The phases of a renovation project occur in a specific, yet somewhat fluid, sequence. If a component happens out of order, it can potentially result in significant costs - both time and money. For example, say you schedule your electrical contractor before your HVAC contractor. The electrician may unintentionally run wiring through a joist cavity that will later be necessary for a heating duct. This will result in either calling the electrician back or finding another (potentially more expensive) route for the duct - it is much easier for the electrician to adjust where wires are run than for the heating and cooling contractor to adjust where ducts are placed.

If you hire a general contractor, he or she will take responsibility for scheduling issues and minimize any conflict between the subcontractor trades.

The graphic timeline to the right shows the general order of a gut renovation project from financing through move-in. Remember, of course, that each project is individual – not every renovation will include all these phases (and some will include more). Some people experienced in renovation may have systems and procedures that differ from what you see here. However as a general rule, bigger and more independent tasks are completed before detailed and flexible tasks. Arrows indicate the length of the phase and arrows that overlap indicate phases that can typically occur concurrently.

Click on the image to the right or on the link below to download a readable (and printable) PDF version of the graphic renovation timeline.

This mini "book" will follow the process of moving a small bungalow from a non-conforming lot to a new parcel. There will be a two-bedroom addition and the house will undergo a full renovation as part of this process.

Four primary factors influenced the decision to relocate the home:

• Non-Conforming Lot. The house sits on a "non-conforming" lot and is a "public nuisance". Something had to be done with it, and the City was not all about having it rehabilitated on site.

• Cost of Demolition or Repair. The potential cost of demolition or repairing the existing foundation were almost equivalent to the cost of moving it.
• Historic Character. The structure is listed as a contributing resource in Des Moines' West Ninth Streetcar historic district.
• Impact on Adjacent Values. The adjacent home is under renovation. It was necessary to control this property one way or another. If we demolished the house, the acquisition cost would have to be "absorbed" into the rehabilitation of the adjacent home.

Moving a home is not as easy as one might think (did you think it would be easy?).

This spreadsheet was developed to assist in the cost estimating and budgeting phase of a renovation project. If there is additional information you think should be included on this spreadsheet, or if you have other questions, please fill out the Contact Form.

Download this file by clicking on the link below.

Welcome to the RenovateDSM.com Renovation Guide!

This online "book" is intended to provide background information to people who are either exploring renovation for the first time or looking for a fresh point of view on the residential renovation process. Those who are undertaking smaller-scale projects such as a kitchen remodel, addition, or deck, may still find a lot of useful information.

Windows are one of the character defining elements of a historic structure. When you are applying for historic tax credits (or your structure is located in a local historic district), you may be required to retain and repair your existing historic windows.

This document discusses the various scenarios and how the replacement versus repair question will be evaluated by the reviewer.

Being Neighborly Part of Plan - Des Moines Register article, February 7, 2008.

The Des Moines Register published a wonderful story about Jack Daugherty's renovation project in the Union Park neighborhood. Daugherty, a project manager with Koester Construction, purchased and renovated the house next door to the one he and his family live in.

Daugherty... expects to make little if any profit from the sale.

He never intended the project to be about money.

You will want to gather as much information as you can from potential contractors before making your decision. The potential contractor should walk through the project with you - this is your opportunity to assess the contractor’s experience, work ethic, and personal demeanor.

Congratulations! You are finally ready to move in.

Well, not quite yet. Before you start moving your belongings in, and certainly before you issue the last payment to your contractor, you need to perform a detailed walkthrough and prepare a "punchlist" for your contractor. Renovation is a complex business and there are many opportunities for things to get overlooked, particularly in the final stages as the pressure mounts to complete your project. The punchlist may be your last opportunity to get timely work out of your contractor - once you have approved the final payment and received the final lien waiver, your options become much more restricted.

