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Updating your home can be a great way to increase the value of the space, get more joy out of your time there, and make it feel more welcoming. However, it’s easy to gather a lot of ideas and still not actually start your work.

Make Your Plan

Try not to start a remodeling venture that can make your home unlivable. If you’re updating the kitchen, invest in a foldable table and a small refrigerator that can serve as a temporary kitchen in another area of the house. If you’re moving walls, get out your tape measure and mark the floor where the new walls will be. Bring home large boxes and stack them in place of your new fireplace or your kitchen island. Find the cabinets, countertop, and carpet you like and get reliable estimates on materials and installation fees. Take those totals and bump them up by at least 30 percent to see if you can get financing. Finally, review your projected value house in comparison to similarly-sized properties in the area to see if you have enough space in the value of your home.

Financing Your Project

Even if you don’t have the equity in your home for the whole remodel, you can still get financing for the renovation. For example, if you’re making a large change to the footprint of the home, you might look at a construction loan. Ultimately, these loans have a shorter-term but can be refinanced into the mortgage when you’re done. You can also borrow against a retirement account for a home improvement plan and pay the interest to yourself. There are different types of financing you can choose from for your home improvement project.

Launch

One of the best ways to launch a home improvement timeline is to pack. Take the boxes you used to visualize your home improvement and pack up everything in your way. DIY demolition can save you quite a lot, but it’s still messy and disruptive. Once you’ve packed your items, put up plastic sheeting to keep down dust and cover the floor to avoid tracking debris through the house. During demo days, try to board your pets and ask Grandma to keep the kids for an overnight. This work takes focus to avoid accidents and injuries. Just make sure that if you board your pets that you send any medications or special food they need with them so they can be comfortable. The same goes for sending kids to Grandma’s. 

Your remodel will add great value to your home and increase your sense of ownership. Once you get started, the next steps will follow easily. Stay flexible, be careful, and don’t lose your sense of humor. If you follow these tips, your home improvement project will be less stressful and over before you know it. 

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