DIY, HGTV, you name it, they all have one thing in common; encouraging you or your significant other to engage in a remodel of epic proportions. They don’t show the stress a remodel can create. Nope, you see tranquil pictures and there you are sitting in that perfect room; all your friends in awe of your new surroundings. Hopefully that will be the end result, but that not how it starts, so here’s what you should do to minimize the chaos.

Call your condominium association management

Your first call should probably to be your condo association management. They should be able to provide a wealth of information like:

• What you can and can’t do in terms of interior remodel. Can you demo walls, re-route plumbing; probably not without homeowner’s association approval.
• Restrictions as to times contractors can work.
• Restrictions regarding disposal of construction waste during remodeling.
• The condominium association management may even be able to provide a list of contractors that specialize in condo remodel.

Any way you go, you want to include the condo association management in the early stages and find out the level of support they provide. You can be sure there will be plenty of opportunities requiring cooperation and scheduling.

Call your neighbors next

Be a good neighbor, engaging in a remodel puts them in the middle of a construction zone too. They will appreciate the heads up. After all, there is nothing like planning a week off from work to get projects done at home only to hear contractors working all day long.

Give them a number they can reach you at if they have any problems at all with any of your contractors. Be sure the condo association management has that number. Be proactive and make this a positive experience for all.

Engage them when you need a sounding board, make them part of the process. Be sure they are invited to see the final product if they are interested with an end of construction celebration. Don’t forget to invite your friends from the condo association management, you can be sure they have done more than you will realize.

Is a remodel worth it?

Even condo units can become dated and in need of remodel to maintain resale values. Because of the tight knit community within a property, it is not unusual for one or two people to start updating and pretty soon everyone is on board. Resale value is sure to increase when you update to the latest selling features.