The bathroom opens a portal to 1972, the dated kitchen doesn’t hold half of your gadgets. When it’s time to remodel your home, the dread of the unknown can overshadow the delight of dreaming up the perfect design. We’re here to walk you around some of the remodeling basics so that you enter your home remodeling journey knowing what to expect.
Steps to Remodel Your Home
We’re happy to provide you with a breakdown of our process. Everyone has a slightly different order of operations when they remodel, but the main steps are usually the same. Starting with a step-by-step remodeling checklist helps you know what to expect and avoid costly mistakes during every part of your home-remodel journey.
- First Meeting: Meet with us and discuss your project to decide if you’d like to work together.
- Design: We create a layout and decide on features and elements.
- Selection: Choose materials and products to create the look we envisioned together.
- Estimate: Now that we have measurements and materials, a more precise estimate is feasible.
- Initial Proposal: We review the proposal, pricing, and construction plan together.
- Construction: It’s time to make it real!
- Final Walk-Through: Rreview the results to make sure you’re pleased with every aspect.
How to Prepare for a Remodel
Preparing your home during a remodel takes patience and planning. You can live in your home during many remodeling projects, but you need to plan for interruptions in your daily routine. Before your remodel begins, make a note of every activity you conduct in your space and the objects you use so you can plan to access them. You will need to move everything out of the workspace anyway, so move it in a systematic way that helps you find items you may need and put them away when your remodel is ready. This might mean you have to plan to put a toaster oven in the bathroom or plug your fridge in the mudroom. This is more anxiety-provoking for some people than others, but it is a temporary situation for everyone. If you cannot bear the thought of camping in your own home, or you’re planning an extensive project such as a second-story addition that will make staying impractical, you will need to arrange for other accommodations during your remodel.
Remodeling vs. Renovating
Many people use the terms remodeling and renovating interchangeably, but they are actually distinct terms. Remodeling could involve changing the design, layout, purpose of the space, and materials. It is a more extensive project. Renovating involves more cosmetic upgrades such as paint and fixtures to restore the space to like-new condition. This distinction matters extra with historic home projects where showpiece elements must be preserved and restored. Our service area of Carlisle, York, Harrisburg, and Mechanicsburg includes many beautiful historic homes, and we’re proud of the expertise we’ve developed in both remodeling and renovating historic spaces.
Cost and Time Frame for Common Remodeling Projects
Many people wonder which part of their home to remodel first. Kitchens and bathrooms are popular choices for first remodels. Understanding the remodeling budget and timeline of common remodeling projects will help you prioritize your remodeling plans.
Remodel a Kitchen
Cost: According to 2022 Cost vs. Value figures, a minor midrange kitchen remodel in Harrisburg, PA costs an average of $27,252, with a return on investment of a hefty 72.7 percent. More extensive midrange kitchen remodels in the area cost an average of $78,527 and return 52.5 percent at resale. Harrisburg’s upscale kitchen remodels average $152,182 and holds a relatively consistent ROI at 51.6 percent.
Time: Typical kitchen remodeling projects take between two and four months.
Bathroom Remodel
Cost: High-end bathroom remodels in Harrisburg return 44.9 percent and costs $80,743. Mid-range bathroom remodels in the area run an average of $25,888, with a return on investment of 45.3 percent. A universal design bathroom remodel averages $44,200 in Harrisburg and returns 53.0 percent.
Time: Bathroom remodels generally take three to six weeks, more if they are part of a larger project.
Basement Remodel
Cost: A basement remodel depends on what you are building in your space. Consult the kitchen and bathroom remodel figures for a ballpark price if included in your basement remodel plans. Basement remodeling costs between $30 and $75 per square foot. Though you cannot count square footage below grade in your listing, finished basement space can return up to 70 percent at resale, making them a popular remodeling option.
Time: Basement remodels generally take one to three months.
We’d love to build something creative just for you! Get in touch if you’re in our service area of Carlisle, York, Harrisburg, and Mechanicsburg.