A free renovation planning workbook

What is in the workbook

The workbook is a free six page printable PDF. Download the renovation planning workbook, print it, and keep it in a binder with your photos, samples and quotes. It works for a single room or a whole house, and you do not need to have hired anyone to use it.

• Your goals, and what is not working in the house today.
• A wish list for each room, split into must haves and nice to haves.
• A budget sheet with the costs people often forget.
• Questions to ask every contractor you interview.
• A decision log, so you remember what was agreed and when.
• A selections tracker for every finish, with lead times.

Start with why

Before you think about tile, write down why you are renovating. Is the kitchen too small for how you cook? Is there nowhere for the kids to do homework? Does the house need to work for a parent moving in? These answers decide the layout, and the layout matters far more than the finishes. A designer will ask you these questions at the first meeting, and having them written down saves time and money.

Room by room wish lists

For each room, list what must change and what would be nice if the budget allows. Be honest about the second list. It is where projects quietly grow. Take photos of the room as it is, and keep a few pictures of rooms you love, with a note on what you like about each one. A single detail, such as a deep window seat or a hidden pantry, is more useful to a designer than a whole board of pretty kitchens.

A budget that includes everything

• Construction, including design, permits and engineering where they are needed.
• A contingency of 10 to 20 per cent for what turns up inside the walls, more in an older home.
• Appliances, light fixtures and window coverings, which are sometimes outside a contractor's price.
• Furniture and rugs for the new space.
• Living elsewhere during a major project. A furnished rental in Calgary often runs $2,200 to $3,500 a month.
• Storage, pet care and eating out more than usual.
• Our cost calculator and free cost guide give planning ranges for Calgary projects.

Questions to ask every contractor

• Are you licensed for prepaid contracts with Service Alberta, bonded and insured, and covered by WCB?
• Can I see a finished project like mine and talk to the owners?
• Who will run my project day to day, and how will you keep me updated?
• How do you handle surprises behind the walls and changes to the scope?
• Is design included, and when do I get a firm price?
• What warranty do you give, and what does it cover?
• How do you protect the rest of the house and keep the site clean?
• For more, read our guide to choosing a contractor.

Keep a decision log

Renovations involve hundreds of small decisions, and most arguments come from two people remembering a conversation differently. Write each decision down with the date, who agreed to it and any change to the price or schedule. If your builder uses written change orders, file a copy of each one with the log.

Track your selections

Tile, plumbing fixtures, cabinets, windows and special order lighting can take weeks or months to arrive. List every selection with the product, colour, quantity, supplier, price and expected delivery date. Make the decisions before construction starts and the project keeps moving. Leave them until the crew is waiting and it does not. At Kay2, selections are made with our designers at the Showroom before work begins.

Related guides

Read what order to renovate a house in and where to save and splurge in a renovation. Before your first meeting, walk the house with our inspection checklist and measure each room with our dimensions cheat sheet.