There comes a time when 80's fashion has to change! The retro rugs and paint colors, to most, are simply out of style. I know I brought it all the way back to "the best decade" ever, but my point is, that personal feelings and emotions change with time and so do rooms. The most important aspects of room remodeling come down to cost and prioritized steps. What budget have you established for the bedroom, and how does one effectively start and manage a project? In this article, I hope to cover high-level ideas that will help you with your bedroom redo.
The Typical Cost of a Bedroom Remodel
So many variables come into play when deciding on a room makeover budget. Do you want low, mid, or high-end fixtures? Will you carpet the room or use a vinyl/laminate or hardwood flooring option? Do any structural components of the room have to change like moving walls, adding windows, or building out a walk-in closet? As you can guess, each small variable can impact the overall budget, and in my opinion, it's best to talk with a licensed and insured General Contractor "GC". Reputable and honest GCs will explain in full detail - with plans - and laid out pricing estimates, what the bedroom remodel investment will be. For typical small bedrooms in the 10' X 10' category, the expected budget range is between $4,000 - $7,000. Master bedrooms, starting at 18' X 20' in size, will average between $14,000 to $18,000. And if you can do some of the work yourself like painting or installing laminate flooring, hats off to you. Painting alone will cost between $2 - $6 per square foot. HomeAdvisor offers a nifty "painting cost calculator" that allows you to estimate room-painting costs.
Remodeling A Room
Where to begin? You've most likely completed your initial homework and have a vision board of what your new room will look like, right, with paint swatches, floor samples, furniture, and fixtures? If you do, awesome! No worries if you haven't gotten that far. A good design meeting will help draw out those desires and move you toward a high-end quality project. For your convenience, and to help you along, consider the following 10 steps to remodeling a room: Step 1 - What's Your Plan
To effectively get from Point A (before remodeling) to Point B (desired result), you need an effective plan; the more that can be done upfront, the better prepared you will be. The General Contractor will help you fill in the gaps and make sure you understand what happens when and the time frame for each plan step. Plans that are thorough and vetted by your building team will greatly help minimize surprises that can delay the project and add to the budget. At Butler Homes, customers get a firm understanding of the overall plan. Frequent communication is our key to successful project delivery, and our customers know what to expect. Step 2 - What's Your Budget
As pointed out earlier in the article, depending on the size of the bedroom, what has to be done to the room, and the materials selected to complete the room will affect the bedroom remodeling investment. Good initial planning will help ensure you are close to your estimated budget. Personally, I find it fun heading to home improvement stores with my wife to help us decide and price out room features from low to high-end. This helps establish a minimum and maximum range for budget considerations. The big takeaway to the budget step is to make sure you have enough money to complete the job. The last thing you want to avoid is running out of money and having an uncompleted job. It is advisable, that once you've determined a budget, add 15%-20% on top of the number just to make sure there is enough money to finish the remodel. Step 3 - What's Most Important
You've come a long way in figuring out your overall room plan and finished the exciting task of placing a budget on the room remodel. Perhaps the budget process opened your eyes to the reality of what room remodels can cost. But, don't let high budgets keep you from your dream of a new room remodel.
At this stage of the room remodeling process, the heat of discussion can occur which may cause this part of the planning to be the most stressful. What do we have to have or what can we do away with? Is there an alternative to this higher-priced item? Do we really need zebra wood for our bedroom flooring (the most expensive floor in the world FYI)?
