In my humble opinion, start at the top and work your way down. That way you don't have foot traffic in finished areas. If you start in the kitchen you could run into expensive problems when thing go wrong above it. Plus you will have folks trudging in and out bringing materials inside. Know in advance what you are going to do about the mechanicals, heat/AC, plumbing, electrical. All of that stuff comes up from below and it is best to have a good plan especially if you are removing inside walls. Also you should find a place to live while you are renovating, people, pets and stuff are in the way.
I say this to be truthful and funny because I would start with a contractor. It is a phenomenal job and you have to know how to do everything. Living in a house while it is being remodeled is stressful, whether you are doing it yourself or have a contractor. The other side, however, is when you are finished and stand back and look at what you did you and the feeling of accomplishment.
First put all your ideas down in a book. keep it close, put in paint colors and what other changes you'll be making. Do this room by room. If you are making and changes to the electrical or plumbing or any of the behind scene things use painters tape and go around marking all this. If you plan on moving the frig, think about water lines and electrical. Go to sites like Houzz.com for ideas. Start at city hall, if you live where codes must be followed and permits given. They will also give you a stack of papers for size or wood wiring and plumbing and such. You don't want to spend the money and then have to take it down. If you live outside the city this information can be a life saver there too. Most everything can be done by yourself as long as it is inspected. There is a web site faucetsdirect.com for sinks tubs faucts and such at great prices. If you are making changes to your walls, get an engineer to come out and tell all he can about your foundation and structure. Money well spent here. Once you know what you want start collecting everything, even if you must store it. The biggest problem in remodels is back orders, now you have to wait for things. Line up plumbers and electricians or yourself do these things first. then the walls, floor, upper cabinets, install under cabinets lighting if needed, lower cabinets install plumbing for sinks, get measurements for counter tops use plywood till they come in. when counter tops are on install back splash. Trim for doors and floors and ceilings can be put up as each room is done. If you are installing an island be sure to have a heads up on what required for it. In most cities they must have electrical in that case just build a movable island. Oh yeah stock up on aspirin, tell everyone involved you care about them daily, lots of sandwiches movies once every two weeks. This is at least six months when you start. Don't lose steam expect delays so always plan a head and be able to wait it out. You'll love it when done,
Start with a systematic list of what you want to change in each room. Choose an overall paint color you like, then go room by room and consider how you would want them to 'flow' as far as paint colors. ( matching, up or down in the same color spectrum, or a bold contrast etc) if you have open space, with very little divided by walls then you will need to find a color that will allow you to give each space it's own look, by furnishings and accessories, and still create a somewhat unified look with that paint color, and stay close to that color family with little variation. Once you have a list of things to for to make your vision a reality, then contact a builder / contractor if it is that type of remodel. If you are wanting to change your overall look with updating certain things then that's different and you should consider going room by room, and not try to figure out how All your rooms need to look, all at the same time. It seems to me that the Kitchen, living room and main bathroom are central areas that are used most. What you decide for your kitchen typically influences your dining, and living area, and so forth and so on. If there is a room somewhere ( a favorite restaurant, art store etc ) that makes you feel a certain way, each time you're in it, then take a picture or write down the colors. If done correctly a room can give you a sense of coziness, luxury, or make you feel comfortable for a number of reasons, your style and taste should be reflected throughout your home and in that way will also tie the rooms together. Call a professional once you know what you want to change, they will tell you if it is a good idea, or possible.
All great suggestions! One other thing, set a budget and have a back up contingency fund as you never know what is behind walls once you start tearing things out. Some say 10% of 20% of your entire budget. I always earmark more - a full 25%. As Mayloosgriffin stated, stockpile some items or at least have reliable sources or vendors. Know your local buildng codes and be ready on inspection day for the various phases. Be decisive - make a decision and go with it, there is no room to be wishy washy and hold tradespeople up. Be prepared for a few bumps in the road, it is nothing what is depicted on makeover renovation shows on TV- it is gritty, dirty and filthy and chances are you will not have a fancy construction crew with a dozen spare contractors to get the job done for you. If you need design help - get it. If you get in over your head - get help, as it can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. I have and can live though a renovation, most people freak out by day 3 or 4 - live somewhere else if dust, dirt and doing dishes in a bathtub is not your thing. I can cook anything on a charcoal weber kettle or a propane grill. Plan for construction in the spring, summer and early fall, unless you live way far south or work on the outside during good weather and inside during less desirable weather. It can be very stressful, and one of the most rewarding events of your life.
On paper - room by room, listing everything you want to do to each room. Then cost everything out. If that's OK and you are going to live in the house while remodeling, remodel it room by room. If you do the whole house at once, it can become a nightmare trying to live in the mess.
I need some advise on what I can do to improve the looks of my house. I need door, window and landscape suggestions. The house will remain white as I am on a budget. ...
