Budget First, Then Design

Budget First Renovations GTA Construction

You realize you need a renovation, so you rush out to hire the city’s best interior designer. A few months later, you have a gorgeous plan in your hands complete with 3D renderings and material recommendations. Then comes the sticker shock.

When you arrive at the renovation company’s office, you may be shocked to learn exactly how much all those fancy materials and design elements cost to actually install.

For most families in Toronto, there simply isn’t an unlimited budget for accomplishing renovation dreams. That’s where being budget-focused comes in. 

Even if you can easily afford a major investment in your home, you’ll want a rough idea of what’s possible.

Starting with the budget guides smart material and feature selections so we don’t have to lose the designer’s work and start from scratch.

Working with a design build team like Sosna is a great choice for this reason. Our designers are integrated into the renovation process, bringing in practical knowledge about the costs and feasibility of trendy designs.

Make sure you’re getting a beautiful design that you can afford and live with by planning your renovation budget first. 

 

Preventing the Back and Forth 

 

When there’s no budget to start with, every detail of the design requires a back-and-forth conversation about costs and requirements. If you give us even a rough estimate of how much you can afford for the entire process, it greatly narrows down the options in each category. We can recommend everything that fits within the budget for that material or fixture, prioritizing the features you want the most. You’ll be surprised at how much faster the whole design and planning process goes when it begins with a budget for guidance. 

Simplifying the Scale 

Beautiful, complex, ground-breaking designs are great for presentations and publications. They’re not always so practical to execute, especially in an older home with limited space. That design dripping with high-end materials and luxury details may not fit all that well into your home even if you can afford it. We often help simplify the scale of renovations after working with our clients to adjust their designs. If you don’t want to move out temporarily for extensive demolition or wait months for an addition or layout alteration, we need to know that before the design process starts. 

 

Targeting the Most Important Changes 

 

Budget-first renovations also have some guidelines to help you focus on the most important changes for the project. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and want to update every single part of a room. Yet many homeowners are shocked at how they can get a completely new look with just a few updates to a space. In fact, changing everything might lead to unexpected clashes that make you unhappy with the design.

Focusing on improvements that add functionality in addition to beauty will stretch every dollar further. 

 

Avoiding Endless Revisions and Extending Deadlines 

 

Sometimes, the designer or client may come up with great ideas during the design process that were not part of the original scope of work. These ideas might be innovative, but they also affect the project cost and deadlines. The designer’s job is to inform the clients of how these ideas may affect their budget. Making concrete choices about the 

budget from the start reduces the chances you’ll need to keep changing materials or designs along the way. Your renovation will go smoothly and wrap up on time because there’s no need to go back and redo previously completed work. 

 

Working Around Layout and Structural Restrictions

 

Not every wall in your home can be removed, at least not without major structural changes and reinforcement. Sometimes when we’re working on demolition or construction, we discover unexpected problems that need immediate repairs. We have to make your home safe and up to code during the renovation process, so we might have to deal with asbestos, damaged and leaking pipes, or other problems along the way. Knowing your total budget ensures we can leave some padding for these sudden and unexpected costs. If you work too closely to your final budget or without one at all, it’s hard to afford these changes that might occur along the way. 

 

Making Efficient Use of Time and Resources 

 

It’s not a good idea to make major decisions when you’re already stressed out about a renovation. Making your budget plan when you’re calm and prepared keeps you level-headed throughout each stage. This crucial financial decision should be made by the client in a comfortable, controlled environment before they even commit to construction. It is a choice, a decision they get to make, not a forced financial hardship! But we can only ensure the efficient use of everyone’s time and resources if we start with a clear number from the beginning. It’s all too easy for both homeowners and designers to waste time on a project if there isn’t enough guidance to inform the project. 

 

Ensuring Client Control 

 

You want to see yourself reflected in the final design, and that can only come from being engaged from the start. Setting your budget and knowing what’s realistic for the kind of work you want done prepares you to take charge. You don’t need to handle every detail or do tons of research, just ask around and see what your friends and neighbours have spent recently on counter tops, flooring, and other home improvements. Remember that DIY projects don’t produce the same quality results so it’s not surprising that they tend to cost less. You won’t have to do the hard work of dealing with demolition or installation when you choose professional services that fit within your renovation budget. 

 

Locking in Great Deals When They’re Available 

 

By setting a budget with us from early in the process, we can hunt around for deals that could save you thousands of dollars. If we can place a bulk order for products and shave off a percentage of the cost, we pass that down to you to help you make more of your renovation budget. We don’t know what kind of deals to look for if you set the budget late in the process. As experienced contractors, we have many contacts in the supply industry who can work with us to get amazing prices on custom and prefabricated materials for your home. Giving us an idea of how much you can afford will allow us to secure these deals and trim down the bottom line of the project while also giving you amazing results. 

 

At Sosna, we have perfected our planning process through years of experience and fine-tuning. Our clients are in control of their renovation from the start, making informed decisions that ensure the final result is something they can afford and will love. Don’t worry if you’re struggling to choose a budget. Come to us with the basics of what you need and what you can spend and we’ll help you work out the details between them.

