I’m sure we’ve all heard stories about nightmare renovations and the amount of stress they can be to deal with. Well I can almost guarantee you that most of those stories involved some do it yourself work, or “I know a guy that can do it for cheaper” or the good old “it’s just cosmetic so we don’t need permits”.
Renovations that are properly planned and given the right amount of time to execute are actually marvelous projects that clients can truly enjoy; maybe more than new builds on some occasions. There are many ways to approach a full-scale renovation and we’re going to go into an example of a process that will set your next renovation up for success.
Let’s say you have a 1957 midcentury bungalow that backs onto a ravine in Edmonton. It is completely original and has only had some mechanical and general maintenance work done to it over the years. You decide that it’s time to update the exterior and gut the interior to refinish it with some current finishes. Oh and you’d also like to make the kitchen a bit bigger. Take a look at a step by step process below. There are many ways of doing this and this is a solid example:
First and foremost, you need to determine a budget that you’re comfortable with spending and therefore a scope of work. If you’re stripping the exterior down to wood and gutting the main floor and basement, 150k is not going to cut it. You can establish a price range by doing research. Talk to the professionals, search for reputable and trust worthy builders who focus on renovations and new builds. Designers also give you a strong sense of whether your budget is attainable or not and will have builders they can confidently refer you to.
Let’s say your budget is 400k. Now it’s time to iron out a realistic timeline for this project. You can’t expect to be able to live in your house while there’s a full-scale renovation going on. Determine where you’ll live short term and for how long. When do you want to start? Key word here is, realistic, by the way. A full-scale renovation on a 1500 SF bungalow is not going to be wrapped up in 3 months. Maybe you need to allow 6 months for the project and allow a grace period beyond that too. Surprises can pop up during renovations so patience is key to a successful one.
Now if you haven’t already, it’s time to find the right team. There’s a few ways to do this and you can approach the builder first or the designer first. Here’s the thing, making your selections for both teams beforehand will save you a lot of time and the project will also benefit. When builders and designers communicate and collaborate, great things happen. Regardless of the order, next up is the design scope.
Your design team will need existing measurements inside and out, Real Property Reports, old survey plans, concept plans, napkin sketches, models, inspirational photos, google drives etc. Once your existing house is completely drawn out, floorplans and exterior elevations, you can start tweaking the layout. Here’s where things can get interesting. If you’re moving certain load bearing walls, those existing loads need to be transferred and supported by a licensed + registered structural engineers sealed drawings. If that is the case, a good designer will be mindful of this and let you know of this. We recommend a full-scale design service package for full-scale renovations and that includes architectural drawings for construction and permitting, 3-D exterior and interior renderings and interior design + finish specifications. If you’re going to tear the walls down to the studs or give your house a light facelift, a full-scale design package will make your life easier, better and your project will be executed seamlessly.
Your drawings are ready, you’ve signed off on the renderings, and interior specifications, you selected your builder and now you can start immediately. Not true. Your builder will need to send an engineer out for things like new beams, basement window details for access/egress and get a set of engineered drawings for their trades and the City of Edmonton. Your builder will need to get your house tested for asbestos and it will most likely be found somewhere in the house. The builder can then submit the architectural drawings, the engineers drawings and asbestos results to the city to get your permits. In the meantime, they will most likely send the drawings out for tender to price the project out for you. Drawings will go through minor tweaks and changes throughout this period.
You have your permits, you have your price, you’ve signed your contract and it’s time to officially start your full-scale renovation. Designers will be in steady communication with the builder throughout the build and the drawings go through three basic stages. Issued for Tender, Issued for Permits than finally, Issued for Construction. The design team will be on site for various reviews. It’s during demolition where most surprises show up in renovations and your designer will assist the builder at this time. They’ll also meet with a number of suppliers for finish selections and will meet on site with trades to discuss certain details in the installation process. Here’s where 3-D renderings truly shine. With them, all of the trades have a visual realistic reference of what the outside and inside is intended to look like. It sets a high standard for the project, expedites the process and ensures everyone is accountable for the end goal. Most importantly, renderings help clients see the end product and this prevents having any regrets when the project is done.
It’s been 6 months and you’ve gotten your occupancy permit and it’s time to schedule a move in day! Do yourself a huge favor, if there are minor discrepancies that will take 2 weeks to finish, set your move in date back. You’ll be grateful once you’re moved in and settled into your new home without any big disturbances getting in your way.
If you want to turn your next full-scale renovation into a dream, make sure you’ve done your research, invest in design, be patient and set realistic expectations. There’s no sweeter joy than moving back into the 2.0 version of your original home and making new memories with your family and friends.