Renovation 101: The Must-Knows Before You Break Ground
March 27, 2025
7 min read
Hey there! I’m Ellie, and I'm so excited to share my home renovation story with you. A couple of years ago, I dove headfirst into a full-scale makeover of a worn-out 1950s bungalow. It wasn’t my first experience with renovations (I’ve always had a soft spot for transforming spaces), but it was by far my biggest project to date. Whether you’re about to refresh a single room or remodel your entire home, I’m here to guide you through the process. Trust me, organizing your thoughts, steps, and budget is the key to making it as painless as possible.
Grab your coffee, and let's jump in with a renovation checklist that will save your sanity and keep you on track!
Starting Strong: Outline Your Goals and Resources
Did you know that a whopping 78% of homeowners go over budget during renovations, as revealed by Clever Real Estate's 2024 survey? And it doesn’t stop there—44% of them exceeded their budget by at least $5,000, with 63% even going into debt. Yikes, right? This is exactly why I believe a solid plan and clear goals are your best friends when tackling a home renovation.
Trust me, I’ve been there. When I first started planning my bungalow overhaul, I spent countless evenings sketching out ideas, pinning inspiration, and crunching the numbers. All those late nights helped me turn my scattered thoughts into an organized action plan.
Here are the steps I took to keep my project in check and make it as smooth as possible.
1. Determine Your Budget
Here’s a hard truth I learned quickly during my renovation project: home renovations often cost more than you think they will—not because you didn’t plan well, but because unexpected surprises love to pop up. (Hello, ancient plumbing that needed a total replacement!)
Set your budget and then add 10–15% on top of it to cover those curveballs. For example, when I updated my kitchen, I didn’t realize how much custom cabinetry would eat into my funds. Lesson learned!
Weekly Nugget: Always leave wiggle room in your budget. It’s better to have leftover funds than to scramble for extra cash mid-renovation.
2. Identify Your Wants and Your “Why”
Why are you even doing this renovation? That’s the question that will keep you grounded when decision fatigue kicks in. For me, my bungalow needed a layout that worked better for entertaining friends and a brighter kitchen where I could bake to my heart’s content.
Take time to write down yours. Maybe it’s adding value to your home before you sell, modernizing a dated space, or creating a dream oasis for your family. Keep that motivation front and center during the process.
3. Prioritize What Matters Most
Here’s an exercise that saved me during my overhaul. I made a list of my “non-negotiables.” For me, that was maximizing natural light in the living room (solar tubes forever!) and ensuring the kitchen stayed functional, even if it meant splurging on top-tier appliances. Yours might be different, and that’s okay! Decide what features matter most, and everything else can fall into place.
4. Should You Hire a Designer?
If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably have a Pinterest board overflowing with inspiration but not know how to piece it all together. That’s where hiring a designer can help. For my bungalow, I worked with a wonderful designer who knew how to transform my love of mid-century charm into a functional, cohesive home.
And no, it doesn’t have to blow the budget. Some designers even offer hourly consultations if you just need help ironing out a specific area.
Brainstorming Beauty: Create Your Design Concepts
This is the fun part! You get to dream big and think about turning your inspiration into reality. I found it super satisfying to take all my ideas and distill them into a cohesive vision.
1. Gather Inspiration
Decorating dreams always start with inspiration. I scrolled endlessly through Instagram, drooled over photos of boutique hotels, and even borrowed ideas from my favorite cafés (hello, custom tile designs).
Also, don’t forget to look at your home’s unique features. When I peeled back layers of paint, I discovered original wooden beams. If you have gems hiding in your space, highlight them!
2. Choose Materials Early
True story: my kitchen renovation stalled for weeks because I’d forgotten to pick out cabinet knobs in advance (it’s always the smallest things, right?). Lesson learned. Have every detail—from light fixtures to faucets—chosen and ready to go before you start.
