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Imagine expert advice, instant insurance quotes and all your policies, all in one place.
Home renovations can include something as simple as repainting a bedroom or tiling a floor, or as significant as making structural changes like adding a second floor to your home. The specifics of how you renovate a house is up to you. Do you want to DIY or hire a contractor? Repaint a room or add a floor? No matter the types of renovations, the reasons to renovate are often the same. Homeowners renovate to increase the value, functionality and livability of a home. Regardless of the scope of renovations you’re considering for your home, we have guidance for how to do it right and save a bit of stress.
Follow this checklist for how to renovate a house so that you don’t miss any important steps. Some items, like permits, can be expensive if they’re not done on time, or at all.
The cost of renovating a house can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including the size of the house, the extent of the renovations, the materials used and the location. A minor cosmetic renovation can cost a few thousand dollars, while a major structural renovation can cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Currently the room with the highest average renovation cost is the kitchen at $10,000-$50,000. While it's important to set a budget and stick to it, you also need to be prepared for unexpected expenses that arise during the renovation process.
When renovating a house, you should try to avoid common mistakes that can lead to costly and time-consuming issues. Here are some things to avoid:
The specifics for how to renovate a house depend on which part of your house you’re working on. Here are some home renovation tips to consider for specific rooms in your house:
Remember, these are just suggestions. You should tailor your renovation plans to suit your specific needs, wants and budget. It’s great to consider resale value when renovating, but don’t forget that you need to live with the changes that you make.
The renovation that will increase your home's value the most will depend on a variety of factors, including the current state of your home and the local real estate market. If you’re remodeling to sell, rather than remodeling for yourself, talk to a realtor to find out what buyers are looking for and how much they’re willing to pay for it. There’s no sense in spending $20,000 on a new kitchen just to get an additional $5,000 in selling the house a few months later. However, the following areas of the house will usually bring in more money than they cost:
The time needed to do home renovations depends on the scope and complexity of the project, as well as factors such as permits, materials and availability of contractors. It can take a few days for some tile work up to a year for major structural changes. Your contractor can help you determine a realistic time estimate for your renovations. However, keep in mind that unexpected issues or delays can arise during a renovation, so it's best to plan for some extra time just in case.
Be sure to reach out to your insurance company, or the VIU by HUB Advisory Team, to discuss the work you’ve had done and how it might impact your homeowners insurance coverage. Your renovations could result in a change to your premium or deductible so you and your insurance company need to be on the same page about the features of your home. This is true for major changes like new rooms and also smaller changes like adding smart features to your home.
The VIU Point is here to help you make sense of it all, so you can confidently compare homeowners insurance quotes and make the best policy decisions.
