The homeowner’s complete guide to the home building or renovation process
When most homeowners start thinking about building or renovating their house, their first request is usually “Walk me through the process, step by step.”
What they usually want to know is: Tell me the order that things get built. When do the windows go in? What has to be done before drywall goes up?
And we’ll tell you that in this post.
BUT.
Even more importantly, this guide walks you through how to PLAN for your project.
This is the part that most homeowners skip. It’s tempting to just jump right in and get started with picking colours and smashing walls — but that’s a sure path to frustration and wasted money.
Construction is a massive project with a lot of moving parts and decisions that you’ll need to make as the homeowner. By the time you get to the actual construction phase, things are moving fast. If you haven’t made the important decisions ahead of time, you’ll feel rushed and possibly compromised in terms of the ability to take the time to make the right choice.
The more you do your research, know your budget, and make decisions in advance, and take ownership of your project, the easier you’ll find it to stay on track.
Following the steps we’re sharing here will put you ahead of 90% of homeowners because you’ll have a plan. You might not have made every single decision yet, but you’ll have a pretty clear idea of the direction you need to go in.
One important note about the home renovation process:
We’ve written this guide from the perspective of a new build or major renovation, because it includes absolutely everything you’d need to cover. If you are doing a smaller renovation project, some of these steps might not apply to you, or you may be able to do them on a smaller scale. (Read this post for more on this.)
🔥 However — and this is essential — be sure you move through each of the three phases BEFORE you move on to the next one. 🔥
Following this process will save you time, money, and stress. It will keep you in control. And it will give you the dream home you’re looking for — while protecting your investment and your sanity.
Phase 1: Planning
The planning phase is all about your Initial research & preparation. It includes everything you need to do before hiring anyone or making financial commitments.
Your goal here is to develop a solid sense of your goals, outcomes, and what your boundaries are in terms of budget, scope, timelines, and outcomes. By the time you start talking to contractors or other industry professionals, you’ll be able to speak clearly about the project and what you need from them.
1. Dream the dream
Start by establishing a high-level vision for your project. You’ll revisit these (sometimes several times!) as you move through the process, but starting with these questions will help you focus.
What outcomes are most important for you and your family with this project? How long do you plan to live here? What does the space need to have / do / be once it’s finished? Be practical and detailed!
What do you want your home to look and feel like? What are your values for your home?
Will you build or renovate?
What is the scope of this project?
What are your timelines?
What kind of budget do you have?
2. Do the research
Next, start researching prices and how much things cost. Key things to consider here:
What price per square foot will you aim for?
What kind of contingency will you set aside?
What kind of professionals, if any, will you bring in? (Architect, designer, general contractor, trades, etc.)
If you’re building new or undertaking a major renovation, what kind of building plans (if any) will you need? Do they need to be custom, or can you purchase and modify a stock plan?
3. Break down the numbers
Start to identify a high-level budget. We suggest looking at three categories for now, sorted from highly fixed costs (no wiggle room) to most flexible (where you can adjust):
Financing: How you’ll pay for it, what your contingency fund will be
Construction costs: Material, labour/trades, contractor, etc.
Professional costs: Designers, architects, etc.
4. Get clear on your mindset
At this point you’re probably feeling a mix of overwhelm and excitement. That’s normal! But before you move into Phase 2, it’s important to be intentional about your mindset as you move forward. Before you start bringing other people into this project, read this post on the four essential perspectives you’ll need to be successful as you manage your home build or renovation project. You will need to be realistic and flexible, but you also need to own the process and be prepared to lead. You are the CEO of this project!
Phase 2: Design & Pre-Construction
During this phase, the project is underway and you are starting to spend money. This covers everything before breaking ground.
At this point things are officially underway and it’s not just you and your laptop anymore. You’re building your team and starting to make decisions… but there are a lot of decisions to make before the shovel hits the ground or you take down that first wall. Here’s what to do first.
1. Assemble your team
This is where you’ll start bringing other professionals in to help make your construction project happen. At a very high level, we recommend doing the following:
Start by identifying your requirements and deal breakers
One example we highly recommend that most homeowners miss: Insist that any designer you hire uses 3D drawings. They are much more understandable for you as the homeowner to read and visualize. Much easier to spot issues early and ask questions you might not otherwise have thought of!Make a short list. Most people start with a contractor, but depending on your project you may also start with an architect or interior designer. You can draw on recommendations, referrals, and your own research here
Interview potential industry pros from your short list
Do your due diligence (research, reference checks, etc.)
