Planning a remodel is an extremely important step in getting the results you want at a price that fits into your budget. While poor planning often ends up costing you time and money throughout the project, having a solid, well defined idea and a clear path to its fruition generally leads to a smoother remodel, and makes both you and your contractor happy. If you are thinking of renovating your home in any way, here are some guidelines to make planning your remodeling project easier and more effective.

Solidify Your Ideas: The First Step in Planning a Remodel
Having a clear idea of what you want to accomplish before you hire a contractor is incredibly important. Planning a remodel is a complex task, and wavering on your ideas before, during, or after the project can only spell trouble. Do your homework. If, by the time you start considering which contractor to hire, you have a solid idea of exactly what you want done, you'll not only make the company you hire's job easier, you'll also get more accurate estimates for price and project duration.

Finding a Good Contractor
The next step in planning a remodel is finding a good contractor. There are several ways to go about this task, and each can be successful as long as you follow one simple rule: contact multiple companies before settling on one. Finding a good contractor is not always a walk in the park, and you may have to contact and meet with 5 or 6 companies before you get the right fit. In the end, however, that extra time you spend interviewing, checking references, and examining previous work will pay off.

While in some rural areas, finding a good contractor is simply a matter of glancing through the phonebook, most of us will have to get a little more adventurous to hire the best company for the job, as the number of contractors in the phonebook are numerous, and the ads tell you very little about each company. At ServiceMagic we do our best to make finding a good contractor as convenient as possible, no matter where you live. Here's how:

By putting in a request through ServiceMagic, you'll be matched with local contractors who work in your area. Unlike the phonebook, who'll place an ad by any company wishing to purchase one, we put each of our contractors through a ten-step screening process to weed out the disreputable. Additionally, every homeowner who uses our service has the chance to rate and review the contractor they were matched with; by reading through these reviews, you can get a far better feel for the company that's right for you than the phonebook could ever hope to offer! These reviews don't just make researching an individual company easier, they also provide an extra incentive for every contractor we'll recommend to do a good job every time, avoiding negative feedback and accumulating positive!

Planning a Remodel with Your Contractor
Going into a project with a well defined goal is crucial, but once you have the right contractor on board, it's never a bad idea to ask for advice and suggestions. Your local contractors will have a lot of knowledge that even the most diligent research cannot match. They will know what current items are in high demand for remodels like yours, and they'll also be able to tell you which items or brands tend to perform better in your area and situation. While you might have found plenty of research indicating the superiority of one kind of window or flooring material, your local contractors will have seen these things in action, and will know how well they've performed over time. In many cases, the suggestions your contractor will make about features, fixtures, and layout will save you time and money on your project, so it's a good idea to allow a little flexibility.

Planning a Remodel? Focus on Efficiency!
In addition to having a clear idea, finding a good contractor, and being open to professional suggestions, you should also take energy efficiency into account when entering any renovation. Not only are energy efficient features and fixtures going to save you money on future utility bills, when part of a larger efficiency remodel, they can also qualify you for government incentives to make the cost of your project more justifiable. If you keep efficiency in mind, planning a remodel is a perfect opportunity to prepare your home for the coming decades, and since many experts suggest that the demand for energy efficient features will only increase with time, there's a good chance that eco-friendly remodeling will increase your resale value as well as make your property more marketable!