6 Tips for Planning Your Home Renovation

There is so much that goes into a home renovation project that it can quickly become overwhelming. Here are some quick tips so that you can adequately plan, have peace of mind and make all your renovation dreams a reality.

Understand Your Goals

One of the first things you have to figure out before doing a home renovation is what you want to achieve. Do you want better functionality? Do you want to be more comfortable in your home? Is the purpose of the renovation to add resale value? Clearly identify your goals. For example, your historic Columbus home may need new windows to improve energy efficiency, but you want to make sure its unique historic architecture is maintained. Or, you may want to update your home with the latest home design trends in your area, like installing a sliding glass door, beautiful bay windows or updating your home with a modern front door — the options are endless.

Once you figured out why and what you want to do for this project, you need to plan for all the aspects of it, including what the aesthetic is that you are going for, how much time you can invest, your budget. Write down the answers to these questions and considerations to thoroughly plan out your goals and ensure you stick with them throughout the project. 

Divide Your Projects

It can feel overwhelming if you have many different home improvement projects that you want to get done. To avoid or lessen the stress, break up the work into manageable steps. The way you divide these projects is up to you. For example, you could prioritize them based on time, urgency or cost. You could start small and work your way up to larger projects or do the opposite — whatever way is best for you.

At Pella, we can help you with dividing up your tasks. For example, we can replace only some of your windows in one summer (or winter) and return to finish the rest at a later date. You can also take into account the Columbus weather. For example, in the spring and summertime, you can decide to focus on exterior work that needs to be done on your home, while during the rainy, snowy winter months, you can spend more time on interior projects or smaller renovations that may need to be done. Separating these projects can help you save more money and ease the stress of a massive project.

Plan Your Budget

Budget is a huge part of planning for a home renovation. You will want to go through the amount you can save and spend on your home improvement project, and ensure you have a cushion if some projects require more work or supplies than you initially expected. If you're partnering with a professional, it may be a good idea to ask about financing options as this can help you budget for payments instead of having to pay it all upfront.

Do Your Research

Researching, so that you know your design options and choose the right partner, is another vital part of doing a home renovation. After you’ve decided on your goals, budget and timeline for your project, shop around to find what products would work best for your needs and do research on how they would help you reach these defined parameters. Here at Pella, our brand and products are known for their quality. We strive for excellence in style, durability and effectiveness. For example, we offer various window and door options to suit your Columbus home's needs, including varying materials, hardware and finishes. We have affordable options that don’t sacrifice quality while also having products with a high level of craftsmanship that preserves history. In addition, we're proud to provide outstanding customer service. Our team of experts is reliable, trustworthy and there to help you every step of the way during your window or door project.

Understand Your Home’s Architecture and Style

With so many options for styles for your home renovations, it’s easy just to choose one that looks good on paper. However, you should select choose renovations and styles that enhance the overall aesthetic of your unique home and go well with its architecture. For example, unless you are eventually replacing all of your windows, mixing black, modern windows with white, traditional ones may give your home a mismatched look. You also want to work with your home’s architecture to make your home look appealing. For example, if your room is small, you wouldn’t want to put in bulky furniture and square windows; you would want to use light furniture with legs and long, vertical windows to make the space look bigger. 

There are many different areas in Columbus that have their own home styles. For example, if you live in an older neighborhood that has more traditional-style homes like Upper Arlington or Grandview, you will have to consider doing home renovations that incorporate the traditional style of your home. Another example is historic homes in areas like Columbus’ German or Victorian Village. When preparing for a home renovation, you will need to make sure your replacement windows and other home improvement projects match the style of your home and maintain its historic integrity. If you live in Dublin or Powell in a more modern home, you may want to focus on choosing renovations that fit that style, including having designs with sleek lines, expansive glass on your windows to bring in natural lighting, and styles with minimalist elements like neutral colors including black and white. Casement windows are a great choice to modernize your Columbus home. Overall, planning and thinking about what is best for your unique home and your style can make all the difference in your home renovation.

Understand How Lighting Affects Your Room

A fundamental trick to understand when it comes to renovating your home is that light can affect your room differently. For example, light can make a paint color on the wall appear differently than if it were just on a piece of paper. The way you arrange your furniture or window treatments could also cast unique shadows. Light also causes some advantages. For example, having adequate light from fixtures or natural light coming in from your windows and doors can make your room appear larger and create shapes based on your home’s architecture. In general, think about the layout, the colors used in the space and the light source to understand how they affect each other.

Home renovations can be stressful, but they don't have to be. Windows and doors can make a big difference in your home's appearance and functionality. Want to get started on a home renovation of your windows and doors? Schedule your free in-home consultation to get assistance from our team of local experts.