The Pros & Cons Of Construction Phasing For Home Remodels
The pros and cons of a phased approach for your home remodel
Your home remodel is on the horizon, and you have one thing on your mind: to phase or not to phase this major project? Yes, that is indeed the question. And we're helping you answer it in this blog.
According to the 2022 Houzz & Home Overview of U.S. Renovation, 55% of homeowners nationwide reported remodeling activity. Among the most popular renovations in 2021, interior rooms (70%), home systems (63%), and home exteriors (58%) topped the list.
This increase in remodeling projects reflects some of the changes we’ve experienced in the past few years, including the increase in time spent at home, working from home, more multi-generational family life, and bringing older homes up to date. Homeowners spent about 20% more on renovations in 2021 than in 2020, realizing the lifestyle value of living in a home designed and renovated to work for their needs.
Many of the most common home remodeling projects (in Michigan and across the midwest) will recoup anywhere from 45 - 90% of their cost in increased home sales price.
Want to make one change with the biggest payback? I often tell clients: It will probably surprise you to know that the project that will bring you the most bang for your buck is replacing your garage door.
Whether your own remodeling project is driven by the need to have a home that matches your lifestyle or by the desire to increase the financial value for selling your home in the future, you want to do all you can to have a trouble-free and budget-friendly process.
There are so many factors that add up in a home remodeling project, and with the wide range of costs for services and labor, construction materials, fixtures, finishes, mechanicals, appliances, lighting, etc., it is nearly impossible to pin down one easy option to manage your remodeling budget.
That makes time an attractive option for creating the flexibility you need to spread out some of the costs of your home remodeling project. And we understand why this often feels like the right thing to do.
Should you phase your remodeling project?
In reality, completing your home remodel construction in one go is typically the best strategy and it’s what we recommend. But we know sometimes that is not financially feasible. That's okay—you can still have the home of your dreams, just not all at once. A bit of patience, and you will get there.
Phasing a home remodel project over a longer schedule is undoubtedly an act of perseverance and requires your architecture and construction team to be on their planning A-game. Because when you have significant gaps between different project elements, a lot can go wrong without a carefully thought-out plan.
Let’s explore the pros and cons to help you think this through before you phase construction for your home remodel. After that, we will give you our insights on how to make the home remodel phasing route work for you!
Home remodel project phasing: the good stuff
Okay, let us begin this "for or against" showdown with the pros of phasing your home remodel. Thankfully, there is a good list in the “for” column.
Easier to manage budget
Of course, one of the most obvious benefits of phasing the construction of your home remodel is splitting the cost of your entire remodel into smaller, more manageable payouts. This is the perfect option if you are not able to pay the whole cost in a short timeframe, but can save enough every few months (or even years) to finance the work on a job-by-job basis.
More manageable
Remodeling your entire home, or even more than one room, at once can be overwhelming to manage. Perhaps you have young children or you travel for business and do not have time to coordinate the many moving parts of your home remodeling. Breaking it down into smaller bits can give you more flexibility and make it easier to oversee.
Design flexibility
By redesigning your home piece by piece, you have a chance to actually live in the newly remodeled space. Over time, you might realize you do not need a second bathroom upstairs, or perhaps having lived with the new floor in your kitchen, you want to choose a different complimentary tile for the mudroom. Phasing construction gives you the time to think things through.
Less disruption
Having your remodel done at once will rip your house apart, making it seriously disruptive to your life by giving you no option but to move out for a few months–especially with a whole-house remodel.
By phasing your remodeling projects, you will likely be able to keep living in your home for most of the process—by temporarily shifting your living space when needed. However, you may find it less chaotic and stressful to get away for a few days (or weeks!) during demolition work or other major work weeks.
Home remodeling phased approach: the not-so-good stuff
Now that you are excited about the pros of phasing your home remodel, let’s look at the other side of this double-edged sword and dig into the disadvantages of home remodel construction phasing.
1. More expensive
By phasing your home remodel out over more time, you will have to hire and deal with contractors and tradespeople again and again, as each small phased piece of your remodel project comes up.
This sporadic process is more costly over time than scheduling one complete, extended project. Also, your architect will need to develop new plans and your contractors will need to obtain permits and schedule inspections for each project.
