Keeping your renovation on budget and on track – Part 2

Renovations – Why most projects go over budget by 50%. Part 2 

Written by: Cassandra Nordell, William Standen Co. for the London Free Press

In part 1, you may have read that over 30% of Canadian kitchen renovation projects exceed their budget by more than 50%! The first issue is that most people do not know where to begin and usually start making purchases before they have a solid plan in place. Nasty surprises can arise from not having a detailed design and construction plan.

There are numerous factors that make up a successful kitchen project and jumping into it can be scary. It will most certainly end up costing you more than you expected in the end, but planning ahead is key to reducing worry.

Don’t get overwhelmed. 

When you hire a professional designer every detail of your project will be accounted for and specified ahead of time. A designer is not a sales representative and is there to help you make informed decisions. They are not on commission.

Benefits of a qualified designer:

• A qualified designer will ensure that your project is priced within the value of your home, making sure that your investment does not lose you money if you have to sell your home.
• They will properly design and lay everything out based on building codes, access guidelines, electrical requirements, safety, cooking patterns and overall functionality.
• Maximize your space no matter how small you think your room is.
• Consider appliances, sizing, function, features, how they work for your needs and what the electrical and cabinet requirements around them.
• Prompt you to think about hardware and accessories such as pendant lights, towel bars, grab bars, etc.
• Offer you flooring choices, figure out how they work for your needs, what your current flooring situation is.
• They’ll question if you need to re-locate plumbing and electrical. A qualified designer will understand how to re-locate these things.
• They’ll have you consider if you’re planning on removing a wall. Can it be removed, how will it be removed and what are the needs of taking it down?
• They will present a professional lighting plan so that your new space is accurately lit.

Consider This:

• Did you pay your designer? If not, they may be on commission with the initial priority of selling you products for their “free” design.
• A qualified designer does not work for free
• Once you have your new floor plan and all of your design details you will be able to get an accurate cost on ALL items before beginning demolition of your space.

The cost of a qualified designer is a small price to pay compared to the thousands of dollars you plan to invest into your home. If you are investing any amount into your home, spending the money up front on a designer will save you thousands of dollars in the end by eliminating surprises and things you may not have thought about.

QUALIFIED DESIGNER CHECKLIST:

• 7+ years of full-time residential interior, kitchen & bath industry experience, as well as construction, mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems.
• A minimum 4 years College or University education as well as ongoing professional development programming.
• A pass on a rigorous exam testing academic knowledge and practical skills.
• Do they have their NCIDQ, BCIN, Bachelor Degree from a minimum of a 4-year program, CKD, or CBD?
• Are they insured?
• An expert on planning guidelines & access standards, which recognizes the importance of consumer health, safety and welfare.
• Must be up on current local building codes, safety and environmental regulations, and the wealth of new products.
• Must be skilled at assessing consumers’ individual needs and wants, while creating designs that meet and exceed these requirements.

Cassandra Nordell is the Co-Founder of William Standen Co. & Nordell Homes, based in Sarnia and London Ontario. Cassandra is an award-winning entrepreneur and designer. Her design work has been featured on HGTV Canada as well as been published in countless magazines, both international and domestic. For more information on working with Cassandra & her team visit www.williamstanden.com/contact