Home improvments question.?

Question

We just brought a home. It has a brand new apartment which we are living in while we work on the rest of the house that we plan on living in.
We need but already have new appliances for our kitchen,new counters, a new toilet and sink in the bathroom, installation in the open walls in the spare bedroom,new front door,updated electric and to finish the basement(wall, electric flooring) and then painting. We are not in a rush we are ok with out a teneant for a few months. So my question is how do we prioritize what gets done first.Do we demo everything that goes first or work room by room? Any good web sites we can refer to for simple explanations? I have major back injury how can I help my husband without hurting myself?
Thanks for the help

Answer 1

Generally, There is no clean cut answer to your question. You should start with a good solid plan (Blue Print or written) to follow throughout the project, something written in stone that you are happy with and will NOT deviate from. Then basically you do all the demo, reframe all, mechanical (HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical), followed by drywall, and finishes. It would be a huge scheduling mistake, and potential disaster to work room by room since you have living space separate. Your contractors will give you better pricing if they can do all their work in large blocks.

Answer 2

First make some rules for yourself to avoid further back injury....stick to them no matter what! Only do one room at a time. Start at the top of the house and work down. Only do one room at a time. When working in a room you need to start at the top and work to the bottom. (for example, do the ceiling and crown molding BEFORE you put new flooring or carpent in). Be realistic...it will take you longer than you think and it will cost you more than you expected. Keep up with dust & dirt as you make it. Prevent the air return from the furnance and air conditioning from sucking in the dust in the air to circulate through the entire house. I have a 5,000 sq ft house and it has taken 4 yrs You don't want to know how much we have spent. You always find an unexpected problem if you go too deep with your remodeling. I hope you can work on it as a hobby rather than I have to get this all done in 8 weeks. The home improvement shows can stimulate your interest and provide tips and pointers.
My response is based on the owner doing the work instead of hiring others.
Good Luck!!! that is my "best answer"!

Answer 3

Bring in a reputable Union contractor from your area and let the pro's handle it. It'll take less time , and considering you have a major back problem, sounds like your husband will be doing almost all the work. This is not something that someone who does not have alot of experience will want to tackle. This is alot of hard work. In the long run you'll be glad that you had it done and done right the first time around.

Answer 4

In your best interest, demo it all and get it done. If you try to do room by room, you will be living a nightmare for a long time. Contractors are better able to give you a good price when they can get in and just do it. It's best to have them do it especially if you are not experienced in home renovations and especially if one of you has serious health issues. The quicker you can get the reno finished, the sooner you can recoup costs by renting your apartment space.