Tips for running a successful long-distance remodel of your hous

By, Lisa Roberts

If you're a homeowner, you know how stressful remodels are. There are so many things to think about, and there's only so much time to do it. And when you add a distance to it, it might seem there's no way you could get it over with. Luckily, there are some tips for running a successful long-distance remodel of your house to make the job a lot easier.

Sure, you'll still run into problems — they're a part of buying a fixer-upper. But they'll be far less scary if you know how to handle them. Good communication is the key to all your worries. Establish it, and you'll be able to kick back, relax, and enjoy the process even from far away.

Let's get right into it and see how you can do it.

You won't be there for every step of the process, and because of that, a long-distance remodel can be tricky. Alt-tag: A man and a woman talking about tips for running a successful long-distance remodel of your house.

Make a plan

Make sure you've got all the information you need to start it off. Create a detailed plan and figure out what you want to do. Learn what you'll need to complete the project, how much money it'll cost, and if all your ideas make sense. Put as much effort as you can into the pre-construction process, and you'll make your life easier.

Once you know your budget and what you want it to cover, you can move on phase two of the project.

Choose the best contractor for the job

No matter if you're remodeling your second home from Idaho or you're going to move there as soon it's done, you want the remodel to go without any issues. Your contractor is the person who should make this possible, so don't choose them lightly.

Meet with at least three candidates in person and look at some of their previous work. Ensure they have the knowledge and can deliver the quality you're after. Don't be afraid to compare them and consider even the tiniest details. Here are some questions to ask yourself when picking the person you're going to work with:

• Do they communicate well?
• Have they done the same type of work before?
• Do they have positive reviews online?
• Can you see yourself working with this person?

If it's possible, ask them for the contact information of at least one of their long-distance clients, and get on the phone with this person. On the other hand, if they've never worked remotely, ask their other clients if they could imagine working with this contractor this way. If they say yes, you might be onto something.

Pick the right partners to work with, and you might be able to organize an interstate relocation even sooner than you thought. Then, you will need reliable movers to conduct that hassle-free transfer from Idaho. You'll get to enjoy your shiny new home, and they'll be glad they could help.

One of the biggest tips for running a successful long-distance remodel of your house is to focus on finding the ideal contractor

Set up a sound communication system

Since you won't be able to oversee every step of the process in person, the next of our tips for running a successful long-distance remodel of your house is about communication. You want to set up a system that will make it easy for you to interact with your contractor. Be sure to discuss the way you'll do it ahead of time.

Luckily, this shouldn't be too hard in the age of the internet. They can text you photos, send you detailed emails every day, or call you once a week after sending you plenty of pictures. Still, if you want to ''be there'' whenever you want, it's a good idea to install a few drop cams in your house. These will allow you to check in on progress at any time.

Whichever communication you decide to go with, be sure to give it at least a couple of test runs. Your contractor might be fantastic in person, but that doesn't mean that his email style will suit you. Moreover, ask if these regular check-ins will cost you anything. You don't want any surprise expenses when increasing your home value.

Schedule your visits

If, for example, you live in Idaho and you're remodeling a house in  California, you can't be there all the time. However, it would be best to visit the place about four times before the crew finishes the work.

The first time, you'll meet the contractors and choose the one you want to work with. The second time is when you walk through the site together and create a list of things you want them to take care of. After that, you want to visit the place for the third time once they've done demolishing and taking down the walls. And finally, the fourth visit should happen right before the finishing touches.

If that's a bit too much for you, you can take it down to two visits. Once to conduct the interviews and do the walkthrough, and the second time when they feel like they're about 90% there. Of course, if you choose to go down this path, you'll have to make your visits much more worthwhile.

During your second visit, do another walkthrough and make a list of all the things they should fix before you can call it a job done. If you're going to use the house for work, be sure to pay special attention to the design of your home office. You'll be spending a lot of time in this room, and you want it to be perfect.

Visit the house and check how the work is coming along as many times as possible. Alt-tag: A dog in a place that's getting a remodel.

Get extra help if you need it

If you're doing a full-blown remodel that'll cost you a couple hundred thousand dollars, you'll need a nearby architect or a decorator to visit the place now and then and make sure things are going well. On the other hand, if the project isn't that serious, a good choice of contractor and communication system should be just enough.

The bottom line is that you want to feel comfortable throughout the process, and we hope our tips for running a successful long-distance remodel of your house will help you achieve that. Be clear about what you want, stay in touch with your contractor, and you won't have any issues along the way.