[VIDEO]

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A Wishlist is usually where most homeowners stop. They have a list of everything they want, but in reality, it’s most-likely a list they can’t afford. Trust me when I say you are not alone.

We see that buffet and load up our plate, only to get to the cashier and find out that you’re charged by weight. Okay, maybe you got a little carried away but how were you to know the cost anyways?

Instead of designing to your wishlist and feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck when you see what the project will cost... 

Or, you’re given the budget, you’re fairly happy with it, until you find out that your contractor budgeted you for basic box store prices but you have specialty store taste...

For example, while we would have loved vertical old-wood or greyed siding with large areas of stone, we realized that the exterior materials were not a top priority. Because of high costs of lumber, we went with a cement board material (James Hardie). We decided to panel the fireplace with the future possibility of removing it (using it for another project - I never waste) and replacing it with stone. We are adding stone as the kitchen backsplash, so I still get my stone and *bonus* I get to see it daily. #priorities

Let’s pre-plan for the inevitable: it’s likely going to cost you more than you expected, but prioritizing that wishlist and giving you options, sets you up for a better outcome.

Take your wishlist and prioritize 

1. What is the most important, I-can't-live-without, I-need-to-have-THIS in my home items.
   What would serve you now and what would make your life easier and more comfortable. Focus more on the functionality first with the aesthetics second.

2. the neutral, nice-to-have but not important or urgent items.
   They’re a step down from the most important. They’re nice-to-have but not important or urgent items.

3. the least important, I-can-live-without if I have to, the first to go items.
   These items are the first items to go.

4. And lastly, the can-wait items.
   These items aren’t a part of the structure or required for your final inspection. They can be done at a later date or 'phased'? Which I'll explain in the next lesson.

Your most important and your neutral items, you put at the forefront of your projects design and build. From your top priorities the can-wait items should be designed and planned now, but built at a later date.

Should your budget exceed the expected amount at any point in the design and or build, your least important will be the first to go. Then, dipping into your neutral items, if you have to, during the build.

Once you’re here, you can break it down even further by prioritizing your top 3 in each section. Now, going into your project knowing these priorities will efficiently help with both the design and build by easily being able to tighten up the budget if needed, and speed up the decision making for the overall project.

Take a look at what we prioritized from our wishlist. You'll notice we added more than just 3 top non-negotiables, and that’s okay. There isn’t a rule where you can only have 3, but if you can try to get it down as close to 3 as possible, you’re on the right track.

Taking it one step further, you see the area where we list future possibilities? Up next, we’re going to talk about determining the items that can wait, should the budget get tight, and how you could possibly phase your project.