The Renovation Planning Checklist: 8 Steps Before You Swing a Hammer
Get your numbers straight before you sign anything.
Here's what nobody tells you about renovations: the real work happens before demo day. Most renovation disasters don't unfold during construction. They happen in the planning phase you rushed through.
Before demolition day, a smooth project depends on eight key steps. Each one saves time, stress, and second-guessing down the line.
Here's how to get your home (and your team) ready before the first wall comes down.
1. Define Your Vision and Priorities
Start by getting specific.
What's driving this renovation? Aesthetics, function, lifestyle change?
Knowing your "why" guides every decision. When trade-offs come up later (and they will), your priorities will make the answers obvious.
2. Assemble the Right Team Early
Get your designer, contractor, and architect aligned before permits are filed.
Too often, homeowners hire a GC first and bring in design later. This leads to rework and missed opportunities for cohesion. Like the new build we were brought into after framing started. Cha chinggggg. Change orders happened not because we requested them, but because the client told us how important a walk-in pantry was and the framing showed a closet as a pantry.
Think of your designer as the conductor, aligning everyone from the first note. Who wants a beautiful kitchen that doesn't actually connect to the electrical plan?
3. Lock Your Layout and Major Decisions
Once construction starts, changes multiply costs.
Consider including "decision-freeze windows"—clear cut-offs for layout, plumbing, electrical, and finishes. It may sound a little ruthless, but if you're clear on those, and you ensure you've made all the decisions within these windows, you'll be glad for it later.
We recently had a furnishings client that wanted to add sconces to their bedroom after the GC had drywalled. That didn’t mean just the cost of the sconces. It meant cutting into the wall in multiple places (the sconces have to connect to a switch, ya know!?), patching the drywall, compounding, sanding, sanding again and painting. Boringgggg but costly!
This approach avoids mid-project backtracking and keeps trades on schedule.
4. Create a Detailed Permit Dossier
Permits are more than paperwork. They're what keeps your project moving.
Gather architectural plans, finish schedules, and contractor licenses early. That way your application sails through instead of sitting in city hall limbo for weeks.
Nothing stalls momentum faster than waiting for signatures after demolition begins.
Pro tip: If your contractor says "permits are easy, we'll handle it," that could be code for "this might take longer than you think." Get involved early.
5. Build Your Trades Calendar
Trades need careful sequencing.
Your plumber can't work until framing's done. Your electrician needs walls open before drywall. Create a master calendar that maps every trade. That way, no one's waiting around (and billing you for it).
6. Order Long-Lead Items Early
Lighting, tile, plumbing fixtures, and custom cabinetry can have long week lead times. And windows? See ya next year! By ordering everything before demolition you avoid the dreadful “we can’t move forward because we are waiting on the rough ins to install the plumbing fixtures”
Trust us, there's nothing worse than staring at a nearly finished bathroom that can't be used because the toilet is somewhere in transit.
7. Confirm Site Logistics
Access, parking, dumpster placement, dust control. These tiny details have a huge impact on your renovation.
Establish these logistics upfront with your contractor and building management. That way workdays run smoothly and your neighbors don't hate you.
8. Set Your Communication Plan
Decide how often you'll receive updates and through what format. Weekly calls, site meetings, or email recaps?
A pre-established routine prevents surprises and builds trust among everyone involved.
The House of Huck Take
A beautiful renovation starts long before the reveal. What gets you there? All the preparation that happened before day one.
Good planning, locked-in decisions, and early coordination make construction something you can actually enjoy instead of something you must endure.
The best projects don't run on luck. They happen because of all the thoughtful groundwork that went into them from the start.
Ready to see where you stand?
Take our Renovation-Readiness Quiz and find out how ready you are for that dream project you've been thinking of!