If you come to a point in your remodeling discussion where you need to make final decisions about what's most important, call us at 919-616-6902 and our design and contractor experts will help guide you to making that final decision. Step 4 - DIY or Hire a Contractor
To DIY or not, that is the question. If you have the fortitude to do a remodel yourself and save money, that might be something to consider. But, DIY may not be the best route in all cases. Time, skill, and budget are the three main factors to evaluate with your decision. When planning your project, do you have a specific date on which you want the room remodel completed? DIY can take a bit more time, especially for those who have a full-time job. The upside to DIY can be considerable cost savings, but then again, how much is your precious time worth? And while DIY may save you money upfront, the potential for costly repairs down the road for rework is a risk to think about. Contractors can ensure a job well done and help you meet deadlines. I feel it's okay to DIY as much as you can, but for more serious aspects of the room makeover - structural, electrical, plumbing - leave these tasks to skilled professionals. And above all, make sure your contractor is licensed and insured for self-protection and get a few references for added measure. Step 5 - Demolition & Construction Phase
This is an opportunity to get very creative and add structural design and integrity elements to the room. Before knocking down or moving walls, you want to make sure they are not load-bearing. As a rule of thumb, if the demoed wall runs parallel with the above floor joists, it is not a load-bearing wall. On the other hand, if the wall is perpendicular to the floor joists, it is most likely a load-bearing wall. If a load-bearing wall does have to be removed, there are steps to take to ensure the structural integrity stays intact. Keep in mind though the added cost. Additionally, with all demos and construction plans, be aware of building regulation codes. Removal of debris will be considerable for major renovations. You can remove the debris yourself or hire it out. Typically, debris removal will be included in the overall estimate. Creatively, in this stage, you can add new windows, enlarge a bathroom or create a walk-in closet. If you want to add more soundproofing to the floor and walls, there are great products that will help minimize transferable noise and make the room more acoustically sound. Step 6 - New Flooring
Do the floor first! Many customers ask about whether painting comes next after demolition and construction. The best practice says to put the new flooring down before the paint. Here's why. Removing old carpet and flooring is a messy job. Also, depending on the type of new flooring material, cutting wood and stone will produce a ton of dust that can land all over your freshly painted walls and trim. Another potential problem is that the new flooring will most likely be a different thickness than the old flooring causing gaps in your baseboards. No, thank you. What type of flooring do you like? For a more modern look, the new laminate flooring options are super durable, inexpensive, and appealing to the eye. Laminates come in all shapes and colors - even faux wood - so your design options are endless. The average cost of laminate flooring is between $2 - $8 per square foot. Traditional flooring is reserved for real wood floors. While elegant in design, warmth, and beauty, wood floors require more maintenance to keep the luxurious look and shine. From a cost standpoint, pine and bamboo are the cheapest options starting around $4 - $5 per square foot. Brazilian walnut, a high-end flooring option, can run upwards of $20 per square foot. When laying a new floor, remove everything from the room that you can to avoid cutting the floor around obstacles. Step 7 - New Paint
Before painting, make sure the entire room is wiped clean from top to bottom. The last thing you want is dirt getting under your new paint causing bumps and uneven painting surfaces. Have you decided on your type of paint? Typically, paints come in three grades: high-end, mid-grade, and low-end (store brands), along with glossy, eggshell, and flat. Higher-end paints produce a superior cover and include brands like Farrow & Ball, Valspar Signature, and Benjamin-Moore Regal Select. Mid-grade brands can be Benjamin Moore Ben and Glidden Premium. Read Good Housekeeping's article "The Best Interior Paints and Color Trends for 2020" for paint color ideas and types of paint to use for any room. When it comes to paint type, I personally prefer eggshell. Not only do messes and wall marks clean up in a snap, but the touch is more pleasant than flat paint, which feels like dry sandpaper. Painting tip: Consider using a primer in your paint to reduce the number of needed coats. Step 8 - Room Decor
With the painting done and the room cleaned, you can add floor coverings, as well as any wall plates. It is important at this time to let the room air out and dry before moving on to the most fun part of the project. Step 9 - Add the Furnishings
Now that all the painting is done and the room well aired and dry, conduct another thorough cleaning making sure to get every little crack, crevice, and corner. Once completed, be like Joanna Gaines and style that room! This is the part of the project where the excitement builds as your new room comes to life with your personality and flavor. Step 10 - Final Review
Every good, integrity-filled General Contractor stands behind their work. In the last phase of the room remodel, final touches are conducted, as well as quality checks. Most GCs will offer a time guarantee behind work in that if anything "falls apart" they will come back to fix the issue for free. As you inspect the remodel, ask yourself if the work was delivered as promised and to your satisfaction. If there is anything that needs attention, ask for it on the spot instead of waiting. If you are satisfied with the General Contractor and their work, honor them with a solid Google and Yelp review. Now go and enjoy that beautiful room!