Hawaii’s housing market is known for high demand and low inventory. With a limited pool of properties and extremely high prices for single-family homes, remodeling your older home has become more cost effective than buying.
Graham Builders has been renovating, remodeling and building new homes since 1990 and are industry leaders in designing and building multigenerational homes that are structurally sound and last a lifetime, taking into account the long-term needs of each homeowner. Instead of going through the stressful process of buying a new home to suit your changing needs, consider remodeling to save time and money. Here’s what you need to know to before you get started.
The right time to remodel is right now. Single-family home inventory won’t catch up to demand anytime soon, which means the price for new homes will only continue to rise, making remodeling a more sound financial choice. While it might sound like a better idea to remodel when summer rolls around and the kids are out of school, consider remodeling when people will be out of the house. It creates a better work environment for the crew. Make your own schedule and compare it with the builder’s schedule. Discuss it and ask about milestones and timeline so you can prepare for and work around all the different phases that will have to be executed in a specific sequence.
Try not to turn your home into something it was never meant to be. In other words, if you’re remodeling your 1950s single-wall home, don’t expect it to transform it into a post-modern concrete, glass and steel architectural curiosity. Help bring out the best qualities of your home that may be hidden and need to be revealed with an experienced designer and builder. Focus on areas that will have the maximum impact for functionality and fix what needs to be fixed.
Redo your roof or stabilize foundations before putting a lot of money into expensive finishes.
“There are two things to prepare before starting a remodel,” said Graham Builders president Evan Fujimoto. “Your home and you.” Fujimoto suggested clearing out the spaces where the remodel will take place and then developing a plan to manage without those spaces for the duration of the remodel. This is especially important for a kitchen or bath remodel.
Homeowners need to prepare themselves for the onslaught of workers, materials, noise and dust during the construction period. Fujimoto also suggested being flexible and patient, as things don’t often go as planned.
GRAHAM BUILDERS
contact // 593-2808
web // grahambuilders.com
Visit Graham Builders
at BIA-Hawaii’s Home Building and Remodeling Show
at booths 532 and 534C
at Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
Jan. 27-29.
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