Completing a home renovation project is a great achievement. Be it minor renovations or major kitchen and bathroom remodeling, the effort, time, and costs involved are no mean feat. Most homeowners think the remodeling project ends immediately after the contractor clears their items.
However, this isn’t true, as you should engage in some post-renovation activities before moving into your newly renovated home. Below are a few things you should do after a home remodel.
1. Deep Cleaning
Regardless of the parts being renovated, your home becomes a construction zone for a few weeks or months. You should prepare to deal with debris, dust, and construction waste after renovation. Unless post-renovation cleaning is clipped into your contractors’ contract, it should be among the first activities on your to-do list. You can check this guide to post renovation cleaning for insights.
2. Contact your homeowner’s insurance agent
The second thing on your to-do list should be contacting your insurance agent. This is especially important if the renovation was extensive. This includes renovations that involve adding new rooms, converting garage space, changing roofing, and installing home smart systems. You should contact your insurer to adjust your homeowner’s insurance policy. Ensure that you register new products and appliances to make future claims easier.
3. Prepare to move back in
The next step is preparing to move in. Here, you should decide which items, be it furniture pieces, rugs, art, and household appliances, to move back with and which items to be replaced. You should fight off the urge to return everything to your new space. Keeping all the existing pieces can negate the renovation or clutter the new space.
Ensure that you move back with items that fit the new style and layout. You shouldn’t diminish the value and appeal of your new space by returning outdated items, especially after spending a lot on the remodel. If your chosen remodeling company has interior designers, tap into their expertise.
4. Create a maintenance checklist
You shouldn’t discard all the manuals that come with recently installed items. You should also consult your remodeler for advice and recommendations for maintaining new installations in your home. You should pay close attention if your home has the following installations:
- Natural stone – If the remodel involves the installation of marble, granite, and natural stone countertops, you should seal them frequently to protect them from stains.
- Caulking – New plumbing fixtures and trim work often get caulked during renovation. However, they can later shrink and expand due to changing humidity levels. This makes them pull off from your walls. Most remodelers cover re-caulking costs in their warranties.
- Wooden floors – You should protect new wooden floors as well. Install felt pads on heavy furniture and other items.
- Filter – Besides replacing HVAC filters after renovation, you should change air filters frequently, probably after 60 days.
Final Words
Most homeowners focus on post-renovation cleaning before settling into their newly remodeled space. However, there’s a lot to do before moving back in. For instance, ensuring that your insurance agent inspects the new space and adjusts your policy accordingly is crucial, especially if you’ve made new installations and upgrades.
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