Where to begin on home remodel: novice
I've never done a home remodel project and do not know of anyone to consult for advice on starting one. The situation is that we'd like to have our kitchen remodeled, but the project is ambitious. It's also about adding a sliding door to access the back yard from this part of the house and also looking into adding a back deck. The layout of the kitchen would need to be completely reworked, so fully gutted and start over. Meanwhile, we also want to add an HVAC system to the house (it's an old house w/ merely floor and wall furnace. I'm unclear where HVAC fits (timeline wise) into the remodel project. I could also use some advice from people who have done home remodeling to understand more what the experience is like from a practical level and any words of wisdom. So I guess my ask is a combination of 1) What do you recommend in terms of finding a good general contractor or professional to consult with about doing a project like this to kick it off? 2) General advice about the experience - dos and don'ts, what it was like, what kind of research to be doing, considerations, etc. Thank you so much BPN community!
Parent Replies
We are about finished with our remodel so I have a lot of advice.
First step- meet with a few architects/ design specialists. Get references on the ones you like and whose work you admire. It is very important to like them or at least get along well- and that they understand how you think and process things. They become an integral part of your life for a long while. Big issues like money and construction can test even the most patient of couples so they really need to get your vibe and vice versa.
We love love love ours and she gave us ideas we had never even considered. You might not get everything you want for the price so I would prioritize your must haves/ needs and stick with your budget. You will also need to find out about permits needed, timing of such permits, etc
Regarding the kitchen-Randomm suggestions based on experience….
I highly recommend a microwave drawer. A real space saver. We also love our corner cabinets that hold extra items. Storage is very important. You can get lots of idea on Houzz and other similar websites. We did hardwood floors that are very dark and I regret that choice as every spec of dust and crumbs show and it drives me insane! We also love our island and we had them build in storage on both sides as well as install plugs for chargers etc. on both sides. I also suggest under lighting for the kitchen. It creates a lovely ambiance and is not that expensive.
If you want to discuss further or want the name of our architect feel free to email me at Gretchen_davidson [at] yahoo.com
I'm no expert, but we did something similar once and can tell you a couple of things:
Our architect stayed involved through the process, especially in making design decisions that weren't in the architectural drawings (like connecting chair rails in the older part of the house to the newer).
My advice: don't do it. Is your current home really so bad?
I started planning a similar project in December 2023. Signed contract with GC July '24, started demo at the beginning of October, now 4 months in with hopefully only 1 more month to go. Mostly happy with how things are turning out but it's a slog.
If you're undeterred by that, then my advice is to throw yourself into gathering information. Rather than focusing on finding the right professional, just start talking to people. You'll find dozens of highly rated GCs on Yelp -- reach out to a few and have them visit. See how they respond to your vision. They'll point things out that you didn't think of. Each one will say things that make you more informed for your next conversation. There are some firms that offer full service design and build. They'll take care of more details but you'll pay more. Some just build and will need detailed plans to work with them. Reach out to architects and see what they say. If there are structural components they might suggest talking to an engineer. Just talk. You'll start to figure out what your vision requires, who you like working with, and what level of hands-on you want. You'll learn what to learn more about.
14 months on and I am sick of making decisions. I am sick of cooking on a hot plate. I am sick of doing late night deep dives into things like grout. I didn't want to know this much about grout. Accept that it's a slog and just get started.
Reddit is a valuable resource for almost any topic. I found this book enlightening: https://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Contractor-Cant-Tell/dp/0979983800
Before hiring a contractor get references of past projects and ask them pointed questions, especially about what didn't go well and how they dealt with problems. Never sign a contract with somebody who is pressuring you.
I'm glad to offer what I learned from my two most recent remodeling experiences (2022 - kitchen and 2024 - 3 bathrooms):
Create a vision board/Pinterest account/shareable file: start saving images that resonate with you (kitchens, tile, fixtures, colors, rooms that resonate with you for some reason). This will help the person who's designing your kitchen to understand or get a feel for what you're looking for. And, it will help you later when you're purchasing finish items to not become overwhelmed by the many choices out there. For example, I knew I wanted a mid-century modern kitchen, and I spent a lot of time looking on a couple of websites and also magazines (Houzz, Sunset online, physical and online magazines) to find images that helped narrow down the universe.
Work with a general contractor you trust and who communicates well with you. I can't overstate the importance of finding someone who is not only skilled and knowledgeable of all facets of the job, but has a strong, reliable working team and subcontractors and can interface with you, your partner, city/county permitting departments, PG&E, etc. Having someone who can guide you to quality finish materials is a time and money saver.
Understand that the bid you receive from your contractor will not include finish materials (appliances, fixtures, flooring, cabinets etc.), and budget for these items separately. You can get a $500 or a $5,000 refrigerator (or toilet, or range etc) for example; it's your own personal taste and budget that dictates those things. Good advice I received for the kitchen was, think about something that is a statement in the kitchen and invest in that and then scale back on some other things. And save the exact items you want, or build an online shopping cart, because you’ll need this later.
Work with a kitchen designer, especially if you are doing a complete remodel of the space. This at first seemed like it was a splurge, but turned out to be a critical component. My designer understood what I was looking for. I shared one particular image of a kitchen that had a feel I was looking for with her, along with some ideas of tile, cabinets and drawer pulls that I liked. That became the inspiration for my kitchen. Since I'd done my research, we worked very efficiently; she had a keen eye for design and space use, and worked with our contractor seamlessly and with the cabinet company to order the cabinets.
Create a budget doc/excel sheet/project plan to keep track of costs and payments made, items ordered, notes, timelines, and follow up questions.
My kitchen turned out exactly as I'd hoped and is more beautiful than I imagined. I love it every day.
I can wholeheartedly recommend:
Luis Gonzalez - Possible General Construction - contractor for all my projects. https://www.possible-general-construction.com/
Crystal Collins - Zeke Design Works https://www.zekedesignworks.com/
Other resources I used included:
Mod Cabinetry https://www.modcabinetry.com/
Aquabella Plumbing Showroom https://www.aquabellakbl.com/
Ferguson (San Francisco showroom) and online. Online Build.com is https://www.build.com/
These are expensive and complex projects so take your time, do your research, and be prepared for the unexpected, which happens! Good luck and have fun with the process!