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I have a hidden door though it doesn't look so hidden at the moment and I like the appeal of a hidden door. We do need to use the door, but not often. This is in a b...
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In my humble opinion, start at the top and work your way down. That way you don't have foot traffic in finished areas. If you start in the kitchen you could run into expensive problems when thing go wrong above it. Plus you will have folks trudging in and out bringing materials inside. Know in advance what you are going to do about the mechanicals, heat/AC, plumbing, electrical. All of that stuff comes up from below and it is best to have a good plan especially if you are removing inside walls. Also you should find a place to live while you are renovating, people, pets and stuff are in the way.
I say this to be truthful and funny because I would start with a contractor. It is a phenomenal job and you have to know how to do everything. Living in a house while it is being remodeled is stressful, whether you are doing it yourself or have a contractor. The other side, however, is when you are finished and stand back and look at what you did you and the feeling of accomplishment.
I would start with a decorator who can also steer you to the contractors they work with to achieve your goals, and help you make a plan.
First put all your ideas down in a book. keep it close, put in paint colors and what other changes you'll be making. Do this room by room. If you are making and changes to the electrical or plumbing or any of the behind scene things use painters tape and go around marking all this. If you plan on moving the frig, think about water lines and electrical. Go to sites like Houzz.com for ideas. Start at city hall, if you live where codes must be followed and permits given. They will also give you a stack of papers for size or wood wiring and plumbing and such. You don't want to spend the money and then have to take it down. If you live outside the city this information can be a life saver there too. Most everything can be done by yourself as long as it is inspected. There is a web site faucetsdirect.com for sinks tubs faucts and such at great prices. If you are making changes to your walls, get an engineer to come out and tell all he can about your foundation and structure. Money well spent here. Once you know what you want start collecting everything, even if you must store it. The biggest problem in remodels is back orders, now you have to wait for things. Line up plumbers and electricians or yourself do these things first. then the walls, floor, upper cabinets, install under cabinets lighting if needed, lower cabinets install plumbing for sinks, get measurements for counter tops use plywood till they come in. when counter tops are on install back splash. Trim for doors and floors and ceilings can be put up as each room is done. If you are installing an island be sure to have a heads up on what required for it. In most cities they must have electrical in that case just build a movable island. Oh yeah stock up on aspirin, tell everyone involved you care about them daily, lots of sandwiches movies once every two weeks. This is at least six months when you start. Don't lose steam expect delays so always plan a head and be able to wait it out. You'll love it when done,
Start with a systematic list of what you want to change in each room. Choose an overall paint color you like, then go room by room and consider how you would want them to 'flow' as far as paint colors. ( matching, up or down in the same color spectrum, or a bold contrast etc) if you have open space, with very little divided by walls then you will need to find a color that will allow you to give each space it's own look, by furnishings and accessories, and still create a somewhat unified look with that paint color, and stay close to that color family with little variation. Once you have a list of things to for to make your vision a reality, then contact a builder / contractor if it is that type of remodel. If you are wanting to change your overall look with updating certain things then that's different and you should consider going room by room, and not try to figure out how All your rooms need to look, all at the same time. It seems to me that the Kitchen, living room and main bathroom are central areas that are used most. What you decide for your kitchen typically influences your dining, and living area, and so forth and so on. If there is a room somewhere ( a favorite restaurant, art store etc ) that makes you feel a certain way, each time you're in it, then take a picture or write down the colors. If done correctly a room can give you a sense of coziness, luxury, or make you feel comfortable for a number of reasons, your style and taste should be reflected throughout your home and in that way will also tie the rooms together. Call a professional once you know what you want to change, they will tell you if it is a good idea, or possible.
All great suggestions! One other thing, set a budget and have a back up contingency fund as you never know what is behind walls once you start tearing things out. Some say 10% of 20% of your entire budget. I always earmark more - a full 25%. As Mayloosgriffin stated, stockpile some items or at least have reliable sources or vendors. Know your local buildng codes and be ready on inspection day for the various phases. Be decisive - make a decision and go with it, there is no room to be wishy washy and hold tradespeople up. Be prepared for a few bumps in the road, it is nothing what is depicted on makeover renovation shows on TV- it is gritty, dirty and filthy and chances are you will not have a fancy construction crew with a dozen spare contractors to get the job done for you. If you need design help - get it. If you get in over your head - get help, as it can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. I have and can live though a renovation, most people freak out by day 3 or 4 - live somewhere else if dust, dirt and doing dishes in a bathtub is not your thing. I can cook anything on a charcoal weber kettle or a propane grill. Plan for construction in the spring, summer and early fall, unless you live way far south or work on the outside during good weather and inside during less desirable weather. It can be very stressful, and one of the most rewarding events of your life.
On paper - room by room, listing everything you want to do to each room. Then cost everything out. If that's OK and you are going to live in the house while remodeling, remodel it room by room. If you do the whole house at once, it can become a nightmare trying to live in the mess.