Negotiate contracts
Finalize your project team
2. Establish your budget (broad strokes)
Remember all your research in Phase 1? This is where you’ll start breaking it down in more detail. While it’s impossible to lock everything down completely at this point, your goal should be to have a realistic budget for your contractor/designer/architect to work within. Follow these steps:
Confirm your cost per square foot
Create a mid-level budget that breaks down exteriors, interiors, and materials & finishes
If you have received a budget from an architect or designer, validate it with the builder to be sure it’s realistic and doable
3. Secure financing
If you’re getting financing via your bank or another source, get that finalized now.
4. Create design plan (broad strokes)
This isn’t about the pretty stuff yet — your design plan at this stage should focus on what’s behind the walls and in the ground. Depending on the scope of your project, this may include a site plan, framing and foundation, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical.
Things to consider at this stage:
Finding out what you can build in your area. Are there restrictions or limitations (HOA, bylaw, etc.) that you need to consider?
Do you need engineering approval? If so, get that now
5. Secure relevant permits
Next, you’ll need to make sure your project meets all local zoning laws, building codes, and regulations. Without the proper permits, you risk delays, legal complications, and potentially having to redo work down the road. It’s worth it to take the time to get this step right!
Identify what (if anything) you need to get permits or approvals for
Apply for permits
If needed, revise and resubmit until plans are approved
6. Identify your materials & finishes
This is where things really start to come together and you’ll begin making decisions about the visible parts of your project like countertops, flooring, and fixtures. Most homeowners start the process here — but because you’re smart and have planned ahead, you’re far more informed and light-years ahead of the crowd.
While you don’t need to decide on every little detail right away, it’s important to make your selections as soon as possible as your finishes can have a dramatic impact on the build process.
For example, selecting wall-mounted faucets will change the plumbing drawings. Or if you want floor-to-ceiling windows, they may impact the thickness of your flooring.
Things to consider here include:
Exterior finishes: Roof, windows, cladding, etc.
Interior systems: Electrical, heating, plumbing, etc.
Interior finishes: Tile, hardwood, cabinetry/millwork, lighting, etc.
7. Create your project plan
The last thing to do before you break ground is to create a project plan with the key dates, milestones, and decisions that will need to be made at each point. This will be your roadmap during the building phase, keeping everyone on track and helping you avoid surprises.
Your project plan doesn’t need to be long, but it should:
Set key milestones (use the construction steps in Phase 3 to help with this)
Identify key decision-making points
Identify a draft project schedule that you can use to track and manage progress
Phase 3: Construction
This phase covers everything after breaking ground.
There are a lot of moving parts once construction gets going, so you’ll need to be flexible. That being said, although all of your planning and preparation should mean more smooth sailing and fewer surprises!
Before we go further, a few things to pay attention to about this list:
Inspections and breakpoints
Note that the bolded & capitalized items are what we call “break points” in the project. They’re mostly inspections, which need to be passed before you can move on — but we’ve also marked an essential point where you should do a budget review before proceeding.
The order of construction
From the moment the shovel hits the ground (or the mallet hits a wall 😉) until move-in day, here’s a rough order of what you can expect.
Demo & site prep
Foundation
Framing / Structure
STRUCTURAL INSPECTION
Roof
Windows
Interior rough-ins: Heating, Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Low Voltage
Fireplaces
PLUMBING ROUGH-IN INSPECTION
ELECTRICAL ROUGH-IN INSPECTION
Exterior Finishes: Outside Wall Cladding, Rain Screen, Trims
FRAMING INSPECTION
Insulation
Drywall - Boarding / Taping
BUDGET REVIEW
Painting: Primer
Interior Finishes: Trims, Doors, Baseboards, Crown, Window Seats etc.
Painting: Trim and Walls
Flooring: Tile and Hardwood
Cabinet Installation, Countertop Measurements, Millwork Installation
Countertop Installation
Stairs: Finishing / Building / Cladding
Landscaping
Electrical and Plumbing Finishes
Final Finishes: Tile Splash, Carpet, Closets, Low Voltage / Security, Paint Touch-Ups, Shower Glass & Mirror Installation
Safety Elements Installation: Hand railings, smoke detectors
Deficiencies
FINAL INSPECTION
Move In
Key takeaways
The most important thing you can do is plan ahead. Don’t wait until construction is underway to make decisions. The more you research, budget, and decide in advance, the less stressful things will be.
Budget, budget, budget. Set your budget early, be realistic, and revisit it often. There are a lot of moving parts with major construction projects, so you’ll need to be flexible — but having a clear budget and hiring people who prioritize your budget will be essential to keeping things on track.
No matter who you hire, you are the CEO of this project. Don’t be afraid to take the lead, ask questions, and stand your ground on what’s important to you. Take ownership of this project and don’t hand your authority off to someone else.
