Bollinger Home Improvement Project

 

Pg #	Project
2	Garage
2	Kitchen Layout
3	Master Bedroom
4	Exterior

This website is all about my home improvement (grunt grunt grunt) plans.  No, not Tim Allen style, it is my style.  This means there should not be any problems or explosions.

My husband and I recently purchased an 1800s house.  The house obviously has some fixer upper jobs, as well as quite a bit of potential.

In order to have done to my house what I would like to have done, I started to create a list of things to do.  Some people call these lists, “honey do lists”.  I call the items on the list the bear essentials.

Check Your List

Depending on how you have numbered your list will determine what project gets done first, second, third, etc…

Another suggestion is to consult your personal banker to see what types of loans are available.  Granted, you may have the biggest expectations, but if you don’t have the money to do the project, it would be wise to wait until you have the funds available.  You don’t want to get in over your head.

My House

You may be wondering how I knew where to begin, but let me tell you, it was easy.  You basically assess your home in areas of need first.  Granted, there are many projects on my list, but I do have my priorities.

For example, I may believe that a garage should be added on first, but if it happens to be the most expensive project on my list, it may not be the best option.  Or, if I think redesigning my master bedroom should be done first, I have to look at the list of the remaining projects.  Knowing that my master bedroom will be placed above the garage, I knew that I had to wait until my garage was added on to the house first.

In addition to my personal priorities, I also needed to assess how much each project would cost.  Therefore, I went to my friends at Menards, Lowes and Home Depot.  In my estimations, Home Depot had the most expensive prices; however, I am a firm believer of “you get what you pay for.”  If, for example, you purchase the cheapest windows, they might look nice,

but still may let the cool air in.  Therefore, if you one of your priorities is cost efficiency, it just went “out the window.”

So, my advice to you is to create a list of projects that you want to do the house.  Then, obtain estimates from a number of contractors, including family members who can sometimes cut the cost in half.  Write the cost next to each of your projects.  Then, once you have the estimate, number each of your projects from 1 to the highest number based on your preference of priority.

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