Your current home, for whatever reason, no longer meets the needs of you and your family. You’ve weighed the pros and cons of move vs improve, and you’ve come to a decision. Regardless of which decision you’ve made, one thing is for certain – a change is needed.
What’s your next step?
You’re going to need to make sure that you are financially able to make the changes that you want, so schedule a meeting with your bank or financial advisor. If you’re moving, it’s a great idea to have 2 or 3 Realtors in to give you a current market evaluation of your home so you know how much equity you have to work with. Many Realtors offer this as a free service, so make sure you get more than one opinion.
Go through your current home and make notes. What works? What doesn’t? What do you really like and want to retain in your new design?
What is something that you don’t have that you’d really like to in your new space? Maybe your renovation will be a straightforward finished basement, or maybe you’re thinking of adding a second story to your bungalow. Renovations can be simple or complex, but unless you’re a builder or contractor yourself, you’re going to need the help of professionals such as a general contractor, licensed plumbers, and electricians, and a designer, such as an Architectural Technologist [link to definition Arch Tech] to help put it all together.
Your wishlist will need to be fluid. Many factors can affect what you’ll be able to have in your finished design; including space restrictions, design restrictions, municipal by-laws, and overall cost. Prioritize your list into things you NEED and things that you WANT. You may need to give up one of your less important WANT items to make a must have NEED item work in the overall plan.
For a renovation, it’s your designers’ job to take your wish list, and, along with plans of your current home, design the changes to your home that best incorporate your needs.
Starting from Scratch
A custom home allows for greater freedom when working with your wishlist, but also brings with it additional considerations such as the expense of purchasing land, preparing it for building and the length of time it can take from construction start to move-in. And, you’ll still need that flexibility between your NEEDS and WANTS in order to make the overall design functional and within your budget.
When the construction dust finally settles, you’ll have a brand-new home that’s uniquely yours – designed with your family’s needs in mind (and, of course, an eye toward future resale!).
Whichever route your wishlist takes you, it’s important to assemble a team of industry professionals to take your dream from wish to reality.
Darryl M. Kennedy M.A.A.T.O. B.C.Q., is the founder and president of Cornerstone Drafting and Design Est. 1994. Serving Durham Region, The GTA, Kawartha Lakes, Port Hope, and surrounding areas.
Darryl has been involved in various capacities of the residential construction industry since 1986.
905-433-4621 | info@cornerstonedrafting.ca | @cornerstonedrafting | https://www.linkedin.com/in/darryl-kennedy-8442177/
