Whether this is your first trip around the remodel rodeo, or you’ve been racing down this road before, starting a project always seems more daunting in the beginning planning stages. Looking at the whole plan can feel a little like looking at a maze of barrels trying to figure out which one to circle first, especially when budget, timelines and design decisions are all competing for attention. That’s where micro checklists come in: breaking down complex projects into mini, confidence-building steps.
Whether you’re managing your own renovation or guiding a client through theirs, these topical checklists help guide the remodel process and give you landmarks to anchor the project among the constantly moving parts required to create a new space.
The following three key items help set the tone for the project.
1 Nail Down the Budget
Easily set project boundaries by noting what your client can realistically spend on their renovation. This helps keep the overall process in check so that our champagne taste doesn’t extend past the more realistic beer budget.
Every project will be different, but setting this expectation in the beginning helps guide material choices, so that we can find budget-friendly dupes to high-end materials or look for sales on high-end materials to give every client their dream space without breaking the bank.
2 Establish the Timeline
If a client is rushing to get a project done by a specific deadline, say a baby due date or a major holiday, that will help guide what vendors you can pull from and cut away the excess options that may be overwhelming in the planning stages.
Factors like shipping times, product availability and contractor availability can serve as clear markers to quickly eliminate items or tradespeople that don’t fit with your client’s preferred timeline.
3 Review Aesthetics & Function
While there are a lot of moving parts to the actual renovation portion, they all have to coincide with the design plan. One of the most integral parts of any remodel is getting the overall vibe and aesthetics of the project solidified.
Without a formalized game plan or general idea, it can become difficult to design the space, stay within budget and maintain a project timeline. Key elements like tile, cabinetry and furniture often have variable lead times. If a client has a specific style or statement piece in mind, especially with a hefty price tag (as most of those aforementioned products do), they need to be accounted for early in the process. Doing so allows those items to be purchased and on order in the early stages of the project, helping to avoid budget constraints later or having to settle for a different option due to time limitations.
Within the realm of aesthetics lies the equally important consideration of function. While a piece may be beautiful, if it costs the project a functional item, it isn’t the best addition to a space. Having early conversations about must-have functional elements helps guide both budget and timing, ensuring that essential project needs are addressed prior to additional decorative, non-functional (yet aesthetic) additions. After all, a giant chandelier in the dining space might be beautiful, but if it means sacrificing a dining table, it likely isn’t the right choice for the project.
Putting the Checklists Into Practice
Having discussed budget, timeline and aesthetics, it is time to put those planning points into action.
Once you’ve gone through your standard design process with a client and created a space plan for the area – whether it be a kitchen, bathroom, basement bar or other space – the following steps are usually within a similar scope.
Building Your Project Budget + Scope
At this point in your project, your client has confidently identified their key must-have items, a style, a budget and worked with you to create their space plan.
With a floor plan in hand, you are now armed to create checklists for your job costing plan and project scope.
Step 1: Identify All Required Materials
This could be anything from cabinetry, countertops and tile, to new light fixtures, plumbing fixtures and furniture and decor. Below is a sample checklist for general project materials.
Cabinetry: colors, moldings, accessory inserts
Countertops: material, edge profile, sink selection (faucet, insta hot, garbage disposal, bottle washer)
Backsplash: tile material (or full-height countertop material), Schluter/pencil tile, grout color
Plumbing fixtures: toilet, shower doors, shower enclosures, tubs, tile/grout/trim/curb
Appliances: refrigerator/mini fridge, range, cooktop/wall oven, microwave, dishwasher, trash compactor, range hood/ventilation
Lighting: pendants, wafer/can lights, under-cabinet lighting/task lighting, in-cabinet lighting, above-cabinet lighting
Flooring: tile/LVP/laminate, transition strips/edging
Furniture: bar stools, accent tables, dining tables (eat-in kitchens)
This general checklist is easy to add to or pare down to help remind yourself of material items to account for when laying out a project cost and budget.
Step 2: Collect & Compare Labor Bids
Material estimating can be the easy part of project job costing. These items can easily be looked up online or planned by requesting quotes from your go-to vendors. Labor bids are typically the more taxing part of putting together a project bid.
The following three tips can help you get all your bids out efficiently and keep your project on track.
Map the Moving Pieces. Are you moving mechanicals? Do you need tile work or flooring? Will there be extensive plumbing work or electrical work? Having a list will allow you to know which vendors you need to request bids from and keep a log of which bids have come back. (PRO TIP: Software like JobTread makes it easy to request the same project scope from multiple contacts and get a few different bids for a project to ensure your budget remains intact.)
Send Clear Bid Requests. After you’ve made your list of required bids, create a document to house all of the individual items that need to be priced. For example, if you are moving multiple electrical lines, adding a dedicated 220 line and relocating pendants, make sure to have all of these details in order to copy and paste them into your bid-request file so that everyone has all of the same information available for bidding.
A copy of the space plan should also be included as a reference, so that questions can be posed, if needed, for clarification for the bidding process.
Set and Enforce Bid Deadlines. Once all of your bid requests are sent out, make sure to keep to a strict bid submission deadline. This will help keep your client’s project on the right track and make sure that your project remains a priority for the tradespeople you’re working with.
Step 3: Finalize Scope, Costs and Commitments
Review all your bids for each category and ensure all have bid on the same items that are requested. If there are discrepancies, address them on the front end before proposing them to the client. Take into account availability as well as pricing when selecting a bid to include in your project proposal.
From here, you’re ready to compile your project scope and proposal for your client. Once your client has approved a project scope and signed your contract, it’s time to get ordering, start pulling permits and securing those tradespeople for your project!
Keep a running list of all outstanding items, make a weekly review of your project and touch base with your teams as the project start date approaches.
Remodeling doesn’t have to be daunting and chaotic. By creating clear checkpoints like budget, timeline, aesthetics, materials and labor, your remodel roadmap keeps you moving forward with confidence.
Whether you are taking on your first remodel challenge or are a seasoned pro, these micro checklists help keep costly surprises at bay, streamline communication, and keep projects on track from the very first “Hi, how are you?” to the final punch-list. A system of checklists keeps everything organized, more enjoyable and far more likely to deliver finished projects that are consistently on time and on budget.
—Ashley Day is a kitchen designer with Cleveland Cabinets
