Spring is almost upon us which means it's time to start getting ready for those new home improvement projects. Some of you may be wondering where to start, and that's ok, it can be quite a process. Here are some basic steps you will need to get started:

1.) Decide what project(s) you want to do, and what order you want to do them in. Now most of you probably have quite a few ideas about projects that you want to get done but it's important to prioritize them because most of the time you aren't going to have them all done at once.

2.) Consult your contractor. If you don't have a contractor in mind already, I've covered where to look for a good contractor here. I recommend you get at least two itemized bids, and I say itemized because that makes it much easier to compare the two based on more than total project costs alone, because that can be quite confusing. Pay attention to details like labor costs, materials costs, and materials used as these things will give you a better idea of the value of the work you will be getting.

3.) Once you have chosen your project and contractor, it’s time to get the project scheduled. It’s important that you speak with your chosen contractor asap as they usually schedule things out weeks or months in advance so the sooner you take care of this, the better. This is also the point at which you sign contracts, pay deposits, and the contractor will be pulling permits. Make sure the contractor pulls the permits and provides you with the copies. I cannot stress this enough, insist that the contractor pulls the permits, not you. You do not want to be liable for improper and/or un-permitted work later on.

4.) Now you wait and finish any prep that your contractor may have outlined for you like moving furniture, containing pets, etc. This step is pretty self explanatory usually, but of course if you have any questions about this, just ask your contractor.

And that’s it as far as preparation goes. Your contractor will complete the work and necessary inspections according to the permit requirements. Hopefully all goes well, and you get to enjoy the finished project. Don’t forget to keep a file of all the paperwork just in case, and leave a review for you contractor on Google, Angie's List, or the BBB because this helps other people trying to decide on a contractor and further rewards your contractor for doing a good job (or holds them accountable if they didn’t).