New Yorkers' Guide to Home Renovations 101

Depending on who you ask, home renovations can be fun or daunting, or perhaps a bit of both. A question that often comes up when speaking with clients is “when is the best time to renovate?” For New Yorkers, there isn’t a specific time that is better than any other. Renovations are happening year-round as costs and scheduling isn’t impacted by seasonality in NYC, as it is in the suburbs.

There are a number of factors to consider when planning a renovation in New York such as neighbors, kids, existing carrying costs, etc. The folks at KBNY Gallery offer a detailed breakdown on the things you should keep in mind when planning your renovation project. Timing is clearly an important consideration. Your contractor should provide you with a projected timeline of your renovation, including the expected duration and key milestones.

Time frames will vary based on the scope of the renovation and the size of your home. For example, a gut overhaul of an entire brownstones will take more time. This how-to-guide offers a timeline of the different construction stages including helpful tips on how to manage the project through construction and beyond.

If we’ve spoken about renovations before, then you know I always say kitchens and bathrooms typically bring the most value to one’s home. This is why they are undeniably the top spaces that undergo renovations and where homeowners may spend a little more for higher quality products. However, it is also easy to make mistakes, particularly for anyone who is undertaking a renovation project for the first time. Architectural Digest offers valuable insight from nine professional designers who share the 13 most common kitchen remodel mistakes and how to avoid them. And for those looking to start with a bathroom renovation, here is a list of 18 mistakes to avoid according to design experts.

Whatever the reason may be that drives you to undertake a home renovation, the bottom line is that it usually pays off in the end if done properly. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention (for the benefit of new subscribers) that our Brown Harris Stevens Curate program is designed to help sellers with deferring renovation and staging expenses until after the close of the sale.