Waukesha County Home

FEBRUARY 2017 HOMES PLUS 7 Step 2: Start with a plan With your contractor selected (or at least narrowed down), it's time to plan how much you have to spend on your project — in both time and money. "When I say you should have a good plan in place, I don't necessarily mean what the finished space is going to look like in the end, but how we're going to accomplish it," said Louis Weiher, owner, general manager and president of QRS Group in Waukesha. That includes the overall cost of the proj- ect, one item that tends to surprise most homeowners. "The budget always surprises people," Weiher said. Consumer Reports found homeowners spent, on average, approximately $28,000 on kitchen remodels in 2016. Throw in design services, an increased or modified foot- print, or high-end features, and the cost inches closer to $50,000 or $60,000 to start. That's why it's so important for home- owners to be upfront about how much they have to spend on their project. "Don't be afraid to discuss budget very early on in the process," Enger said. "You can design a bathroom or a kitchen 15 dif- ferent ways within 15 different budgets. Knowing how much is available lets the experts help the homeowner design a proj- ect that fits their needs and their budget." Step 3: Set a realistic timeline Equally important to having a realistic budget is setting a realistic timeline. "People are also surprised at how long it takes to develop a project, before the con- struction even begins," Weiher said. "There are colors, fixtures, layout — a lot of mov- ing parts." A kitchen remodel that takes 10 weeks of construction might involve four months of design time before a wall, counter or floor is ever touched. "You, as the customer, need to give your- self permission to let the project take as long as it needs to go so it is done right and you're happy with the outcome," said Kevin Anundson, an owner of Owner Assisted Remodeling/Renovations Group and for- mer NARI national president. How long is that? It depends on the com- plexity of the project. "Usually four to eight weeks," he said. "I want people to get away from the HGTV timelines. If it's a full gut job, getting it done in a week isn't possible." Step 4: Make a decision (and stick with it!) Any remodeling project involves a lot of decisions, something that is both helped and hindered by the sheer volume of ideas and inspiration accessible on websites like Pinterest and Houzz. With so many possi- bilities, it can be tempting to change your mind or sneak in a change to the design after constructions begins. Don't, say the experts. In remodeling, the design is your GPS, and tweaking it could cause you to go off-course and off-budget. "The design is the blueprint and directs the rest of the project," Anundson said. "It's the road map. The most successful remodels get 99 percent of those things planned and figured out before any of the actual work begins." Even what seems like a minor change in materials, appliances or the design can add to the overall timeline and costs. "The earlier decisions are made, the smoother the project will go," Enger said. "There is no need for unnecessary delays if things are planned out well at the begin- ning." Remodel: Deviating from the plan can make a big difference in success Continued from Page 1 Renovations Group Inc. Renovations Group Inc. In these before and after photos, this Brookfield kitchen remodeling by Renovations Group Inc. of Elm Grove took more than eight weeks and included the installation of a beam and featured Virginia mist granite substituted for the originally desired soap- stone. The contractor said to allocate more time for projects than seen on HGTV.

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