Home renovation guide · Start here Planning work on your house? Start here.

Whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a contractor, most expensive renovation mistakes happen before the work starts. This is the order I’d work through it in, after 30+ years building and renovating homes. Every step links to a free article or a tool, and you can skip to whichever step you’re on.

Free checklist: 12 questions before you hireGet a second opinion – $75
  1. Step 1

    Decide what you want, and what you can do yourself

    Write down the rooms, the must-haves and the nice-to-haves before you call anyone. Painting, trim and finishes are good DIY jobs. Structure, electrical, plumbing, gas and anything that needs a permit usually aren’t.

    ToolHome Renovation Planner & DIY Guide
  2. Step 2

    Older home? Check the risks first

    Homes built before the 1990s can hide knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, Poly-B pipe, possible asbestos, old oil tanks and foundation problems. Find out before you make an offer or open a wall.

    ReadBuying an older home: 9 renovation risksToolOld House Reno Risk Screen
  3. Step 3

    Set a real budget

    Budget for the work, the things you’ll choose yourself, permits, and a contingency for what you find behind the walls. Allowances in a quote are where budgets quietly double.

    ToolRenovation Money Tracker
  4. Step 4

    Hire the right contractor

    Get more than one quote, and make sure they’re pricing the same job. Check licensing and insurance, who will actually be on site, and what’s excluded.

    Free12 questions to ask before you hireReadHow to review a contractor quoteHelpSecond opinion on your quote – $75BackupWant a builder in your corner for the whole job? Project Backup
  5. Step 5

    Sign and pay the smart way

    Payments should follow completed work, not run ahead of it. Every change should be priced and signed before the work, not after. In BC, understand holdback before you pay anything.

    ReadChange orders: what to check before approvingToolRenovation Money Tracker
  6. Step 6

    Finish right

    Walk every room before the final payment, collect warranties, manuals and permit sign-offs, and know what holdback you keep and for how long.

    ReadFinal payment, holdback and deficienciesToolFinal Walkthrough Checklist

Planner, Money Tracker and Final Walkthrough Checklist together on Etsy: save 25%.

Stuck on a step?

Get a 30-minute second opinion from a builder with 30+ years on site. Send your quote, drawings, photos or questions ahead of time, and we’ll go through what stands out and what to do next. I review. I don’t bid.

Get a second opinion – $75Prefer it in writing? $195

General information from construction experience, written for BC. The steps are the same anywhere; permits, lien and holdback rules vary by province and state. Not legal advice.