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THRESHOLD d e s I g n g r o u p I n c.

We Want to Renovate Our Home, What’s Next?

1. Establish your Budget If you don’t have money, then you just have a fantasy. Meet with your Lender first, establish a budget and a contingency fund. If you are renovating your existing home that you’re in, find out what your home is worth. Determine the value of the most expensive home in your immediate area. If that home is worth say $800 thousand, and your home is worth $600 thousand, then you should be looking at spending about $180 thousand leaving a 10% contingency buffer.

2. Taking on the Wrong Project No matter how organized or experienced you are, renovating is a stressful and time-consuming process, so unless a project is guaranteed to give you either your dream home, or make you money, you are taking on the wrong property. Whether you are thinking of renovating your own home, or are looking to buy a place to renovate, assess the property’s potential and have a clear idea of your goals: are you looking to create a long-term home, to climb the housing ladder, or just to get as much space as you can afford? Unless you plan to live in the property for the foreseeable future, you should make sure that you will be able to resell it should you need to, and at least break even.

3. Buying without an Engineer’s Report Don’t wait to discover moisture problems, rot, or other major structural defects until it is too late. Find out as much about a property as possible before you buy, or before you start any work. A building inspection, undertaken by a Structural Engineer will provide information on the type of construction and materials used, will give details of any defects found, their remedy and may give an indication of the likely cost.

4. Removing Period Details

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Removing original period windows and exterior doors can destroy a period property’s character, and its value, unless they are sympathetically replaced. Authentic replicas are expensive, so always consider repair as a first option. Cheaper, off-the shelf joinery is rarely appropriate and is unlikely to fit the original openings and so will look wrong. If the original external joinery has already been removed, research neighboring properties or books to find appropriate styles. Avoid modern hybrid products, such as front doors with built-in fanlights. Try and observe the techniques and materials used in the building’s

original construction and try to repair, or replace, on a like-for-like basis. Internally, try and preserve original doors, hardwood floors, fireplaces and plaster moldings if they are still intact. Most features are not purely decorative, but also have a practical purpose, either structural or cosmetic, and removal is only likely to necessitate an alternative solution. Conservation can be is cost efficient and ecological.

5. Making Piecemeal Additions Do not renovate your property by making small, half-hearted additions, as and when money allows. It is common to find an old home that has had several small extensions added, on an almost room-by-room basis, with flat roofs, lean-tos, boxy conservatories, and other carbuncles bolted onto every elevation. Such additions eventually cripple a property, both in its ability to function as a home with a fluid layout, and in terms of value.




Difficult though it is, it is often best to take a step or two backwards before moving forwards, by demolishing such additions and taking the building back to its original form before extending and remodeling. Unfortunately, sometimes this previous legacy of improvements has added just enough value to make their removal painful. Painful only because you feel you are destroying something of value. In most cases these amateur additions or renovations detract from the function and value of the property instead of adding to the property.




6. Evaluate Existing Space Before making plans to add an extension to your renovation project, consider how you can use the existing space. There are many measures that will help to make a property feel more spacious and which will add to its value, yet which cost a fraction of the price of an addition. Think about converting the attic, garage, and basement. Often the best solution is found by removing a wall or converting a space into a new use.

7. Moisture Problems Solving moisture problems is one of the most important tasks for any renovation project, but sometimes well-intended improvements can inadvertently create new moisture problems. Old homes "breath", meaning they are not build air tight as a new homes are. As an old home is renovated the home often becomes much more air tight which can lead to other issues. An air exchange often has to be installed to compensate for this new construction as dictated by the building code. Aa well all areas of a home should be insulated to the new standard to ensure no moisture or mold issues arise from uneven insulation values or air leakage.




8. Taking on Too Much DIY Undertaking work yourself can allow you to control costs and quality, but don’t be over-ambitious and plan to do more work than you really have time – or the skill – to undertake successfully. You could end up slowing the whole project down and living in a building site for years, which can in turn lead to family conflicts and potentially to accidents. Bad DIY will also cost you dearly, slowing down the other trades, wasting materials, sometimes causing work to be done twice, and ultimately devaluing the property if it is not put right. You can get so tied up in DIY work that you lose focus on running the project and keeping up with decisions. Most contractors won’t admit this, but they do not like home owners doing DIY involvement because it usually makes their job much more difficult, hence they may increase their fees to offset their extra work in accommodating a DIY situation.

