Plan on making a few updates to spiff up the house? Keep the "few" in mind.

 Two demons wait for unsuspecting homeowners, hoping for their chance to gobble up time and money on new home and remodeling projects. The are called The Ripple Effect and Project Creep.

• The Ripple Effect lurks quietly in the background. Just like the movements on the pond surface for which it's named, The Ripple Effect starts out small and grows, expanding until it engulfs the entire project.
• Project Creep is a silent menace, staying out of sight until it's too late to avoid and putting the whole job at risk.

The Ripple Effect is the remodeling budget's worst enemy and can wreak havoc on small and large projects alike.

A window replacement is a simple, isolated project, right? But the interior and exterior trim must be replaced and painted, and the exterior siding may have to be reworked, especially if the new window isn't the same size as the old one.

And that's just the beginning. Once that window is replaced and the new window trim painted, the rest of the trim in the room looks bad by comparison, and so you decide to paint that, too. A pebble has been dropped in the pond, and the ripples have begun to spread.

What started out as a simple window replacement ends up as the refinishing of an entire room.

In new home projects, The Ripple Effect is more pronounced in open plan designs. With fewer walls to separate spaces, it's difficult to make flooring transitions from one room to another so more expensive flooring materials often cover more of the house. The lack of interior walls also requires a more expensive structural system and makes the placement of duct work and plumbing more difficult.

Don't Make Waves

But The Ripple Effect can be controlled if you take a moment to consider the impact one project can have on other parts of the house. The root of the problem in the window replacement example is that a new standard-sized window won't exactly fit the existing opening, necessitating the replacement of the trim.

But a custom-sized window, carefully installed, might allow you to reinstall the existing trim inside and outside, and avoid The Ripple Effect entirely. Sure, you'll spend more on the window, but you'll save everywhere else and avoid The Ripple Effect.

And in a new home project, careful planning of the room layouts and space adjacencies allows flooring and other finishes to "break" where you want them to.

 Project Creep

Project Creep is a close cousin to The Ripple Effect. Project Creep happens when the extent of the work begins to grow, creeping along at first, until no one seems able to control the spiraling costs.

Older homes, for example, often require building code upgrades when they're remodeled — upgrades that may have little to do with the project itself. When structural loads are changed in any way, for example, the existing structure must be rebuilt or retrofitted to meet updated code requirements. And moving structure usually means reworking the wiring, duct work and plumbing that's been routed through the area.

Project Creep can attack new home projects, too. Sometimes the causes are almost impossible to predict, such as when the excavation of the site uncovers poor soil conditions. Sometimes the cause is an outside force — an architectural review board, for example. But mostly, Project Creep is a result of a difference in expectations between homeowner, builder and architect.

Plan ahead to avoid Ripple and Creep

On any project, start with a clear idea of the level of finish and quality you expect. Don't assume that the architect and builder are in tune with your ideas about finishes. Discuss your expectations in detail and, whenever possible, see the actual finishes and fixtures.

If you're not the detail-oriented type, hire a professional interior designer.

Poor quality drawings cause additional unplanned work during construction and always end up costing homeowners money and time. My firm has been hired many times to correct drawings done elsewhere that contained glaring errors, omitted necessary structural steel or just plain didn't work.

Sloppy drawings are an open invitation to Project Creep

On a remodeling or room addition project, evaluate the feasibility of the project in terms of the impact it will have on parts of the home that you're not intending to remodel. Often, room additions can easily be designed to minimize the effect on the existing structure.

Finally, always have realistic expectations about your project budget and communicate that budget to your architect and builder. When everyone understands the project's financial goals, the chances for success are greatly increased.

Related:

• Nine unconventional ways to improve your home
• Top five requests for home design
• Beware of value-killing renovations

Richard Taylor is a residential architect based in Dublin, Ohio and is a contributor to Zillow Blog. Connect with him at http://www.rtastudio.com/index.htm.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

Winter wonderlands are cute and all, but they get pretty cold too.

By Zillow

While September brings the first day of fall, October can be the harbinger of the winter and all of its frigid pitfalls. It's best to be prepared for the frost and snow with a few simple tasks that will prevent drafts, frosty windows and every homeowner's nightmare: Busted pipes.

A good place to start prior to tackling problem areas in your home is a home energy audit. This will pinpoint specific places in your house where heat escapes. The U.S. Department of Energy has a do-it-yourself energy assessment, or you can hire someone to do the audit for you.

Weatherstripping

Cold air can seep in through those little gaps between your door and the door frame, quickly reversing any effort you take to heat your home. Weatherstripping covers the sides and top of the door and a sweep fills the space between the threshold and door bottom. Hardware stores and home centers sell numerous products in metal, foam, rubber and plastic for this purpose and many can be installed in an afternoon.

Windows
This may be another area where additional weatherstripping or caulk is needed to fill any visible gaps, though that still might not be enough remediation to prevent drafts. While windows add much needed winter light, they can let out a lot of heat — up to 12 times more than a wall if they're single pane. Blinds can keep a little heat in, but heavier shades or curtains will minimize heat loss.

Fireplace
Fantasizing about a cozy evening in front of the fire? Your romantic night might be cut short if your fireplace hasn't been serviced. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys are swept at least once a year.

Furnace
It's also recommended that furnaces be serviced once a year. A heating system can break down at the most inopportune time is it's not serviced. Worse, it can pump carbon monoxide into a home or eventually stop working. While a furnace service can run up to $100, the cost benefits are undeniable, considering the cost of a major fix or replacement.

Ducts
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose between 10 and 30 percent of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if duct work is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces.

Pipes
Frozen pipes are a royal nuisance, but with a little effort, many instances can be prevented. The best way to tackle these is to wrap pipes that run the exterior of the home with heating tape. Turn off the water and drain the remaining water at the inside valves. You can also purchase insulated covers for additional prevention.