3 tips to help you know where start with renovations

Whether you’re an investor who bought a value add property or a homeowner who decided to buy a fixer-upper, it can be overwhelming to decide where to start with your renovations.  Here are three tips to help you with your decision.

1. We recommend getting a home inspection done.  Even if you are buying the property in an “as-is” condition, the home inspection will help give you a clearer picture of the property.  The experienced home inspector will be able to point out areas of concern that should be addressed immediately and add some recommendations based on their experience.  You can use this report to help you come up with a checklist.
2. Start from the outside in!  One common mistake people make during their renovation is that they want to tackle the interior first.  Yes, the interior is the sexy part of the renovation, but you need to protect the sexiness of the house.  To protect the interior, you need to make sure the exterior of the house is going to keep the elements outside.  
1. If the roof is close to its end of life, replace the shingles (don’t do an overlay… be sure to remove the old shingles before installing new ones).
2. Be sure the house has a good gutter system installed.  The gutters’ job is to route the water away from the house.  If you already have a gutter system, check to see if it is securely fastened to the house and that there are no leaks.
3. Be sure all of the exterior sidings are sealed and replace any rotted areas.  A common mistake people make is that they paint over bad siding.  When you talk to a contractor for exterior painting, be sure that their scope includes sealing up any areas that need sealing and to replace any wood rot.  Don’t let them put new paint over old problems.
4. Keep vegetation away from the house.  If there are tall trees or bushes right next to the house, remove them.  These attract rodents and a tall tree or bush would provide a method of accessing your roof and attic space.  Also, be sure no vegetation is touching the house.  The vegetation attracts moisture, which could cause an area to rot out over time.
3. Tackle the larger interior projects first.  These projects include the kitchen and the bathroom.  If you are removing walls and adding beams, add that to the list as well.  These projects are the ones that cause disruption in the house if you are living in it.  Tackling these first will make the rest of the house feel like a piece of cake.  These are also the areas that increase the value of your home.  If you’re looking to refi right away, getting these done will help get an appraisal in your favor.

There are many ways you can tackle a large value add a

project.  With our years of experience, this is the process that we feel is best.  Getting a home inspection, working from the outside in, and tackling the major interior projects first.  Handling this way will give you confidence that whatever you do on the inside is being protected by the outside.

Here is a video I made at one of our largest value add projects.  It is a 29-unit complex that we worked on over the last 2 years.