In need of some remodeling advice before getting started on your project? Look no further! We sat down with 5 professional kitchen and bath designers and got some great tips on things that you should do or understand before or during your remodeling process. Their remodeling advice shouldn’t be taken lightly, as they’ve helped hundreds of people with remodels, just like you!

THEIR BEST REMODELING ADVICE:

1. Make sure you understand your style

When asking Andrea for her best remodeling advice, this was at the top of her list. She often works with clients who have a few issues when it comes to this. The first being that they have no idea what their style is, which can make the design and product selection process much more difficult, for client and designer. She also sees people who like aspects of multiple design styles and will try and combine the two. While this CAN work for some styles, it doesn’t work with them all. When they see all the products together, they hate it. Her remodeling advice? Look on Houzz or Pinterest. Save your favorite kitchens or bathrooms. Go back when you’re done and see what you’ve chosen. Is there a central theme or color scheme? If you’re not sure what style you’re seeing, read the descriptions and see the category they’re in on Houzz. It will be listed under one of around 9 styles. That will help you and your designer know where to go next!

2. Have realistic expectations regarding budget

Andrea’s next remodeling advice is about budget. May people feel like they can get the dream kitchen or bathroom for what they have set aside. Some may be able to, but for most of us, price is a concern. Know going in that you may have to make compromises in terms of features, materials or extras. Being flexible will go a long way. Your designer is not trying to max out your budget, but trying to help you get your dream space within your budget. They’ll help you prioritize your needs and wants to make it happen for the dollar amount you can afford.

3. Know if you’re staying or moving

Chris gave some great remodeling advice when he suggested that clients need to evaluate how long they’ll be in their home. Staying for an extended period of time? Go with what YOU want. You’re designing for your long term happiness. Moving? You’re ultimately designing for someone else, so don’t go overboard on your personal quirky choices. Choose something more neutral and on trend (but still timeless). He suggested that if you’re staying, put more money into your cabinets. You’ll be using these every day, and it’s an important component for many people. Go with a less expensive top if you have to, because you can always upgrade that fairly easily in the years to come. Moving? Go with a cheaper cabinet but a more expensive countertop that will really wow buyers. You can find a great shaker style unfinished cabinet at our store that you can paint, that is well made and looks phenomenal, but is very inexpensive compared to other cabinet lines. That would be a great choice.

4. Understand that this is a process, not an event

All of the designers that I spoke with listed this as one of their top pieces of advice. With HGTV, fast food and social media, we are in the habit of believing that instant gratification can be achieved with almost anything. No matter how many times you see a complete home remodeled in one 30 minute episode, that’s not real life. Even the most well planned and executed remodel will take weeks, but possibly months, to complete. You need to be prepared for this. The more realistic expectations you have of this process, the less likely you’ll be to freak out when you’ve been without a functioning shower or countertops for a month. This leads me to my next piece of designer remodeling advice…

5. Something WILL go wrong.

Tadd’s remodeling advice? Something will go wrong, plain and simple. Don’t think you’re the exception. You won’t be. Maybe it won’t be an end of the word type issue, but something WILL go off track. You need to know this going in. If you do, you’re going to be ok when that issue does come up. You’ll have been expecting it. There are so many people, companies and moving pieces involved in a full kitchen or bathroom remodel that it’s easy to see how something could happen. Then, add in issues that are unforeseen to the eye in your home and you’ve got a problem waiting to happen. But knowing that every job has it’s issues but still gets completed in the end should be a comfort. You’ll get through it.

6. It can test your relationships

Even the strongest relationships can be frazzled by a remodel. Wether it’s tiff’s over the budget, irritation of not having a functioning space, disagreements over styles or materials, your relationships will be tested. Our designers remodeling advice for this? Communicate. Unless you’re the sole person responsible for decision making, you’re going to have to compromise, communicate and be open to plan a’s, b’s and maybe even c’s before this thing is over with. Get everyone in your family on board, and you’ll be fine!

7. Use a designer!

Not to toot their own horns, but…beep beep! At Builders Surplus, our design services are free, so there’s no extra cost to you, so this is a no brainer! The designer will help you find your style, stay on budget, go over all the product lines with you to find the best fit long term, suggest compromises, help point out potential issues before they happen, and set your expectations accurately. The process still won’t be perfect, but it will be MUCH smoother. We hope this remodeling advice and tips are helpful in beginning your remodel process! If you have any additional questions or concerns, feel free to comment or shoot us an email!

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  Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!