Let’s Get Started!

If you are considering a renovation, we invite you to start the journey with us by contacting us for a consultation! 

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Before we lift a hammer, you’ll receive a detailed construction schedule that outlines exactly what will happen each day in your home. This transparency ensures you know exactly what to expect and when so you can plan your life around the reno accordingly. 

Our project managers provide weekly updates, address any questions or concerns, and ensure everything proceeds according to plan.

Your project is led by a dedicated supervisor who is on-site every single day from start to finish. Unlike some contractors who juggle multiple projects simultaneously, our supervisors focus solely on your renovation, ensuring your project receives their undivided attention.  This dedication translates into a smoother workflow, fewer errors, and a higher-quality finished product.

Our in-house team of skilled tradespeople is the backbone of our renovation process.  They are not only experts in their respective fields, but they also take immense pride in their work.  They treat your home with the utmost respect, keeping it clean, using only the finest materials and following the highest construction standards. This commitment to quality craftsmanship ensures a beautifully executed renovation that will stand the test of time.

We are renowned for consistently finishing projects on time or even ahead of schedule. This is a rarity in the renovation industry, where delays are all too common.  By meticulously planning every detail upfront and having a dedicated team focused solely on your project, we can avoid unforeseen obstacles and keep your renovation on track.

Go here to see our complete Renovation Process

Renovate

Your renovation journey should be exciting, not stressful. Thanks to our detailed planning and skilled tradespeople, there are no surprises at the end—just pure joy. Our clients are often overwhelmed with happiness during the final walkthrough, and we’ve even witnessed a few happy tears! Many tell us they actually enjoyed the renovation process and will miss our team! 

Even after your renovation is complete, our commitment to your satisfaction continues. We offer a 2-year warranty on all our work and take it very seriously. Every non-urgent warranty request is addressed within two business days. This ensures that any issues are resolved quickly and efficiently so you can continue to enjoy your beautiful new space without a worry in the world.

Our clients often return to us for future projects because they know we’re there for them long after the job is done. We love hearing from them, even if it’s just for a minor repair—it’s a chance to show you how much we care. 

We aim to “wow” you with our service so you’ll confidently recommend us to your friends, family, and colleagues.

We understand how hard it can be to find reliable help for small jobs, so we go the extra mile for our clients. While we don’t offer these services to the general public, we’ll gladly help you with anything your home needs, even after the warranty expires—whether it’s mounting a picture or fixing a leaky faucet. 

Our goal is for you to enjoy the process, love the result, and have complete peace of mind knowing we’re just a phone call away.

Five years after we remodeled her Thornhill home, one of our wonderful clients told us, “Every day, I come home from work, and I can’t believe this is my house!”  That’s the feeling we strive for with every project.

We want you to feel that same joy and pride in your home now and for years to come.

See for yourself what other homeowners are saying about Sosna – renovation testimonials

Quote

Estimating renovation projects inherently involves some guesswork, but we take steps to minimize it as much as possible. Here’s how:

Crystal-clear Design Drawings: Our meticulous drawings go beyond basic sketches and floor plans. They include precise measurements, elevations, sections, and details with specifications for materials and finishes and clear layouts for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems. This level of detail allows us to calculate material quantities and labor hours more accurately.

Upfront Material & Fixture Selection: We work with you to select all materials and fixtures – tiles, flooring, cabinets, countertops, accessories down to the door knobs on your cabinetry – before finalizing the quote. This eliminates the need to estimate costs based on allowances, reducing the potential for surprises later.

Thorough Inspections: Before finalizing the quote, we thoroughly inspect your home’s structure, plumbing and HVAC systems, and electrical wiring. This uncovers potential unseen issues that could impact the project scope, cost, and design. By identifying these issues upfront, we can factor them into the quote, avoiding unexpected cost overruns during construction.

Only after we complete all the above-mentioned steps do we provide a fixed-price quote that we guarantee will not change during construction.

Design

It all starts with a simple, no-pressure conversation – a phone call or Zoom chat. We believe in finding the right fit for both of us. Not every project or homeowner is the right fit for every contractor, and not every house is feasible to renovate. We want to quickly understand your vision, budget, and priorities, and see if we can add value to your project. If not, we’ll happily refer you to a company that might be a better match. If it seems like a good fit, we’ll schedule a free in-home consultation to discuss your project in more detail. This is our opportunity to exchange ideas, share our expertise, and offer honest advice on how best to bring your vision to life.

Consult

As the saying goes, “An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing.”  We take this philosophy to heart at Sosna. Our designers and construction experts collaborate and work closely with you to create highly detailed plans and renderings, leaving no detail to chance.  We meticulously consider every element of your project, from layout and materials to lighting and fixtures. 

Our designers educate you on the pros and cons of every element or fixture, helping you make the right decisions.

This upfront investment in planning ensures a smooth and seamless renovation experience, free of surprises and last-minute changes.

Go here to see our Design Steps

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