Bought a Fixer Upper Essential Tips for Completing a DIY Remodel

There are so many reasons people choose to buy a fixer upper as their next property. Maybe you want to renovate the property and then flip it to earn yourself a healthy profit. Perhaps you love the idea of transforming a property to meet your exact needs. Or, maybe you want to get the most house for your money, and this means buying a bigger house in poor condition for less money.

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

Whether you want a fixer upper to flip, or you hope it will become your forever home, there’s no doubt that buying a property to remodel can be both an exciting and scary process.

One issue that many people experience when buying a home to remodel is a feeling of overwhelm. Taking on a project as big as a house renovation certainly can feel overwhelming. However, preparing properly for the remodel and understanding the best way to go about completing the work will make the whole process much less stressful. If you’re looking for tips to make your DIY fixer upper remodel a less stressful project, the following tips should help.

Choose the Right Property

The first step to completing a successful DIY remodel is to pick the perfect property in the first place. Remodels are rarely, if ever, simple to complete. Every project is different, just as every property is different. So, before you commit to buying a property, you need to be sure it’s capable of accommodating your plans. There are several factors that you’ll need to keep in mind when choosing a property to fix up:

• Is the property structurally sound and suitable for remodeling?
• If you plan to make additions to the home, is the plot the property stands on large enough to be developed?
• Is development of the home permitted in the neighborhood or is this restricted by the HOA, etc?
• Is there a price ceiling on properties in the area that would cause you to spend more on the remodel than the property will be worth?
• How is the housing market in the area performing? This is particularly important if you plan to flip the property immediately after remodeling it.

Each of these considerations is crucial to making the right choice when selecting a property to remodel. You certainly don’t want to tie your money up in a property that needs fixing up, only to discover that it won’t be possible to move forward with your renovation plans, or that you have invested much more in the property than it will ever be worth.

Keeping a clear head when you start searching for properties is essential, as it can be so easy to fall in love with a house without thinking through the practicalities of the renovation. Ultimately, this can be a really expensive mistake to make.

Set Your Budget

Once you’ve found the perfect property for your remodel project, it’s time to think realistically about how much the work will cost to complete. Everyone has heard stories of property owners who have sunk huge amounts of money into their renovations, and eventually run out of funds before the work is completed. So, it’s vital you don’t fall into the same trap.

Setting a clear budget from the very start is so important when you are taking on a remodel project of any size. Essentially, your budget needs to be realistic. There’s no point in setting out how much you can afford the remodel to cost and then discovering that your plans are so ambitious you will likely need more than double that amount to complete the work. So, it’s worth spending time on some number crunching and doing some prior research to figure out exactly how much you can expect to spend on the remodel. This figure should include everything from the tools you’ll likely need to complete the work, through to the cost of materials, the amount you’ll need to pay to hire professional for tasks that you can’t DIY, and the price of the finishing touches that will complete your remodel.

As you can see, there are many different costs to consider when you’re hoping to remodel a house. Once you’ve set your budget, it’s important to consider setting a contingency fund. Unfortunately, remodel projects rarely finish within their original budget. But being aware of this and planning for it from the start can help you to avoid any nasty hidden surprises and means you have the money ready and waiting when an unexpected renovation bill comes along.

Consider Your Remodel Goals

Just as it’s crucial to have a set budget for your remodel, it’s also vital to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve from the finished renovation. Many people start renovations with pretty vague ideas. This could simply be that they want to make the downstairs of the property open plan, to convert the loft into a bedroom, or to simply make the living area larger. These are all excellent starting points for a renovation project. However, they don’t contain enough details for you to really start making progress on your renovation.

For a stress-free and successful remodel, you’re going to need a clear idea of what you want to achieve, and this all starts with a strong plan. Planning is everything when it comes to remodeling your property. To get the absolute most from your budget, you need to know exactly what you want from your remodel and how you will make it happen. Failing to put a robust renovation plan in place often means that renovation projects run way over time, and over budget. Wasted time and money are the last things you want when you’re attempting to renovate a property.

Carefully researching the feasibility of your remodel plans is the first place to start. You need to know whether your ideas are realistic and whether they can be implemented in practice. Research and consulting with experts is the best way to determine whether this is possible. It’s also wise to have a plan b in place. If your initial plans aren’t possible, you can then readjust your ideas to ensure you can get started on your renovation. Thinking outside the box and being creative and adaptable are all essential qualities when it comes to remodeling your home.

Prepare Your Property for the Remodel

Having your property thoroughly prepared for your remodel will ensure that you can get to work on it without any unnecessary delays.

Clearing the areas of the property where the renovation work will take place is an excellent starting point for your preparations. Arranging junk removal to clear out any items you no longer need or will use in your newly-renovated property will make it much easier for the remodeling work to begin. Having a thorough declutter helps to create a blank canvas for your renovation. Removing junk from your home also provides you with more space to carry out the work and allows extra room for the tools and equipment you need.

Set the Pace of the Project

In many cases, renovation projects can drag on for years and years without making too much progress. This happens for a few reasons. One reason this situation occurs is because the homeowners haven’t properly planned their project, and then keep getting hit with setbacks throughout the process. Secondly, many people attempting to renovate their property find that their money runs out along the way, meaning they can’t take the work any further until they get more funds together. Finally, renovation projects often hit a standstill as the homeowners struggle to deal with the stress and work involved in completing the renovation.

Setting the pace of the project is a crucial part of the planning stage and can help to increase the chances of your remodel being completed successfully. Dividing the renovation into smaller stages so that it is essentially a series of mini projects is an excellent way to keep your remodel under control and make it less overwhelming.

Completing one section of your renovation at a time prevents the workload and costs of your project from spiraling out of control. Once one section is complete, you then have the chance to pause for a little while, or move onto the next part of the renovation without being under pressure to complete everything at once.

Build Your Skills

Finally, it’s important to keep developing your renovation skills. Through the course of your remodel, you’ll find yourself learning a huge number of new skills. But as it’s crucial to carry out the work on your remodel properly, you may need to spend more time learning some skills than others. Ensuring you have the required understanding of a job is all part of the planning process and will make a huge difference to the finished quality of your newly renovated home. So, it’s far better to ask for expert help where needed or to take time to thoroughly train yourself to ensure your remodel is completed to the highest possible standard.

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)