Whether you’re prepping your home for the market, renovating the home you recently purchased OR upgrading your existing home, our tips can help ensure your satisfaction and sanity with the end results!

• Plan Ahead and Remember the Big Picture
  Making product selections early can prevent delays later. Proper planning can also help keep you on budget.
• Don’t Over-Improve
  Ask your REALTOR for listings of comparable homes so you can determine if it makes sense to invest as much as you are considering. This is especially important if you expect to sell in the near future.
• Find Good Help
  Interview several contractors for each part of the job and look for those with at least three years related experience. Also, check references and ask to visit a current work site to make sure it’s safe and well organized.
• Insist on a Detailed Contract and Timeline
  Don’t jump into a remodeling project without a contract and be certain it includes your correct address, a start date, a completion date and a detail of what the project is to entail.
• Know What You’re Getting Into … Noise, Dust, Delays and Inconvenience!
  You’ll most likely encounter unexpected snags, delays and the inevitable inconveniences that come from living in a construction zone. SO, be prepared for them!
• Pitch a Temporary Camp
  It can’t get much worse than living without a kitchen for weeks on end. Minimize inconvenience by setting up a temporary one away from the construction area. Include a refrigerator and microwave oven, so you can continue to make light meals at home.
• Safeguard Your Children and Your Pets
  Be sure to install child-safety gates and make certain that sharp tools are stored out of reach of little hands. Chaos of a home under renovation can be stressful for the human occupants of the house, let alone our four-legged furry friend. This is especially true based on noise levels and when doors are continuously opened throughout the project to bring tools and materials in and out. Consider having your pet visit a family member or doggie day-care during the project.
• Pack Away Your Valuables and Photograph Every Room
  Take down pictures, move vases and pack away valuables before any work begins. Take steps to protect your immovable fixtures, built-in cabinets and chandeliers. Photographing each room prior to the start of your project is also recommended.
• Communicate Effectively and Frequently with Your Contractor
  This is especially important if you’re not satisfied as problems can be resolved easier during construction rather than trying to get them fixed later.
• Conduct a Careful Inspection BEFORE Final Payment – No further explanation is needed!

We hope you found this post to be helpful, informative and interesting … Check out our Trusted Vendors for your next home improvement project. Thinking of SELLING or BUYING a home in the Spring Hill, Brooksville, Weeki Wachee or the Hernando Beach areas of Hernando County, Florida? Visit www.GailSellsFloridaHomes.com to explore our state-of-the-art MLS Map Search Feature where BUYERS can SEARCH MLS listings and SELLERS can SEE what their competition is doing!

Until then… it’s all about YOU!