Weekly Nugget: Take one room at a time when picking materials to avoid feeling overwhelmed, and double-check that items are in stock before ordering!
3. Visualize Your Plan
This might sound over-the-top, but I created a color-coded floor plan for every room of the bungalow. It showed where every outlet, vent, and light fixture would go. My contractor loved having that level of detail to work with, and it avoided a lot of communication mishaps.
If you work with a designer, they’ll likely create these for you, but even a rough sketch can save time and headaches.
4. Lock in Your Plans
Before work begins, double-check your plans and make sure every decision makes sense for your budget and goals. This is also the time to refine small details. One rookie mistake I made? Approving window sizes without considering how much light they’d actually allow in during different seasons. Whoops!
Building Your Dream Team
You can’t tackle a renovation solo (well, unless you’re a certified contractor, plumber, and electrician all rolled into one). Assembling the right team is critical to your success.
1. Get Recommendations
To find a reliable contractor, I asked for recommendations from coworkers and relied heavily on online reviews. Pro tip? Drive by homes they’ve worked on to see the quality firsthand.
2. Vet Your Contractor
Before signing on the dotted line, meet with your top contractor candidates. I interviewed three and asked questions like whether they were licensed, how they handle unexpected issues, and who I’d be dealing with on-site each day. The best ones will be transparent and easy to communicate with.
3. Get Estimates and Contracts
Once you’ve got your dream team, hammer out a detailed contract. Include timelines, payment schedules, and who’s responsible for ordering materials and permits. Trust me, you don’t want any gray areas!
Weekly Nugget: Always get a few estimates. The lowest one isn’t necessarily the best, so choose someone whose experience and communication style vibe with yours.
Prep Your Home and Yourself
When the big day gets closer, there’s a lot you’ll need to do to get everything (and everyone) ready for the transformation.
1. Give the Neighbors a Heads-Up
Neighbors are not fans of surprise jackhammer sounds at 7 a.m. Do them (and yourself) a favor by letting them know what’s coming.
2. Take “Before” Photos
Document everything! Not just for sentimental reasons, but also for practical ones. Photos can help you prove if any accidental damage happens during the process.
3. Find Temporary Housing
If you’re tackling something big, staying elsewhere might be wise. During my kitchen reno, I camped out at my sister’s, which gave me a break from all the noise, dust, and disruption.
4. Secure Belongings
Moving your possessions out of work areas isn’t just practical; it speeds things up for your contractors. Consider renting a storage unit if your entire home is under construction.
Go With the Flow (and Make Adjustments)
At some point in your renovation, something will not go as planned. Maybe an item will be backordered, or an unexpected structural hiccup will pop up. (Anyone else dealt with water damage behind walls? Just me?)
The key is staying flexible and working with your contractor to find solutions. Remember, it’s all part of the process.
1. Communicate Constantly
Don’t go radio silent once demolition begins. I made a point to check in daily (but respectfully stayed out of the team’s way). Being available for questions or quick decisions keeps things moving efficiently.
2. Record Milestones
I took progress photos every week during my renovation. Not only was it fun to see how far the space had come, but it helped me spot things that needed correcting before the next phase began.
3. Be Open to Compromises
A pro tip from personal experience? Expect surprises. I had my heart set on quartz countertops in my kitchen, but delays pushed me toward a gorgeous (and budget-friendly) granite option. Stay focused on the big picture—even compromises can lead to great results.
Weekly Nugget: A little patience can go a long way. Celebrate the small wins along the way to keep your spirits high.
Every Small Step Leads to Your Big Finish!
Renovating your home is more than just hammering nails and picking tile; it’s about transforming the way you live. With a thoughtful plan, the right resources, and a bit of flexibility, you’ll create a space that truly feels like yours.
Take it one step at a time, trust the process, and don’t be afraid to sprinkle in a little creativity. You’ve got this! When you’re ready to share your before-and-after shots, tag me—I live for those transformation stories!
Now go make that dream renovation a reality, friend!