When you phase a major remodel out over a year or more, there’s also more risk of creating re-work (and the costs that go with it), by having to remove or replace work done a couple phases earlier. Keep reading for more on that!
2. Takes longer
This one is a given. Prepare yourself for the possibility of waiting months or even years longer than you thought for the work on your home to be finished. Getting work completed in smaller phases means nailing down workers, obtaining permits, and rearranging your home life each and every time—all of which can push your remodel deadlines out further… and be a complete pain in the you-know-what.
Working in phases can also mean dealing with the construction and remodeling schedule issues that need more time to get the work crews, permits, and materials you need. Sometimes it can feel like you’re starting from scratch at every new phase!
3. Remodeling fatigue
When you've had builders, plumbers, electricians, etc., in your house for months, completely upending your home, it can cause what we call "remodeling fatigue." That overwhelming feeling that has you asking yourself, “What was I thinking?!” You start losing motivation and dread having to keep moving your furniture and your family yet again. Not fun.
4. More disruption
Rearranging work, child care, and your living situation to manage each small remodel project can be an absolute nightmare. Over an extended period, all that disruption can be exhausting, especially when it’s all complicated by weather delays, products out of stock, contractors running late, inspections overdue, etc.
5. Increased complexity
Home remodel projects are complex; more complex than meets the eye. So when working in phases, you really have to think things through from the beginning.
Understanding how each part of your home remodel project affects the others will help you plan each phase in the correct order. The last thing you want to do is discover you have to rip something apart that was finished (and paid for) in phase one so you can accommodate a new design element in phase three. Again, keep reading for more on that!
Be prepared for the fact that planning a phased home remodel involves much more upfront and continuous coordination to avoid re-work and design conflicts. If you do not put enough thought into the planning phase, things can get messy and out-of-hand pretty quickly!
You can find more of our insights along with additional ideas about planning a safe and happy home renovation collected in this article by our friends at Porch.com.
Is a phased approach to home remodeling the winner?
Do the pros outweigh the cons for you? What do you need to consider when planning your home remodel design and construction project over time?
Here are the three essential steps we know will help make any phased home remodeling work better:
Budget wisely
Map out every single project you want to get done to make your home remodel a reality. Add up a rough budget for every project – work closely with your architect and your contractor to do this and be honest about your budget limitations and your priorities.
Know your trade-offs, must-haves, and even where you want to splurge. Do not forget to include materials, appliances, and labor costs, account for tax and delivery costs, and add 10 to 20% for unexpected changes or hidden monsters.
Prioritize projects
With guidance from your architect and contractor, you can determine what work you need to complete first. This will be the most important stuff, and often these first projects are about spending where you do not see it – foundation or plumbing repairs, electrical upgrades, insulation, new windows, and so on.
But many times, these are critical to fix or do before moving on to the rest of your home renovation projects. Prioritizing each phase will also ensure you are spending your budget on the essential elements first, giving you time to think through other parts of your project.
Design a master plan
Creating a master plan for your home remodel will involve more design and planning with your architect. Still, investing in a master plan will save you money over time by driving efficiency, minimizing errors or design conflicts, and keeping everyone involved on track and crystal clear about what work they have to do.
Your architect and contractor will work together to have a thorough, phased plan with timelines, budgets, and logical order. Plus, that master plan makes it far more likely you will end up with the result you wanted.
Need expert help phasing your home remodel?
Do you feel a little clearer about phasing (or not phasing) your home remodeling project?
Great, that is just what we wanted!
Have you decided to go ahead with a phased approach but are nervous about the complexity it involves?
Don’t worry! We have your back.
Our talented Studio Z team has great experience working with phased remodeling and home design projects. Through our thoughtfully-designed master plans, we can help you gain clarity on your vision and priorities, work more realistically with your budget, and help you coordinate every element of your grand design through each stage of construction.
At Studio Z, we can help you transform your home into the one you really want (and totally deserve) — one that beautifully reflects your personality, lifestyle, and needs while functioning effortlessly to make everyday life that bit better.
Get in touch with Studio Z today to get started.