My First Remodel: Three Things a New Homeowner Learns When Updating Their Home

So, you just bought your first home. After months browsing Zillow, seeing houses, and writing offers, that perfect pad jumped out at you and you seized it.

Congratulations, you’re a homeowner. You’re now officially in charge of an investment worth thousands of dollars, with appreciation potential as expansive as your imagination. You just have to make a few updates, upgrades, and enhancements. So where do you begin with your first remodel?

I found myself in this same position after purchasing my first home this fall. I decided to go all-in on a fireplace remodel and definitely learned some life lessons in the process. I’ll share them with you here.

Cheap Labor is More Expensive 

I know this sounds counterintuitive but, yes, cheap labor will end up costing you more than a moderately priced pro.

I learned this the hard way by trusting my first remodel to a “tasker” with high customer ratings and a low hourly rate. He quoted me a price at the outset which sounded great but went way over in time, materials, and costs because he was just one man with only one pair of hands and one set of tools.

In the long run, I wish I had hired a competent crew. I would have probably actually saved money and got the job done in half the time.

Buy Quality Materials 

Zohreh Esfahani, Design Expert at Versailles Imports in Dallas says, “The main thing to focus on is quality in your materials. When it comes to remodeling your home, elements like flooring, doors, and construction must be of high quality. High quality is always timeless and will last, saving you time and money.”

I tend to agree with this. Especially if you are paying a lot for labor (like I ended up doing), you want this first remodel to last and remain timeless.

Don’t Rush Your First Remodel

Just by virtue that you’re reading this article shows you’re doing your research. That’s probably the best advice I can give you. Take your time and don’t try to do everything at once.

Buying a home is overwhelming enough without trying to tackle it all in one day. You’ll get there and when you take your time to do everything right, your first remodel will be even better for all the research, planning, and prioritizing that happens in the process.