As we head into 2023, you are probably thinking about your New Year’s resolutions and all of the changes you want to make. This may even include changes to your home! Make this the year you update and add to your space to make it everything you’ve ever wanted. Before you get started, here are five tips to be fully prepared for your renovation project:

1. Take inventory of your home.

It is important to really pay attention to the parts of your home that don’t work, and then ask yourself why they don’t. While it is good to know what space you want to renovate, get even more curious. What is it about your kitchen that you don’t like? Is there not enough storage? Do you cook a lot and need more countertop space? Think about how you use your spaces and what is prohibiting you from making the most of each room you want to renovate.

2. Prioritize your renovations.

Obviously, we can find little things to fix in any room of the house, (it’s where we spend the most time) but when planning your renovations, it is important to know what is most important. While the goal will be to get everything done at once, if you need to do the home in phases, or need to downsize your wishlist due to budget considerations, it is good to know what you want to do first and foremost, and what can wait.

3. Get your finances in order.

It is important to figure out how you are going to finance the project. Cash, a home equity line of credit, or a construction loan are common means. Cash is always the easiest. The home equity line of credit will allow you to pull out up to 80 percent of your home’s current equity. For a construction loan, the bank will look at the end product’s value. This is great if you don’t have enough equity to borrow against currently, but will have enough when you consider both current equity and future equity, allowing you to borrow more money due to future increased value. Know your financial options so you can plan accordingly.

4. Get inspired.

Take the time to do some research on what you like, whether that is creating a Pinterest board or combing through our Instagram feed to see what resonates with you. Knowing your style and what you want will help us give you the most accurate quote, and will also help the designers create your dream space. Not to mention, who doesn’t love looking at photos of beautiful spaces?

5. Know your timeline.

We always recommend that you allow yourself more time than you think you need for your renovation. There are a lot of things to tackle during pre-construction, such as architectural design and permitting, design and material selections, material ordering, and project planning. Time needs to be allocated to establish each of these phases and do them properly. Have a target date in mind, but remember that you never want to rush this process.