somewhatperplexed's Profile

A lot of sound advice here! Following all of these steps will certainly help ensure a smooth reno. If I could add one more I would say make sure the contractor gets permits where required, especially if it is an extensive reno.

I have found that some contractors will offer a discount if you do not get permits. This is not really designed to help you. I have found several contractors will cut corners when they know nobody is coming from the building department to look over their shoulder.

Some people want to avoid getting re-assessed due to a renovation and will avoid permits for that reason. It has been my experience that this will often cost you more in the long run when you end up correcting the issues that should never have happened in the first place. Certainly making sure you have a contractor with a strong reputation helps avoid this problem but even that is no guaranty and most issues will not come to light until after the contractor is paid and on to the next one.....

I like the advice, I actually did something very similar for my apartment. The only difference was that i used a piece of graph paper with the 1/4" blocks and made one block equal to 1 foot. Your system seems better as it is a larger scale.

I am curious how you would begin the planning process in terms of picking furnishings. Would you design a layout with the ideal scale of furniture to fit the layout then go and find furniture that fits, or would you start off with a few pieces then build the rest of your layout around it?