What are the typical emotions a homeowner goes through with their remodeling project?

While every person and every project is different, there are some commonalities we experience on a daily basis that we thought were worth sharing with homeowners preparing to enter into a remodel - especially if it is the first one.

Everyone knows remodeling can be stressful. The stakes are high both financially and emotionally, I mean this is your home! The family nest, where we go to relax and enjoy time with the people we love most, our respite from our daily work. Of course these days, the home has also become the workplace, which is another reason to remodel we will cover in a future blog!

Remodeling your home is fun and exciting… and it is also normal to experience a certain amount of anxiety and uncertainty, especially when undergoing your first major project. Homeowner emotions aren’t spoken of much externally, but within our industry, there actually is a term for it - The Homeowner Emotional Roller Coaster. Google it and you can find several examples! We thought it valuable to create a video to help familiarize our clients with the “roller coaster” we see many clients go through, the emotional states you (and/or your partner, spouse, children, parents…) can expect to go through during your home remodel or addition. 

This video walks through the main project phases - Design, Permit, and Construction - and the typical emotional experience people have as they ride the roller coaster of their home improvements. The fun and creative process of developing the design with new floor plans, 3D virtual walkthroughs, and selecting the beautiful new materials that will adorn your home; the tedious but necessary process of obtaining permits from the City, County, and Homeowner Associations; then finally the Construction phases, starting with demolition (when it gets real!), and over time seeing your designs come to life through the construction work. And finally… the final walk through (aka Substantial Completion), after which you can take occupancy of the space, and be able to relax and fully enjoy the beauty and improved functionality of your new home. 

Bear in mind, once all is done and the punch list complete, there will still be an adjustment period. Just like moving into a new home, moving into your new kitchen, master bath, or home addition will inspire new habits and movements, especially in kitchens where there may be new locations for appliances, dishes, and pantry items. For most people it takes from a few weeks to several months to adjust habits and behaviors to these new surroundings.

Thank you for checking out our blog, we hope this will be helpful in preparing for your next project!