Insider Tips on How Long a Renovation Actually Takes
If you are renovating and or thinking about renovating one of the major misconceptions that exist is the time it takes to remodel and how long the process actually is from start to finish.
Whether it be just the kitchen, the entire first floor, or the entire home, the process of renovation is a lot longer than one might believe. Without including the time spent on Pinterest by the homeowner and actually gathering information and honing ideas, the process length can be easily misunderstood.
As any project begins, a typical homeowner starts with the idea process, the length of this stage varies, depending on how long you have been thinking about renovating beforehand.
If you are working with a professional, your designer has started to help you with determining where your ideas match with your goals, such as time, space and budget.
Prior to this step your designer has done his or her “homework” and conducted research and setting the parameters for the project. To complete this process accurately depending on the size of the project it can take up to several weeks!!!
What??
You mean a designer doesn’t come up with fabulous designs in 7 days and by day 14 we are demo’ing and by week 4 all done? Well, that was a really long segway to say NOPE. It doesn’t work like that honey bear sugar pie.
The Conceptual Stage
As the aforementioned stage, known as part of the conceptual design phase, can take several weeks, you would then move towards further developing the concept once the parameters have been set. This is important to follow because it allows you to gather ideas more purposefully and with more direction. For example, raise your hand if you find yourself falling down a rabbit hole of ideas on Pinterest.
Seeing pretty idea after pretty idea and before you know it you are looking at pools and landscape ideas and you're not even touching your backyard this go around. You are planning a kitchen renovation and some tree you could see peeping out of a Kitchen window catches your eye and you are off to the races.
Two hours pass and you are no better than when you started, no pins saved and no plans have emerged. This is more common than it isn't. The problem is not Pinterest its the lack of knowing what you are looking for and having some sort of a plan in place.
Research & Programming
In the research and programming portion of the concept phase we have obtained a clearer idea of our preliminary budget, and some of the problems we will be trying to solve. So when you log in to search online you know…… I need Kitchen ideas, Family room, Bathroom, Office and Den ideas. That focus allows you to go in with that in mind.
So as far as time is concerned, the concept phase also takes a few weeks, because in this phase you are gathering ideas with a plan in mind, but taking it a step further and pulling some of those ideas out of the pictures in the form of samples. This facilitates the ability to test your ideas and determine if they will work in real life.
We are up to 4-6 weeks and you haven’t hired a contractor or purchased one new item yet. You may have an architect on the project, but the ideas are still fluid. To fast forward a bit after the concepts are developed,
A scheme is presented by way of floor plans. These have been developed by your design time using space planning techniques and universal design principals. the homeowner can do some rough flooring planning on their own, but typically the plans have many miscalculations.
This is not the fault of the homeowner, typically they do not have the training to know how to properly space plan in a way that works.
Many homeowners that have gone it alone can attest that while there are things that worked successfully in their projects there are several things that fell flat on their expectations and overall usability.
This is a common thread when planning and executing a major Reno or Build without design professionals.
The Schematic Phase
The schematic phase itself can take several weeks. So we are 2 of 5 phases in and we are dangerously close to 3 months of time.
Wow, 90 days fly by when you are having fun. moving walls and ripping out cabinets on paper anyway.
In the real world, this hasn’t even occurred yet. So at the risk of this article sounding like an architectural interior textbook, there are a few more phases to get to the finish line.
Design Development - where are refining some design elements and making appliance selections among other things can also take several weeks
Construction Docs, bidding are 2 separate phases that each have weeks and sometimes months in-between. Refining the design, reviewing bids, selecting and hiring a contractor is a critical part of the process and can be managed by the professional helping you to get through this.
If you are going it alone you are probably at the full height of several thoughts that may include, frustration, aggravation, rolled up in small doses of anxiety.
But hold on we are still not done. We are at least 3-4 months in and construction has not even started.
Yes, that is right.
A well and properly developed renovation or custom build can take months to years to get to the Construction Administration phase. The lack of understanding of how long this process takes can be really trying for the most patient of persons.
While under construction, if you have been involved in or even witness construction taking place, you can see that there are a number of variables that could extend even the simplest of renovations to a few months Time.
This makes the total time for your renovation anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. So be prepared and have this understanding going into your projects.
A Plan is not only a good idea, but it is also literally the only chance your project has of coming out and showing out.
Renovating your home should be fun, even through some of its challenges which is why we exist here at La Casa Azul.
Here at La Casa Azul, we specialize in renovating older spaces and turning them into your dream. If you’re looking to start a home renovation project and don’t know where to start, we’d love to help!
We offer complimentary calls to anyone looking to begin a renovation project that doesn’t know where to start. We’ll talk with you about your vision and the goals for your home, and offer our best services to get you on the way to your well-appointed home.
To speak with one of our design specialists, you can book your complimentary call here…
Best of luck to you on your upcoming home renovation!