Buzzword: Phasing

What it means. In the context of home improvement, phasing occurs when you take a piecemeal approach to renovation. You might apply the strategy across several areas of the home, for example redoing the kitchen this year but replacing a dated, inefficient air-conditioning system at a later date. Or you can implement phasing for a single space, say refinishing kitchen cabinets now and installing new counters and appliances down the line.

Why the buzz? Plummeting property values mean less equity to help pay for remodeling projects. That reality and fears of job loss and a general uncertainty about the economy are behind the 12 percent year-over-year decline in home-improvement spending projected for 2009 by Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. Phasing can spread out the financial hit of a major project. In our latest remodeling poll of 1,000 Americans, more than a third of respondents said the recession has imposed a staggered schedule onto their project. But phasing mistakes can lead to additional expenses and stress. Here's how to do things right:

Stick to the plan. This directive, true for all remodeling projects, is essential when phasing to avoid the remodeling equivalent of military "mission creep"—expanding a job beyond its original scope. Your written contract with the contractor should spell out the specific phases of the project, including target start and end dates. If you're a DIYer, creating a detailed plan will force you to think through the entire project and might keep any budget-busters from creeping in.

Don't do double work. If you're remodeling a single room in phases, that means doing any behind-the-walls work first so that you're not plastering or painting twice. It's also best to proceed from the top of the room down, saving the floors for last to prevent workers from trampling across finished surfaces, for instance. The same rules apply to exterior remodeling. For example, do necessary window work when the clapboards are off for a siding project, or replace the roof before you undertake major landscaping.

Make off-season hires. Contractors' schedules tend to slow down after the end-of-year holidays. If you can line up a kitchen or bath remodel for that time, you might be able to negotiate a better price. At the very least, the pro you hire will likely be grateful for the work and anxious to do a crack job, perhaps ensuring himself the gig for the next phase of your remodeling.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: You'll find the latest information on kitchen and bath remodeling in the August 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands starting on June 29. See our kitchen-planning guide for more details.

Comments

[Angelle Marshall]

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