A little-known proverb goes something like this: Only a fool would start a construction project without first calculating if he had the money to complete it. It’s good advice for any Dallas homeowner planning a home renovation project. But getting ready for home improvement – whether for a simple Dallas bathroom remodeling or an entire addition – isn’t just about determining your budget. Home renovation projects take a lot of up-front planning, and these are just a few of the considerations.
Knowing what you want to accomplish isn’t the same as knowing whether you can. Remodeling all three bathrooms in your home would be great. You may have many good reasons to: they’re dated; the fixtures are giving out; they haven’t changed a bit since you bought the house 17 years ago. But sitting down to work out the logistics, timing, and cost of just one bathroom remodel is going to give you pause. You may even come to the difficult realization that remodeling isn’t really feasible right now. If so, think about what minor changes – such as wallpaper, accessories and color scheme – you can implement in the meantime until you can realistically undertake a remodel.
So, what about the cost? Determining the cost of a Dallas bathroom remodeling project isn’t an easy task by any measure. You could hire a Dallas-area contractor, but that will cost, too, and then you’ve started accruing expenses even before you’ve decided to begin. Luckily, plenty of resources exist – books, online guides, and expert advice – that can give you a workable ballpark figure, at least close enough to help you make a go-or-no-go decision. Once you’ve decided to go, you can get into the nitty-gritty figures of your specific Dallas bathroom remodeling project, including which professional services you need to engage.
Finally, be realistic about how much value – if any – your Dallas bathroom remodeling project is going to add to your property when you sell it. There’s a popular misconception that any renovation is an investment that will pay off in the long run. It simply isn’t so: As much as a new roof may seem like a money-saving proposition, the reality is that it’s pretty much assumed for any home-buyer in the Dallas market. In other words, that money won’t be recouped in a home sale. The same goes for costly additions such as sunrooms or home offices, which often end up as white-elephant accoutrements that may even make your home harder to sell.
Remodeling the bathroom in your Dallas home isn’t a bad idea – in fact, it’s a great one. Just be sure before you jump into the project that you know how deep the water is.