9. Working in the Wrong Order A typical hierarchy of work for the renovation of a derelict property is as follows:ARCHITECTURAL FEASIBILITY STUDY: meet with a design professional to do a feasibility study to analyze and developing a master plan to see if the building is even worth renovating, and if it will meet your needs, budget etc. There is no point in moving forward if the structure is a money pit or after all your time, and money you still have not met your needs.




Some general guidelines of how to proceed if you have determined the project is feasible:ENGINEERS INSPECTION: If it meets your proposed architectural requirements then have an Engineer inspect the building and give a report with work required to secure and make safe the structure.ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS: Before work begins sit down and develop your wants and needs list to establish your end goal. Everyone working on any project needs to know what the end goal and vision is. So that everyone can work towards those same goals that have been layed out on paper. Once your vision is developed and on paper, in simple design drawings, you should then talk to and select a builder. It is important to bring the builder in early so they can be a part of the process, giving input to design decisions from their perspective. The builder will give valuable input into costs and the total budget. Once all three are in agreement, the designer can then develop all drawings further into construction documents which the builder / contractor can give you precise estimates because the work and goals are clearly defined. The contractor is usually the person who is responsible to apply for and obtain building permits.STOP FURTHER DECAY: Keep out the elements. Take out buildings insurance, including public liability.STABILIZE THE BUILDING: Follow the Engineers report to make the site safe to work on. This might mean underpinning or piling work to stabilize existing foundations, the insertion of steel tension rods or ties to stop lateral spread, or the insertion of steel props, beams or scaffold to prevent further collapse before repairs.STRIP BACK AND SALVAGE WHAT CAN BE REUSED: Salvage anything of value and store for reuse or sell on via eBay or a salvage yard.UNDERTAKE MAJOR BUILDING WORK: Build or replace any roofs, walls, floors or extensions. Carry out any re-pointing, removal of old fuel tanks, removal of stucco/siding, chemical treatments, aspestos, insulation etc.MAKE THE SHELL WEATHER TIGHT: Once the roof structure is complete, the structure should be made weather tight, which can also include exterior air barrier if possible. Exterior doors and windows should be installed, or covered with boards.FIRST: Build internal stud walls, undertake to fix replace plumbing and electrical, fix floorboards, door linings, window reveals and sills, install interior insulation, vapor barrier. Depending on the time of year, the heating system may also be a high priority before the next stage.RE-PLASTER/REPAIR PLASTER or DRYWALL: Apply plasterboard/dry-lining to walls and ceilings, or repair any damaged plaster or drywall as required. SECOND: Complete all painting, staining and tiling. Lay wood flooring, stone or tiled floors, hang doors, and install light fixtures. Install the bathroom fixtures, kitchen cabinets and any other millwork.




10. Making Unsafe Structural Alterations Removing structural elements such as load-bearing walls, chimney breasts, lintels, columns, piers or buttresses, or cutting out roof timbers without compensating for the alteration can lead to disaster. The building may not collapse – although this is not unheard of – but it will lead to major movement in the building, followed by all manner of problems, from stuck windows and doors to warped floors and partial collapse of walls, roof or chimney stack. An experienced builder will be able to identify which components are structural and how to compensate for their removal. The building inspector will want to know of any changes and how you propose to deal with them. We most often engage our structural engineer to review and give us advice on how to proceed.

11. Living on Site during the Major Renovation Living on site can offer many advantages such as improved security, being on hand for weekend or out of hours deliveries, being available for early site meetings, being able to keep an eye on the work, or having the project close to hand for those working on a DIY basis. The downside is that the project is always there and you cannot escape it, which can become oppressive. It is best to move out at least while the major work is being




undertaken, such as major demolition or construction, especially if you have children or pets. If you cannot move out, try and isolate the construction work from your living space using plastic sheeting carefully taped up, by avoiding knocking through to connect new and existing parts until you are ready to paint drywall, and by making sure the builders have separate washroom facilities, and access to water.

