Most renovations that go sideways don’t fail on demo day. They fail in the weeks before it, when a couple collects a few contractor quotes, picks one, and plans to figure out the design once the walls come down.
We see it often in established neighborhoods across Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Milton and Cumming. The house works. It just looks its age. There are honey oak cabinets, Tuscan granite and a primary bath that hasn’t changed since 1999. You know it’s time, and you’ d like to do it once and do it well.
If you’ re planning a home renovation in North Atlanta, these are the five things we’ d recommend settle before hiring anyone for the job. These apply whether you’ re updating a kitchen, a set of bathrooms or the whole first floor.
1. Decide how long you’ re staying
A renovation for a home you’ll sell in two years and one for a home you’ll live in for fifteen are two very different renovations.
If you’re likely to sell within a year or two, focus on updates buyers notice first. Think lighting, paint, fixtures, flooring and countertops, in finishes that appeal to a wide range of people.
If you’re staying, design around how you live now and how you’ll live later. Kids heading to college, parents moving in, working from home and aging in place all change what a house needs. A curbless shower or a wider doorway costs far less to plan now than to retrofit later.
Before you call anyone, sit down together and answer three questions.
• Who will live here five years from now?
• How much involvement do you want?
• What is the high and low end of investment you are comfortable with?
2. Finish the design before you collect bids
When three contractor quotes come back wildly different, it’s usually because each contractor priced a different renovation in their head. One assumed basic tile. Another assumed stone. A third left a vague allowance and planned to sort it out later through change orders.
When the design and selections are finished first, every contractor prices the same plan. You can compare their numbers fairly, change orders drop, and the schedule they give you is based on real products.
Whether it’s a kitchen remodel or full first floor, a finished design should include these things:
• A measured floor plan and wall elevations
• Cabinet layout, door style and hardware
• Every finish selected, including tile, stone, paint and flooring
• Plumbing fixtures and appliances with exact model numbers
• A lighting plan that shows fixture locations and switching
The City of Johns Creek even runs a homeowner workshop on choosing a general contractor, and one of its topics is whether to go design-build or designer-then-contractor. It’s a decision worth making on purpose.
3. Set aside a real contingency budget (Very important)
Homes built between 1995 and 2010 are good houses, but they keep secrets. Once the walls and floors open up, it’s common to find water damage under an old shower pan, wiring that needs updating, or framing that isn’t where anyone expected.
We recommend a contingency of 10 to 20 percent of the construction budget. Lean toward the higher end if you’re opening a lot of walls or doing a bathroom remodel in Johns Creek’s older neighborhoods, where original plumbing is still common.
Treat that money as untouchable for upgrades. It’s there for surprises, not for a nicer faucet. Decide ahead of time who approves spending it, so nothing stalls while you wait for an answer.
4. Know who owns the schedule
Renovations stall in the gaps between people. The designer is waiting on a sample, the contractor is waiting on the designer, a vanity is backordered, and nobody tells you until the plumber shows up with nothing to install.
Before you sign anything, know exactly who is accountable for the design, the budget and the timeline. Ask your contractor who will be on site each day, how often you’ll get updates, and what happens when an order runs late.
When it comes to hiring a contractor in Georgia, a few checks protect you.
• Confirm the state license. Georgia requires a state contractor license for residential work over $2,500, and you can look up any license on the Georgia Secretary of State’s verification site.
• Ask for proof of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
• Call references from homes they finished in the last year, not five years ago.
• Make sure the contractor pulls the permits.
• Tie payments to finished milestones, and be cautious of anyone who wants full payment upfront.
5. Order long-lead items before demo day
The most avoidable renovation stress is living without a kitchen while you wait for tile. Custom cabinetry, special-order tile and stone, plumbing fixtures and appliances can take weeks or months to arrive. Order them as soon as the design is approved. Have them delivered, opened and checked for damage before demolition starts, then store them in the garage until the crew needs them.
This one step often shortens the stretch your home is torn apart by weeks.
The order that works
If you want a simple renovation planning checklist, this is the sequence we follow.
1. Decide your goals and how long you’re staying
2. Finish the design and every selection
3. Collect bids from licensed contractors on the same plans
4. Order long-lead items first
5. Pull permits and set the schedule
6. Demolition and construction
7. Installation, punch list and final walkthrough
Most renovations that run long and over budget skipped a step or did them out of order.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire an interior designer or a contractor first? Bring in the designer first, or hire a team that does both. When the design and selections are finished before you collect bids, every contractor prices the same renovation and you can compare their numbers fairly.
How much contingency should I set aside for a home renovation? Plan on 10 to 20 percent of the construction budget. Homes built between 1995 and 2010 often hide water damage, outdated wiring or framing surprises that only show up once walls are opened.
Does a renovation contractor in Georgia need a license? Yes. Georgia requires a state contractor license for residential work valued over $2,500. You can check a license on the Georgia Secretary of State’s verification site before you sign.
Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen or bathroom in Johns Creek or Alpharetta? Usually yes when the work moves plumbing, changes electrical or touches walls. Your licensed contractor should pull the permits with your city before work begins.
Can we live at home during a kitchen renovation? Most families do. Set up a small temporary kitchen in another room, and order long-lead items before demolition so the stretch without a kitchen stays as short as possible.
Planning a major renovation? Bring us in early.
The best time to call a designer is before the first contractor walks through your door. House Proud Avenue is an interior designer in Cumming, GA creating warm modern interiors for homes across Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Milton and Suwanee, and we take on a select number of projects each season.
If you’re planning a home renovation in North Atlanta and want one team accountable from the first sketch to the final walkthrough, tell us about your home. We’ d love to hear what you have in mind.
