If you own a home, it’s likely that at some point you are going to want to do some remodeling. A survey showed that in 2014, more than half of homeowners did some sort of renovation project, and younger homeowners were just as likely as older ones to want to do remodels. If you are planning to remodel your home, whether the project is small or large and whether you are doing it your self or hiring a home renovation contractor, you need to have a renovation plan.

Having a renovation plan for your home project will help to keep the project on track and also keep the costs from getting out of control. One of the first things your plan should address is why you are doing the remodel. Are you simply wanting to make a space look better or do you have some more concrete goals in mind. For example, more than 90% of people doing bathroom remodels these days decide to install an energy-efficient toilet and other appliances. If you have a plan, you can accommodate that sort of goal. Without a plan, you might decide to do that at the last minute only to find out it takes some bigger modification to accommodate that you can’t do or afford.

Another way a renovation plan is important is when you are working with a home renovation company. You need to have a plan so the contractor knows what you want up front and can give you accurate cost and project duration estimates. Once a deal is struck and the project is planned, the home improvement company needs to have a plan to keep the project on schedule and on budget. If either one of you fails to have an accurate plan, it could mean big problems for your home renovation project.

Another reason you need a home renovation plan is to manage costs. You may have certain ideas about what you want in a remodel, but they may not be possible in your budget, and laying out a plan can help you with room planning and making choices regarding what you absolutely have to have in your remodel and what you can live without.

When thinking about a renovation project, you would be wise to keep this home remodeling advice in mind. Remodeling projects are stressful enough even when they go as planned. Without a plan, however, you could be in for a home improvement nightmare.