When you want to renovate your condo, there are important factors you should consider to get the best results and greatest value from the project. We’ve put together a list to help you get your project started on the right foot. When you’re ready to renovate your home, contact Golden Bee Homes for a consultation. Our award-winning specialists will help you transform your condo, from initial design to the final walkthrough.
Consult Your Condo Board and/or Owners’ Association
You rarely have the same freedom when renovating a condo as you do with a house. However, you can still get gorgeous results with some creative planning to work within the parameters of your condo board or owners’ association. Some condos limit construction to certain days at certain times. Others are strict about permitted materials. You may or may not have to obtain approval or a permit for the project. Understanding all this at the start is essential to prevent stressful mishaps later!
Determine Your Audience & Your Budget
It’s essential to have a clear idea of what you’re comfortable spending, as it sets the boundaries for what will be possible. A thousand dollars could likely buy all the paint you’d need for a DIY transformation, but it wouldn’t go far toward a professional kitchen and bathroom renovation.
Consider why you’re renovating and who your intended audience is. Are you planning to put the condo on the market soon or start renting it out? In this case, your renovation should include popular styles and updates that will add rental or resale value. You want to make choices that will give you a good return on investment within a shorter span of time.
If this renovation is about getting personal enjoyment out of your home, plan for what would make you happy. However, it would be wise to avoid extreme choices that only someone exactly like you would appreciate, unless you aren’t bothered by the thought of losing money on resale in the future.
Work With Renovation Professionals
Once you know your budget and goals for the renovation, it’s time to hire professional builders to make your vision a reality. When renovating a condo under construction rules and limitations, it’s wise to work with a designer and not just a contractor. You’ll need help organizing construction to fit within association parameters and problem-solving and creative thinking to achieve your desired results.
Meet With Your Designer On-Site
Before starting construction or even planning for it, a designer must check out your space and evaluate if and how your ideas will work there. This can be done on-site or virtually, depending on your builder. Some design elements you want may not be possible, and a designer needs to get to know your space to tell you that. They can inform you if a wall you want to knock down is load-bearing and can’t be removed without collapsing the ceiling.
Ask Lots of Questions and Stay Open
When something you want isn’t possible, ask your designer for alternate ideas that might provide a similar look. For example, you may be able to construct a large archway through that load-bearing wall, creating the impression of open space without moving the wall.
Our Process Gives Customers Confidence
At Golden Bee Homes, our team of designers, architects, tradespeople, engineers, and artisans collaborate with clients on every project, remaining transparent throughout. From our first on-site or virtual meeting to our discussion of expectations, outlining the work, then preparing plans, drawings, and a detailed budget, we make sure you feel good at every step before moving on to the next.
Our mission is to make your custom condo renovation a reality. Call 416-495-8282 or contact us online to learn more about our process.
