Committing to Home Renovation: How Long Does It Take?

After spending so much time in your home, you may have found areas you want to alter for comfort, functionality, or value. There can be a few factors standing between you and a renovation, including the time commitment. Just how much time will you have to spend with tarps and equipment overtaking your home? This is a question with multiple answers, each depending on your project and needs.

There are a few basic guidelines you can use to determine the project in mind. Here are some rule of thumb timeline expectations and need-to-knows on home renovations.

DIY or Contractor?

The first major factor is how you plan to complete the project. Are you tackling it yourself or bringing in a licensed expert? If this is a challenging DIY goal, factor in time for mistakes. You may have last minute trips to the hardware store or need to backtrack to get the project just right.

If you bring in a contractor, always make the timeline part of the contract process. Ask their opinion on how long things will take and get it in writing (although this can obviously change during building). Licensed and insured contractors can be found across the United States and should have a state-specific license, like a Missouri contractors license.

Cosmetic Renovations

If you are undertaking a smaller renovation, like exterior painting, installing new appliances, or basic flooring, it will not take quite as long. You can expect a weekend renovation or up to three months of work. Some cosmetic remodels, like laying new flooring, is best spread out over a few months. Others, like new countertops or installing a new sink, can be done in a weekend.

Cosmetic renovation timelines are reserved for small repairs or where the basic structure of the house is still pretty new and just needs a little updating. It is ideal renovation for a DIY project unless it steps into extensive carpentry work where a contractor’s expertise might be beneficial.

Medium Renovations

A step above a simple cosmetic renovation are ones that can take several weeks to six months. Medium renovations will typically stray towards fully gutting a space and it is where a Missouri contractor can really help.

Examples of these projects include a kitchen remodel, relocating plumbing, installing a fireplace, and other extensive projects. Typically, there’s an element of tear-out followed by replacement, but you are not altering the structure significantly.

Major Overhaul

Finally, there are the massive undertakings that can take six months to over a year to complete. Basically, you are gutting the whole house and need to take time putting it back together. This realm is home to house flipper or rehab owners that purposefully bought a fixer upper. You are taking a home with good structural bones but in desperate needs for modern updates. Major overhauls often involve large scale changes like structural repair, major additions, or foundation repair.

Major projects can have lengthy deadlines without being a complete overhaul. Maybe you have strung together a few small or medium projects and the effort translates to a big project. This happens when you add an extension to your home, remodel a master bath into spa-vibes, and refinish a basement. On their own they are not that big of a commitment, but back to back, it becomes major.

Money, Size, and Weather

Beyond how to complete the project and how long to commit, keep in mind money, size, and weather. The larger the project, the more money you will have to commit. Budget overages are common issues in renovation problems, especially when unexpected issues like foundation problems come to light. Completion could be delayed, lengthening the timeline.

The size of your home also plays a role in how long your timeline will end up being. There’s a difference between a small bathroom remodel or an entire kitchen overhaul. Just assume a larger space equals more time.

Finally, weather can delay a project. Mother Nature is unpredictable and not concerned with your timeline. Whether you are DIY or working with aa contractor, plan for weather to interfere, even with just a small delay.

Is it Time?

With everything in mind, is it time to renovate? A great way to know for sure is to work with an experienced contractor for a quote on both price and timeline for your project.