Planning Your Home Update: 4 Things You Need To Know
When you make additions to your house, you’re improving your home’s aesthetics, adding value to your property, and creating more space to enjoy with your loved ones. Though this process can seem daunting, adding a beautiful, functional space to your home will be well worth it in the end. When planning to update your home, here are a few things to know to ensure your remodel runs smoothly.
Know Your Permits
Most home construction requires a permit. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections has four types of permits: those for additions and alterations, new building permits, electrical permits and mechanical permits. Definitions of each type of permit, duration of time needed to obtain permits, and a fee estimator can be found on The Department of Construction and Inspection’s website.
Know the Process
At Urban Oasis, each of our jobs starts with a free one hour consultation in your home or at your building site. This serves as an opportunity for you to get to know the company and for our team to understand your needs and best serve you. Then, we’ll send a design proposal for your new space.
Our projects fall into two phases: the design phase and the construction phase. During design, we work to create a space that is beautiful, functional and integrated with your home. We start by drawing up several concepts and then work with your feedback to refine our ideas into one cohesive plan. We’ll also specify materials and other necessities for building. We ask a signed design proposal and 60% of our fee to begin the process. Once a customer decides to move forward, the three to six week design process begins. When our construction proposal is signed for the scope of work discussed, we waive the remaining 40%, leaving that money in your hands for the construction phase.
Know the Time Frame
For design: For the design phase, projects typically take four to six weeks. Smaller project design can be as fast as two weeks, and larger projects can take up to eight weeks to design. A key factor for time estimates also depends on the customer. Some customers quickly approve designs and give our team feedback, while couples and families may take longer for everyone to agree. If it takes longer for a family to decide on a design, this phase can take three to four months.
For construction: Our typical construction project takes about five to six weeks. Smaller projects can take as few as one to two weeks, and large scale projects can take upwards of three months.
How far in advance should I plan? This depends on if the project requires permitting. It’s difficult to predict the amount of time it takes to obtain a permit depending on customer traffic, time of year, and a variety of other factors. If your project requires a permit, Bothell and Seattle can take upwards of three months if they’re experiencing a high volume of requests. Bellevue tends to take about four to six weeks. If you want a project completed by summer, we’d recommend starting to plan in January and February, unless it’s very simple and straightforward.
Know the End Goal
At Urban Oasis, our goal is to help you achieve yours. Are you looking for an outdoor covered space that will maximize lighting for parties and gatherings? A deck that will give you a perfect view of the stars? A front yard that will both welcome guests and give you an added functional space in your residence? Whatever you’re hoping to achieve with your updated space, we’re here to get you there. Beginning with the end goal in mind will help our team bring you the best results and bring you the most value.
Whether you live in the city or country, if your house is small or large, your home is a big investment. It’s the place where you spend lazy Sundays and rush out the door on Mondays, and it’s the place where you raise your family. Updating that space can seem like a formidable task, but it’ll be well worth it in the end.