Planning and Design

10 Steps to Remodeling a Home

Remodeling a home is no easy task. If you’re a (DIY) do it your-selfer then the task of remodeling becomes even more difficult. Following some simple steps may make things go a little easier. Planning a remodeling project is key. The pre planning you do will make your remodeling project go much smoother. I’ve assembeled 10 steps to remodel a home that will help you plan your project and hopefully avoid any pitfalls along the way.

Draw a Floor Plan/Create a Supplies List - Assemble your end result with a floor plan layout. Include all the details of where doors would go, placement of light fixtures, the kind of flooring, cabinets used for bathrooms/kitchens etc.. The more details the better. You must have a good picture of your finished remodeling project. Organize a list of materials to be used for each step of the project including lumber, fasteners, plumbing supply, plumbing drain/waste/vent, electrical wiring, elctrical boxes/receptacles, drywall, plumbing fixtures, electrical fixtures, heat/air/ventilation, flooring and trim just to name a few. The idea is to have a good idea of the total cost to remodel a home.
Get a Permit - A lot of times people remodel their homes without using permits. I reccomend getting a permit just for the simple fact the inspectors are there to help you and make sure proper techniques / materials are used. The end result using inspectors will be a safe and sound remodeling project.
Demolition - Depending on the size of your remodeling project you may need a rented dumpster. Using your utility trailer can also help as well. You may be surprised by the amount of debris that can be removed from an old home. TIP: If you use a utility trailer try putting an old tire with a chain tied to it and extended out the back end of the trailor. Go to the land fill and have one of the tractors hook the chain. The tractor can pull almost all of your debris load off the trailer with the old tire underneath the debris.
Framing - Check with your inspector and local building codes before you start. Make sure proper structural techniques are used. If you rproject is on the large scale I would reccomend the purchase of a framing nail gun. A framing nail gun will speed your project and make life much easier. Follow your floor plan and build accordingly.
Plumbing - Generally I found doing the drain/waste/vent system first to be easiest. Using PVC is easy but will take time to figure out all the bends and different pieces needed to accomplish individual runs. Make sure proper pipe size, vent and trap techniques are used. Next I would install the plumbing supply lines. most homes use copper with various couplings, elbows, caps etc. Some homes have used flexible plumbing supply pipe, but check with local codes to see what is required in your area.
Electrical - First thing “Electricity can Kill”. If you’re unsure here, I recommend getting a professional. Again follow the local building codes. You should have a plan to wire your project. Keep all home runs to the breaker panel labeled.
Close Up - By now you should have had several inspections, all your wiring, plumbing and insulation is in place. You are ready to close with drywall. Check with the inspector because there are codes dictating thickness and number of fasteners to be used when drywalling. Try to install drywall in a manner to leave as few seams as possible. This makes your tape and mud job a lot easier and more professional. Once all the drywall is hung an inspector will give an okay to tape and mud.
Paint/Trim /Doors - Things get a little more exciting now. You can now see the end nearing. Time to paint the walls to you r desired colors. Once the walls are painted you can hang the doors. Really doors are easy, just follow the manufacturers directions and be sure to have plenty of heavy duty wood shims with you. Install any base board trim leaving room for flooring material.
Flooring - I found that hiring a contractor to install carpet was best, but the tile and wood flooring I could do on my own. Use of proper fasteners is always required for continued performance.
Finishing Touches - Time to install any cabinets, toilets, light fixtures and switches etc.. Your project is complete.

The Cost to Remodel a Home

If you’re like me you wonder how much it’s going to cost to remodel a home? That’s not an easy question to answer. Through out my remodeling project I kept track of all my reciepts and expenses. Luckily for you I have organized all my remodeling costs to give you an idea what it might take to get your home remodeling project going. This list is based on a total home remodel of a roughly 1000 sq/ft home with two bedrooms and a single bath. I saved money as much as I could by reusing or restoring items. I saved big time on the kitchen by finding some very nice used cabinets that someone wanted removed from their home as they were installing new cabinets. The home was purchased in a gutted condition. This actually saved some time and a little bit of money. I had practically no outside labor to pay which kept my cost to remodel a home low. It required lots of sweat equity but what the heck , I was trying to make money remodeling a home – right?

Some things to think about.. I decided right off that if I needed a tool I was just going to go ahead and purchase it. I found that having the right tools available made my remodeling project go a lot faster and gave me good results.

My home remodeling cost list includes all tools, materials, services, heat/air and kitchen appliances that were used to get the home into move in condition. These prices were current in 2006 / 2007. Remember, that was right after hurricane Katrina which drove the price of building materials up. Just my luck! The cost today (2011) is about the same as back then. Maybe even cheaper in some cases. It’s crazy but I actually purchased my home back when the real estate market was hot and sold the home when market was low. Totally backwards but I was still able to make money remodeling a home. The potential earnings would have been even greater had I bought in a down market and sold in high market. That’s the way it goes..

Home Remodeling Cost List

Fasteners $900.96
Lumber $4,463.53
Electrical $3,196.14
Plumbing $1,209.94
Flooring $2,682.74
Windows $1,098.10
Doors $1,187.97
Electric Fixtures $1,229.36
Plumbing Fixtures $977.99
Siding $2,802.43
Drywall $3,606.65
Misc Supplies $1,502.60
Outdoor/Yard $779.76
Roofing $ 693.68
Insulation $931.25
Heat/Air Conditioning $3,501.98
Interior Misc $871.95
Appliances $4,700.10

My total cost to remodel a home was $39,011.55. The original purchase price was $47,000.00. So my total investment was $86,011.55.

The real estate market in my area averaged over $100,000.00 for a two bedroom single bath home. I decided to list it for $125,000.00. It sold quickly. After all the transaction expenses and realtor fees I was able to profit roughly $30,000.00. Not too bad for remodeling a home and living in it for 3 years. It was a fun learning project. Now to move on to the next home and make some more money remodeling. If things go well I should be able to get into a very nice home and have it practically paid for – mind you this comes with doing a lot of labor. I think it’s worth the effort though.