for all of their hard work. They put on their gloves and helped me rip 30-year old carpet out of the entire house, peel wallpaper from every room, remove the trim and doors from the whole property, and demolish all of the built-ins and cabinets in the house. And that was just the first 10 days. My sisters Bailey and Emily also spent a lot of time out here working, and our friends Jason, Michele, Ryan, and Kristen also put in some long hours helping us out. Since my father-in-law knows just about everyone in town, we were able to use some really great sub-contractors that operate locally. Some were old family friends, others went to high school with my husband, and a couple we just found through an internet search. If you are having trouble finding contractors to work with, start by asking any of your friends who have updated or renovated a home. I highly recommend finding sub-contractors through word of mouth whenever possible. Another great way to find good help is to ask the contracts you’ve already booked. Don’t be afraid to ask your plumber if he knows any good tub refinishers!
Choosing a Design Style
Sometimes the layout of a home calls for a specific design style. Ours was built in 1982 and everything about it screamed “I was built in 1982!”
Luckily, the house overlooks a beautiful pond, a creek, a garden, and an orchard. Out front we have two gigantic pole barns and quite a bit more landscaping. To me, the property feels like a collision of nature and industry. We decided to carry this look into the interior or the house and go with what we have dubbed a “Pacific Northwest Industrial” look. What on earth does this mean? Well, we’re using a lot of wood. And not just wood, but knotty wood, which looks very rustic. We wanted to avoid making the place look like the interior of a log cabin, so we decided to stain the knotty alder cabinets, doors, and trim a medium-brown color.
To offset the warmth from the wood cabinets, we decided to go with concrete counters throughout the house. We used an off-white color with a greyish tint to paint the whole house, then added accent walls with blue and grey tones. We are wrapping the whole look together with light wood (ahem, laminate) flooring and modern electrical and plumbing fixtures. Of course, because we love to travel so much we’re adding our own touches to the design that remind us of places we’ve been. I even had a chandelier imported from Istanbul to be the crowning jewel of our entry way! If this whole look sounds a little weird to you, then you can just shut up right now. It’s going to be awesome. Ooh, and one last thing! I’ve been curating a Pinterest board for the remodel, but I’ve kept it private up until now! Now that it’s made public, you can check it out!
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