Considerations Before Planning a Home Remodeling Project
Planning a home remodeling or home renovation project? There are
several important steps to take in planning your project, even before
hiring a remodeling contractor. Depending on what specific project
you have in mind, take the following into consideration.
Building Codes and Project Plans
You will need a specific home renovation idea or home remodeling
idea which your final design will be based upon. If you plan a basement
renovation, obviously, there will be different considerations than
when planning a kitchen renovation. We’ll talk more about
specifics later.
Every successful home remodeling project begins with a set of detailed
plans, with scale drawings that include specific information about
every element in the design. Before putting a home improvement remodeling
design plan on paper, it is necessary to become informed as to local
building code requirements.
For instance, homeowners undertaking a project in Boston will
have to meet Massachusetts building code requirements. Many times
it is necessary to have a professional such as an architect or remodeling
contractor help with the actual design and drawings. This will help
ensure that your home renovation idea is feasible for meeting building
code requirements
The best place to start is with the local building authority, such
as the New York department of building or the Los Angeles department
of building. Many local building authorities provide a list of building
code requirements that are specific to your individual project.
Once you have the final design plan drawings, you will need to
provide several copies to the local building authority for final
approval and acquire the necessary permits before work can begin.
Some projects may require permits for each phase of the work, such
as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical.
Different Project Types, Different Considerations
Different projects such as a basement remodel will have different
considerations than a home kitchen remodeling project.
When it comes to a basement renovation, before a project can even
be considered, an evaluation must be performed to determine whether
or not there is enough headroom to meet minimum building code requirements.
Most local codes require a minimum or 7 ½ feet from finished
floor to finished ceiling in habitable areas, with the exception
of 7 feet in special use rooms, (such as a recreation room) bathrooms,
and hallways. 7 feet is also required from the finished floor to
any overhead obstructions, such as pipes or ducts. An additional
requirement is that multiple overhead obstructions must be spaced
at least 4 feet apart.
Your next step if your basement meets the required minimum headroom
is to determine whether or not moisture seepage or condensation
problems exist. Either can promote mold, mildew, and rot which will
wreak havoc with any finishing or remodeling efforts.
While moving and installing plumbing or electrical service is possible
in most bathroom home remodeling or kitchen renovation project plans,
extra consideration must be given to insure proper installation
and venting of drain pipes. Sometimes it might not be feasible to
break out concrete to add new drain pipe.
In addition, a bathroom renovation plan that involves features
such as a large hot tub might require reinforcing floor joists to
adequately support the extra weight.
Finding the Right Remodeling Contractor
Whether you plan to hire a home remodeling contractor to assist
you in both the planning and working stages, or just for certain
aspects of the project, it is a good idea to use a local contractor
based near your project. One who is knowledgeable about local codes
and has connections with venders on a local level.
A homeowner wouldn’t want hire an Atlanta home renovation
contractor for a Chicago home renovation project. Likewise, a Houston
remodeling contractor would be the best choice for a California
home remodeling project.
An innovative new way to find reliable, local contractors is by
using the online project owner-to-contractor matchmaking services
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