What’s your home renovation program?

On large commercial or institutional projects, the client spends a lot of time creating what’s called a program or project scope (not to be confused with a government program, like the FHA 203k one we discuss here).

This document is given to the architect/design team and acts as kind of a project bible to define the goals of the project. Typically, a program/scope document addresses:

• The project budget

• The project schedule

• Square footages of all affected areas

• The project design goals

• The project's sustainability goals, etc.

By their nature, these “programs” are complex.  Now, I’m not suggesting that you need anything of this complexity for your home project, but there is tangible value in thinking through these questions. Also, before you can intelligently hire a design professional, you’ll need to know these answers anyway.

When planning your home project, consider these big-picture categories mentioned above. This will be helpful for you in understanding what you need and then to share with your designers. 

BuildSmart tip: being ready to engage with your professional team by understanding your project's scope will save significant money and headaches as you proceed.

Tried and true, or tired and true? Design matters

For most local home builders, who re-purpose home designs long past their “sell by date”, tried and true quickly becomes “tired and true”. These uninspired designs, only add to the weak demand for new homes.

When you go to sell a house you’ve renovated, your local builder’s somnolent embracing of design has importance to you.

As an owner/investor embracing design can give you an edge.

If you are building to resell, competing homes will undoubtedly be old, tired or suffer from “Homedepotism”. By being the hip, well designed house, you will instantly be miles ahead when it’s time to market your home.

BuildSmart tip: Embrace well considered design when you renovate if you want to see the maximum return upon resale.

About home design and designer homes

The housing industry has only slowly and inconsistency integrated design into their product mix. Given that design and architecture is an integral part of housing, it’s surprising the home building industry hasn’t embraced it more completely. I think the reason for this is as follows;

Home building is a traditional industry with a “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it mentality”. Most builders stick with floor plans, house plans and community layouts that have worked in the past and that they know home buyer will like. 

As an industry, home building is a mix of large publicly traded companies and small independent builders. While large builders have in-house architecture and design staffs that are up-to-speed with current design trends, much of the home building industry is still small scale and local.

Most small builders look at re-using proven home designs as a way to minimize their risk, so they keep using tried and true designs.

At its best, these trends create communities of visual consistency. At its worst, tracts and tracts of cookie-cutter houses blight the built landscape. 

Not every house can be a custom one - and we're almost thankful for that when it comes to the opportunity for rehabilitation. If you're looking for a property to rehab and live in, a custom home, with custom solutions, finishes and fixtures can be a money pit. 

BuildSmart can help you understand and identify homes that are well designed and appropriate for rehabilitation. Contact us today to learn more.