By: Jason Brrown
Home improvement involves a great deal of planning. There are many things one needs to prepare for like goals, a budget and a general outline of how you want things to look and work in the end. Whether it's an actual home improvement or a simple repair, planning ahead can save you a great deal of time, money and especially grief, in the end.
Goals
Having goals means a lot of things. In the case of home improvement, first, it's having a clear idea of what's wrong. Second, how you want something to look, and why. For example, are your eavestroughs forever getting clogged and rusting? Does the roof look a hundred years older than the house itself? Water damage finally showing up on the ceiling and/or walls after the last rain storm?
Once you've grasped the source of your angst, you can start thinking about what you want done about it. New eavestroughs or a roof? A new coat of paint? Different shelves? Brainstorming and imagination need only be dictated by function. For instance, the purpose of the eavestroughs. Alternatively, maybe it's not the eavestroughs but the downspouts. Irrespective of your goals, this is also when you need to consider how much you can afford to spend comes into play.
A Budget
Establishing a realistic budget for any home improvement comes with an understanding what needs to be done. Naturally, it's important not to exceed what you can afford to do or have done. This is why shopping around for prices will give you a better understanding of what's possible within your given budget. In other words, it's time to do some homework.
Consequently, your home improvement budget may need to change to reflect your goals. Otherwise, a consideration of what less costly options are available will be necessary. Do you really need to hire someone to do your roof? Or is it a small enough job that you could do it yourself? Is it absolutely necessary to use a particular brand of material for your upgrade, when a less expensive, quality substitute exists? On the other hand, sometimes it's better to hire a professional. After all, the last thing you'd want to have happen is a home disaster that could be even more costly to fix. In other words, balance when and where you want to save that extra dollar.
An Outline For Action
If you've done your homework - shopping around for pricing - at this point, you should have gained some idea of how big - or small - your home improvement will be. Whether it will take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. In addition, you'll have discussed some of this if a contractor is to be involved.
This is when you need to set a course of action for yourself. What you want to achieve, under a particular budget, within a certain time frame. The bigger the project, the more critical this becomes. The reason being is that you may need to plan for any potential inconveniences that may occur along the way. No electricity for a day? Or do you simply need to get an old pair of clothes to work in for setting up a new downspout?
In the end, whatever you plan and however you plan to do it, it's always wise to plan ahead with your home improvement.
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