Guides

Renovation guides, grouped by the job

The articles are written to answer one question each. These four guides pull the related ones together: the money, the contractor, the timeline, and the tool you keep the record in.

  1. 1 How to budget a home renovation and set a contingency How to build a renovation budget, how much contingency to hold, and how to track costs, receipts and hidden surprises as the work opens up.
  2. 2 How to hire and manage a renovation contractor Compare contractor quotes on the same scope, handle change orders in writing, and decide what is worth doing yourself.
  3. 3 How long a renovation takes, and the order the work has to happen Realistic timelines for kitchens, bathrooms, extensions, roofs and the other jobs, plus the sequence trades have to follow.
  4. 4 Best apps and tools for tracking a home renovation When a spreadsheet, Notion, Houzz, HomeZada or a dedicated tracker is the right tool for a renovation — and when it is not.

Prefer the full list? Every article, newest first.