12. Leaving Builders to Make Decisions Renovating involves making countless decisions, from which improvements to make and the choice of fixtures and fittings, down to the route for new services such as plumbing, or how details should be finished off. Many of these decisions need to be made quickly if they are not to hold up work, and so you need to allow time for this, based on what will be the most practical and aesthetically pleasing solution. Engage the Design professional’s expertise, retain them to meet on site in order to monitor the construction and to guide the builder along with all his subcontractors. Many homeowners take on this responsibility themselves, usually in the hope of saving money. Every trade on site has an opinion of what you the home owner should do, they will invariably suggest the homeowner do whatever is easiest and quickest for them, this happens all the time, and this can look awful. The trouble is, once the work is done, you have to pay twice if you later want to make changes and the builders will hate you for it as well. A good builder should warn you well in advance of the decisions that they need you to make. Meet with your Designer on site and listen to their advice, let the builder do what they do best…build, and the architect or designer do what they do best …make design decisions.

13. Ignoring the Landscape Don’t forget to leave some money in your renovation budget for landscaping the garden and forming the drive and paths. If you are renovating a long-term home you can leave this until time and money allow, but if you are planning to sell, an incomplete garden can have a serious impact on resale value, no matter how nicely the property is renovated.

14. Getting Carried Away With Fixtures and Finishes As you reach the second stage of the project, it is easy to think you are on the home stretch, under budget, and that you can start splashing out on designer bathrooms, taps, expensive handmade tiles, luxury showers, high end lighting fixtures, etc. The trouble is you probably still have a third of your budget to go, and you can easily run out of money. Keep track of your budget throughout the project and always have an idea of how much you have left. If you do underspend, or you have




budgeted for high-quality finishes, then no problem, but do not end up running out of money needed to pay for work or bills still to come.

15. Doing projects out of sequence There is nothing more costly for a remodeling project than doing the same project twice due to poor planning and improper project sequencing. Don’t redo the landscaping and add a deck when you are planning an addition next year. Usually people do projects as they can afford them — maybe windows this year and new deck next year. There is nothing wrong with this idea as long as you have a master plan you are working toward. For instance, we hate it when clients come to us wanting a home remodel only to find out they just replaced all their windows. Windows are expensive and have a huge impact on the architectural design of a house. Working around the new windows is going to limit the design. Often clients end up at least having to pay to remove and re-install some of the windows, and some end up having to buy new windows again to match the style or size of their new renovated home. Start with an architectural plan, ultimately it may save you a lot of money.

16. Blowing the budget The client who stays within a budget is the client who plans ahead. The more detailed the project plans are, the more accurate the bids and the more realistic the budget. Making all the selections of finishes and equipment prior to commencing construction will allow you to get the big picture and consider the complete cost of the project. In addition, we recommend reserving 10 percent of the proposed budget as a contingency for the unexpected challenges of a remodeling project. Architects and engineers do the best they can to anticipate potential issues, but it is only when you cut into the walls, floors and ceiling that you know the whole story.

17. Gutting too soon We cringe when we see someone decide they want to remodel and start tearing down walls without a plan. First, the planning stage takes weeks or even months. It may be three to six months from initial project inception before permits are secured and construction can begin. If you are overly excited about beginning the project, you may end up living in a construction zone far longer than you need to or be faced with rebuilding walls you could have saved when you took a sledgehammer to your house without a plan. We have seen this happen more times than we can count, so slow down and plan first.




18. Overbuilding for the neighborhood Overbuilding occurs when homeowners sink too much money into a house when either the market, architectural style, or the location, (or all three) cannot support the extent of the remodeling project. In an attempt to recapture their remodeling costs when selling, homeowners then price themselves out of their market. It is wise to consider how your remodeling choices will affect your future resale potential. It is best to consult a real estate agent in the planning stage of your remodel to ask three questions:

1. What realistic value would the Realtor place on your house "as is"?2. What is the price range of homes that are selling in your area?3. After your proposed renovation, what will your property be worth?

We trust this guide will help you to make better informed decisions regarding your next project. Should you want to discuss your project further we would be happy to meet with you.




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