If you own a home you undoubtedly have projects that need doing around the house. Large or small, home improvement projects vary from simple and straightforward to daunting and complex. Some may be as routine as maintenance and repairs. Conversely, larger projects can have a ripple effect of implications that impact your lifestyle, potential resale value, and the future design options for your home. All projects, especially those involving interior or exterior construction, should be approached with careful planning and research to bring your ideas to fruition in an effective and timely manner.

There are several ways to get your project done:

1. Do it yourself. Consider potential pitfalls and challenges.
2. Call in a professional for basic ideas, design, and construction consulting and advice, and then do it yourself. Be prepared to pay a consultation fee.
3. Hire a designer or architect to provide basic project assessment, conceptual design and a simple floor plan.
4. Hire a designer or architect to provide full design services, construction drawings, details and project management.
5. Hire a contractor to provide design/ build services to handle the entire project from start to finish.
6. Utilize some combination of the above.

Big Stock photo 169449

THE PROJECT PROCESS

No matter what type of project you are contemplating, the basic process is the same. It generally starts with creating a wish list, and within that list establishing priorities of “must haves,” “like to haves,” and “if budget allows…” I frequently suggest creating an idea file by culling magazines, books, and the internet for similar projects. Researching basic costs of the components that make up your project can give you a rough idea of where the project budget is heading.

If you decide you need help, where and how do you find the right professionals? Sorting through the requirements of a project and matching those to the right team can be challenging. Every project has a design component, ranging from choosing materials to a more elaborate design process required by a construction project.  There are frequently overlapping aspects to many service professions, further blurring the choices that need to be made when hiring a pro or team. I’ll describe some of the differences in services and approaches.

Continued next post- building your team for Interior Design and Decorating, Exterior and Landscaping.

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