A punchlist is simply a list of items (these items must be either specifically included or reasonably implied in the contract, of course) that the contractor needs to complete prior to receiving the final payment. You may want to prepare the punchlist with the assistance of your contractor. That way, you can ask questions and make sure that you are on the same page.

There is a saying in the renovation business: "Good, fast, and cheap - pick two." Many renovation tasks abide by this rule of tradoffs where you have determine what your priorities are for a specific task.

For example, take drywall mudding and taping. This is a labor intensive task that requires some amount of skill and/or effort to do well.

At some point during the architectural design process, it will be time to start locating a general contractor and/or subcontractors to perform required work. By this time, you should have already decided whether you will serve as general contractor or hire a general contractor to manage the project. If you are hiring a general contractor, there are two approaches.

In no particular order, here are some key things to look for as you select an architect for your renovation project. You should decide on the relative priority of these issues before interviewing architects.

• Experience with your project type – Architects that focus on new commercial development may not have the specific expertise to take on a historic renovation.

In many cases (and for a variety of reasons) an owner or contractor may want to deviate from the architectural drawings. Some common reasons include discovery of an unforeseen condition, availability of certain products or materials, design changes, and feasibility. In some cases this deviation will cost additional money due to increased time or materials cost to the contractor. It is also possible that the change will result in a savings to the owner.

As the owner of a building under renovation, you have to decide how much day-to-day control you want to have in the process. It is particularly natural for someone who is new to the renovation process to adopt a lassaiz-faire approach. There is a whole new language to learn, and it can be difficult and intimidating to question a contractor or design professional until you truly understand an issue.

A general contractor is someone you hire to coordinate a home improvement project. Although most will take on any sort of project, they are normally used for bigger projects or in cases where there are multiple projects to be completed. Traditionally general contractors will have some workers on their payroll to handle demolition, carpentry, electric, plumbing, and other basics; for everything else they will hire various subcontractors, or "subs" (the balance of subs to staff varies). Often times, they will have a relationship with certain subs that they know and trust.

It takes an especially dedicated person to live in a house while it is being renovated. If you intend to do this, you must have a minimum set of working facilities such as bathroom and kitchen in order to occupy a residence. Since most gut rehabs take between 6-12 months to acquire, finance, design, and construct, people generally prefer to maintain an alternate residence during construction.

The construction documents serve as the primary means of communication between the design professional, plan reviewer, inspectors, and contractors. They consist of a series of drawings and text that describe in detail the work to be performed on your building. The drawing and text are composed on sheets of paper, usually 24" by 36" and bound into "sets" that can be distributed to the people involved in your project. For some types of projects and in some situations, the City of Des Moines requires construction documents to be prepared and stamped by a licensed architect.

The most difficult and stressful decisions you will have to make through this process are likely those that have to do with budgeting and financing. There is no getting around that fact that renovation is risky and can cost a lot of money. Your early financial decisions (how you will fund the project) have a large impact on later work and your ability to successfully complete the job.

Budget

The topics discussed in this section represent decisions that will affect the entire project and should be made early in the process. Good planning is key to the overall success of the project.

This section discusses the two major early planning decisions that will most affect the outcome and timeline of the project: financial decisions and management decisions. Financial decisions include budgeting, contingency planning, and financing. Management decisions include timeframe, "sweat equity", and hiring professionals.

Renovation is a difficult and complicated process. The following “rules” can help you know what to expect and help you prepare to cope with the surprises that will eventually crop up - and they will (see rule #2).

1. There are no rules.
   Every renovation project is different, but keep reading anyways. Having a solid foundation of general knowledge about the process can help you navigate through the rough points.

2. Renovation projects will have surprises.

Consider the following situation: You hire a general contractor to renovate your kitchen and as part of the work, your contractor subcontracts with a plumber to relocate the sink. When you receive a bill from the contractor, you assume that the plumber is subsequently paid. However, if the general contractor neglects to pay the plumber, the plumber (or any subcontractor or supplier in the same situation) can file a "lien" against your property for the amount owed.