There is so much excitement around your renovation. Finally, you’ll address those little things that have been bothering you for years. You’ll scrap that countertop you never liked or add that walk-in pantry you’ve always wanted.
You’ve imagined what your home could be, and now it’s finally going to come to life.
But between now and that beautiful “after,” there’s an entire renovation process. And we believe knowing what to expect makes that process better.
It helps you make decisions with more confidence, and recognize that even the less glamorous stages are simply part of getting there.
So, before you start your full home renovation, here are five things we think every homeowner should know.
Expect the unexpected during your home renovation.
We can plan a renovation incredibly well, but an existing home may still hold a few unknowns. Once we open the walls and remove the finishes, we may discover something we couldn’t have seen during the planning stage.
Sometimes, what’s happening outside your home can impact your renovation. Things like tariffs, material availability, lead times or other unexpected changes can affect your project.
That doesn’t mean the renovation has gone off track. A good process anticipates things you simply can’t predict.
That’s where having an experienced team matters. We know how to assess it, explain your options and help you make the right decision without losing sight of the bigger vision.
You’ll need to get creative during your kitchen renovation.
For a little while, your renovation is going to change how you live in your home – especially with how you use your kitchen.
Depending on the scope of your project, you might find yourself making coffee in the laundry room, setting up a temporary kitchen somewhere else or figuring out where everything goes while your kitchen is out of commission.
It takes creativity, flexibility and a fair amount of takeout to make it work.
The good news is that these temporary adjustments are just that: temporary. And planning for them before construction begins can make day-to-day living feel much easier once work is underway.
Think about your routines and talk to your renovation team about what will and won’t be available during the project. A little preparation goes a long way.
Your home will look worse before it looks better.
There comes a moment during your renovation when you look around, see that you’ve taken your house apart and think, “Why did we do this?”
It’s okay.
Before we add your beautiful new cabinetry, fresh finishes and other details, things have to come apart first. And when you’re standing in the middle of exposed walls, unfinished floors and construction dust, it can be hard to imagine that the construction site in front of you is ever going to become the home in your renderings.
Then, piece by piece, it does.
The walls go back up. Finishes arrive, and lighting goes in. And it will start to feel real again.
The messy middle is simply part of the process.
The final details will take longer than you think.
There comes that point when your home starts to look like a home again. The cabinetry goes in, the flooring is down, and the walls are painted.
And you think that you’re getting so close to the finish line. And then come the details.
Hardware needs to be installed. We need to touch up the paint or adjust the fixtures. Each room has a list of little things that need to happen before it’s truly complete.
And it can feel surprising and frustrating because visually you’re so close. But those final details are worth taking the time to get right. They’re what take your home from almost done to truly finished.
You will love your finished home more than you can imagine.
This is the part that we wish we could bottle up.
There’s the big reveal when you first walk into your finished space and see all those plans, decisions and ideas are finally there in front of you.
But even better are the moments that come later, when you actually start living in your home.
Like the first time you cook in your kitchen and everything is exactly where you need it. Or when you fall into your favourite chair at the end of a long day and realize it’s in just the right spot. Or one of those countless ordinary moments when you look around and realize that this feels like home…your home.
Trust us, you’re going to love it.
Full home renovations in Calgary with Elle Cherie Design
Knowing what to expect can remove much of the uncertainty around your renovation and make the entire experience more exciting.
At Elle Cherie Design, we guide Calgary homeowners through the renovation process with clear planning, thoughtful design and an eye to creating a home you’ll love living in for years to come.
If a full home renovation is in your future, we’d love to hear what you have in mind. Get in touch with our team today to start planning.