PALO ALTO — When planning for a home remodel, most homeowners assume they should start by getting architectural drawings. However, I’m going to suggest something radical: start at the end of the process and work backward. Specifically, I recommend starting from the buying list by choosing all of your finishing products before having architectural drawings done.
First of all, this helps to give you a clearer idea of what your project is going to cost. Additionally, choosing finishing products at the beginning will influence your architectural drawings. If you have drawings done before knowing what products you’ll have, those drawings will likely need to be redone once you do. Designs tend to change a lot as products are selected. You may end up with a different cabinet layout or countertop style, or you may decide to install a wall-mounted toilet instead of a traditional one. If that’s the case, the drawings will need to be modified to reflect these changes. On the other hand, if you start by choosing your products, your architect will be able to base their drawings around those products and avoid the need to make changes later.
When selecting finishing products, I strongly recommend visiting other remodeled homes and experiencing different products in person (ask your contractor for references). Construction is all about feeling, and you can’t ascertain a feeling by simply looking at pictures. Getting a firsthand experience of various finishing products will help you make choices you’ll be happy with long after your remodeling project is completed.