Perhaps you plan on beginning a  remodeling project for your home. The record-low interest rates and unique instances of the current economy make remodeling highly desirable. However, before you hire a designer or go to speak with a contractor, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

The answers will depend upon your needs, your family life, and ultimately what you want out of your home. Consider all of these questions and their implications to best go about planning your remodel.

What are homes and values like in your neighborhood?

The value of your remodeling project will ultimately stem from the values of the neighborhood. Usually, the best remodel for high returns means fixing up the least expensive house in a nice neighborhood. If this happens to be your situation, you’re in luck. All your renovations will go a long way. 

If your home is already the nicest home on the block, then simply consider what minor changes you'd like to make in order to make your home work best for your family. Perhaps you're just looking to add on or add value through an accessory dwelling unit or simple addition. If you're ever planning to sell, you want to be sure that your renovation will add value, so consider the neighborhood values and go from there.

What parts of your property do you plan to keep the same?

This simple question may have a longer answer than its opposite, but by asking yourself what you want to keep, you can better cut costs and plan efficient renovations.

A good approach to this is by finding maps and surveys of your property. You can hire a surveyor to do this or seek out records of your home that may already exist. Make your own copies and outline your own plans to give yourself a better idea of where on the property you want the touch and where to avoid. This will help cement your plan so that you can spend money only on the changes you really want to make. 

How can you make the most out of the layout of your home?

This question incorporates considerations of reorientation and the available space you have to work with. With any property, you are working with the constraints of the property line. However, you don't necessarily have to be limited by the home as it is currently oriented.

Consider ways you can better display your home. Perhaps this means changing the orientation of the facade of your home away from the street or towards the sun. Perhaps this means adding windows or changing the purpose of your rooms and functions in order to bring in the most sunlight and make the most of the views you have access to.

Consider the directions that your home and windows are facing and brainstorm ways you could maximize natural light and ideal views.

What zoning ordinances will influence your designs?

Understanding building codes is an important aspect of planning out your remodel. Different cities have different rules on building height, density restrictions, and how close you can build to the street. If you plan to add on to your home, the limitations of your property on top of zoning restrictions will dictate exactly what you were able to do. 

Create a handy reference guide for zoning rules that affect your property before you go outlining the specifics of your remodeling desires.

What specifically would you like to accomplish with your remodel?

While this question may seem superfluous, it is important to outline every issue you are currently having with your property and how you want those issues to be resolved through a remodel.

Perhaps you are looking to save money with energy-efficient appliances and design. Perhaps you need to rework the purposes of rooms to meet your family changing situation, such as the arrival of a new child or the moving out of an older one. There are all kinds of needs that a remodel can address. Outline yours and the earliest stages of the remodeling process.

What do you want from each and every room?

Going room by room in your property and establishing exactly what you want out of all of your space will help you get the most out of your remodel. This means considering all of your family's needs as well as anticipating ways in which you might need the property to grow with you.

Your answers to this question will differ depending on if you're looking to flip the home or if you plan to live there for years to come. While families might need specific designs that grow with their particular interests and needs, a home intended to be flipped back onto the market will require renovations that come with higher returns.

Go room by room in your property listing out exactly the ways you can maximize your space during a remodel.

What is your style?

While you may be stuck with the overarching architecture of your home, ultimately the minor design elements can be altered to accommodate your style. A great way to go about planning for your dream remodel is to seek out similar home types and explore how others have innovated their spaces.

This may mean updating the facade or siding with wood, stone, or brick, perhaps revitalizing the landscaping, the paint, the trimming, or so much more. No matter what the current style of your home, a remodel can help make it a vision to behold for you or your potential buyers.

Now you're ready to speak with a contractor or design professional.

With an assembled list of these questions and answers, you are now ready to approach your remodel with the insights needed to make the most of your endeavors. A contractor or remodel design specialist can help assist you in making your dreams a reality. With the help of your documented design needs, you will maximize the value of your remodel and make your desired renovations an asset-boosting investment you can be proud of. 

For more information on remodels and real estate investment, contact 208.properties today.