The Top 3 Things to Know Before You Remodel

WatchRemodeling a Home From Top to Bottom

We asked a homeowner who'd just been through a full remodel what advice she'd give somebody about to start one. She didn't hesitate. You can watch it in our short "The Top 3 Before You Remodel" in the Mosswood series. Her top three are better than anything I could have written, so I'll let them lead, and then add a few things from our side.

1. Is Your Marriage in a Good Place?

"Make sure your marriage is in a good place." Everybody laughed. Everybody also agreed.

Here's why it's real advice. A remodel is a lot of decisions, a lot of money and a lot of disruption, all at once. You'll disagree about tile. You'll disagree about budget. You'll be tired. If you go in already strained, a remodel doesn't help.

What helps:

• Agree on priorities before you start. What matters most: the kitchen, the master, the budget, the timeline?
• Decide who decides. Maybe one person owns the kitchen selections and the other owns the outdoor stuff.
• Set a budget you both agree on, including a cushion for surprises.
• Talk to each other before you talk to the crew. Mixed messages slow things down.

2. Can You Avoid Living in the House During It?

"Try not to live in the house while it's happening." Good advice: if you can, be separated from it.

A full remodel means dust, noise, crews in and out early, no kitchen, no water for a day here and there, and floors that are torn up. Living through that is hard on families, and it can slow the work down because crews have to work around you.

If moving out isn't possible:

• Set up a temporary kitchen somewhere else in the house.
• Seal off a living area from the work zone.
• Plan around pets and kids.
• Talk to us about phasing so you always have a working bathroom.

3. Can You Be Patient With the Process?

"Be patient and know that there are going to be mistakes made, but they'll fix it." And: "You can't really gauge how it's going to be until the very end when everything has come together. It's a process. It takes a village."

This is the one I'd underline. Halfway through a remodel, it looks worse than when you started. That's normal. Walls are open, things are on back order, and a delivery shows up wrong. A good contractor owns the mistakes and fixes them. A good homeowner gives them the chance.

What Would G3 Add?

From our side, a few more:

Get a written scope before work begins. Your estimate should spell out exactly what's included before a single wall comes down. Vague scopes cause most remodel arguments.

Make your selections early. When you remodel top to bottom, it's basically like building a new house. One of our Mosswood homeowners said picking out a million things in a week or two was really stressful. Make as many decisions as you can before demo.

Expect surprises behind the walls. Older homes in North Texas can hide water damage, old wiring or framing problems. Plan a cushion in time and budget.

Pick a contractor who communicates. Clear communication makes every renovation better. You should know what's happening this week, what's next and what we need from you. See clear communication makes every renovation better.

Pick a contractor you actually like. You're going to spend a lot of time together. Construction shouldn't feel transactional.

How Does a G3 Remodel Work?

1. Listen. Your goals, budget and timeline.
2. Design and scope. A written scope and schedule before work begins.
3. Build. G3 Construction manages the crews and keeps you updated.
4. Walkthrough. A final review together.

Our work is backed by a 1-year workmanship warranty. See the full process and the Mosswood series on our remodel page. Hear from more real G3 homeowners about their projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to start? Call (945) 300-9018 or use the button below to start your remodel.

Keep learning: see our Remodeling page, read Aging-in-Place Remodels: Making Home Work Longer, or read what homeowners say in our customer reviews.