If you follow along with our Studio Journal, you are familiar with this series about when the designer (me) becomes the client (also me). It’s the story of our new, old home, the Stoneleigh, and how it got where it is today.
In Part 1, you read about how we unexpectedly became owners of this beautiful home full of historic charm. Now I am sharing the less glamorous but oh-so-important story of budgeting its extensive renovation.
Every project, no matter how open-ended it seems, has a budget. At our firm, we focus on creating amazing spaces while staying within budget. While I always aim to do more, the budget grounds me. Our contractor helped set the budget, and we thought it’d be fine. However, during construction, unforeseen expenses cropped up, making things tricky. After a few glasses of wine, we realized the old house needed more TLC than we thought.
Every time I move, I am sure I will never do it again. But then, inevitably, something sparks my interest. At the Stoneleigh, it was the historic charm…and the potential. But in architecture and interior design, you have to budget for potential.
Budget was a big part of the discussion when we purchased the Stoneleigh. My husband, Robert, and I pondered the wish lists we considered for our “next house.” Oh, how I say that so casually.
We budgeted and even added contingencies. Finally we said, “OK, let’s do this. That will be plenty.” Hahaha.
Should I have known better?
After we purchased the house, I reviewed the budget line by line with my contractor, whom I trust and have worked with for over six years. He said things like “that’s good”, “you’ll need that”, and “oh and you may want to think about this.” But throughout it all he was adding small items that I didn’t realize were a part of the construction. Like dumpsters. Oh silly me, how else do I think we throw away all the stuff we are ripping out? Well, there you have it, the first missed item.
As we tore into the 120 yr old plaster, we quickly realized that we were in for way more than we planned (and budgeted). All of the electric behind the walls was obsolete, the structure to the main house needed significant repairs, and the floors were kind of wonky like a funhouse.
It was so beautiful when we walked through. We dreamt of moving the walls and adding lots of upgrades. But the reality is that renovating an old house can be costly, and toss into the mix that this was all happening during a global pandemic with record consumer demands in home renovations and furnishings. But oh, it will be so rewarding.
Renovating an old home is saving a piece of history. Rebuilding the components to meet a modern lifestyle is the exact thing that keeps my blood pumping!
But back to the budget. When we work with clients at AHD&Co, we add standard contingencies and account for items we know will run more. This is where their projects usually stay on track. We track budgets in a spreadsheet that follows the design and drawing.
Robert and I did this, too, with the Stoneleigh — adding standard contingencies and more. We worked our way through the essential upgrades and repairs. But then there was the actual design. And you know, the heart wants what it wants…or, shall I say, the designer.
I am surrounded by beautiful things every day. I have the luxury to pick from the most beautiful things in the world — which kept me questioning my final design choices at every turn with the Stoneleigh.
Like many of you, I am inspired by my favorite designers on Instagram. I understand why it’s so essential to hire a designer for this stuff. Designers impartially manage and edit what you see and keep you on track — balancing your wants, needs, and personal style with your budget.
But for this project, as the designer and the client, I constantly found myself juggling the process in a way that just kept me running in circles!
It was frustrating at times, but very exciting, especially as the colors, materials, and new designs for our new, old home began coming together. I can’t wait to share more on that with you in the upcoming journal entries!
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