A major home remodel can transform your home into a more practical, beautiful, and valuable space. However, there are some mistakes that homeowners tend to make that undermine the success of their remodel. Learn about these home remodel mistakes so that you can avoid them for yourself.

1. Making Function Second

It’s easy to get swept away looking at beautiful images. Prioritizing beauty before function may mean you end up with a space that doesn’t work well for your everyday life. One great example is focusing on the look of the kitchen layout instead of the practicality. Your usual kitchen triangle and rectangular kitchen island are popular for a reason: they work. Differ from that too much, so that cooking is a pain, and you’ll end up wanting a remodel to address the issue. Always put function first.

2. Setting the Budget too High is one of the Worst Home Remodel Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make

You want to put a lot in your remodel but maxing out your budget with your initial estimate is a mistake. Ultimately, unexpected costs always crop up regardless of how well you and your contractor plan. You need to set aside a certain percentage of your budget to handle these expenses. The exact percentage depends on your budget and the scope of your project, your contractor should help you make a good decision.

3. Choosing an Inconsistent Style

If you’re ready to live in a completely different style than your current home, you need to adjust every space slightly to make it work. Having a classic living room next to a minimalist kitchen will look odd and can make your home feel disjointed. You’ll ruin “flow,” which you often can’t see in inspirational photos! Minor adjustments to other spaces can help you bridge a style gap. Or, you can inject your current style with new elements to bring it up to date, but not radically change it.

4. Buying into Trends

Having one or two highly trendy elements in your design is fine if you really love those trends. However, you may soon regret leaning into too many trends. You may grow tired of the trends, or they may date your space. Just think of how you now feel about last year’s most popular trends. Overall, focus on options that are classic to your style and bring in the freshest trends only when you’re sure you’ll love them five years down the road. Don’t let your love of trends lead you to costly home remodel mistakes.

5. Ignoring Long-Term Value

You may not plan on selling your house for a long time, but if you might sell it at all, you should have it’s long term value in the back of your mind when making your remodeling decisions. Try not to make major decisions that will limit its value, like removing a bathroom or a bedroom. And, try to focus on adding more value with your changes, making your space feel larger, more practical, and desirable for buyers.

6. Choosing the Wrong Contractor: One of the Most Costly Home Remodel Mistakes You can Make

The quality, beauty, and function of your remodel come down to the contractor that you’re working with. Choose someone who has a track record of creating great results, that you trust. Contact Empire Construction Group today.