What is the first thing to do when renovating a house?

decide first what HAS to be done,another bedroom expand on top,ground floor nicer bathroom? back porch deck? modern kitchen? island in the middle? granite counter top?  sketch  plans on lined yellow legal pad,taking care with measurements to scale,measurement accuracy determines furniture dimensions,, color texture soft hard,  long durability   washable esp if you have or plan to have 3 leggers

if you have pets. additional electric and appliance outlets and appliances themselves.  measured so they fit too,

costs,,materials paint,drywall lumber,,know w in ten percent precision how much in  materials  get the name of an architect from a local realtor,,pay the dude what they want these days for a plan set up on a  dvd to put all in one place,,CAD is great at a 3D movie of the finished job,all measurements materials costs,labor time, no contractor nark up of materials which is double paying, unh unh ,,also  the upgrades ought to  net increase the value of the property inside and out as regards landscaping somethings you want may be irrelevant to the neighborhood,,not helping in the value market

Get a case of your favorite brewsky and start drinking while planning.  Unfortunately the question will come out...WHY am I doing all this work? Why am I wasting my money.?

Now settle down and start with paper and pencil. Which room is a MUST?  Which is the least important?  Which has to be done in Gold and which can be plain cement colored paint. or just leaving bare cement and tos a throw rug on the top of it. Never visit the room again.

. Now you got an idea of what you want to do.

You may want MORE BEER.

hi

first you should shortlist the things which you would replace and think about the theme for the new decor

Go over your budget and be realistic about what you CAN afford. Prioritize on where you will be spending your money (better windows? a new floor ? ). Have a solid plan and get more than one quote for the EXACT same work.

You may need a structural engineer or an architect (not sure if they are the same thing).Investigate your contractor by getting phone numbers of his clients who had simular jobs done in the last 3 years. You don't want references from deck build or a door replacement, you wanta reference from job like yours. Call those references. And do a simple google search, check Yelp and the Better Business Burerue and Chambes of Commerce. Check to make sure they are licensed,  insured and bonded. And be sure their subcontractors cant take a mechanics lien or your property if he fails to pay them.Then a contractor is selected, have a DETAILED contract with make and moded of windows, floors and materials to be used on the job with a payment plan. One third down, one third due halfway through the job and one third due upon completion of the job and yard clean up.It is up to You to protect your investment.

Find out what permits you might need, if any.  Many people don't realize that building, health and fire codes apply to renovations.

Be honest with  yourself about your skills, patience and budget.

Seriously, before you do anything you must do that.

PLAN IT.  Never just start knocking walls down, putting holes in them or trying to imitate those TV shows where they show renovations. A good renovation is a planned thing--VERY planned.   It has a budget--and a contingency (that's the extra cash you need when you discover something unexpected) and professionals to assist and advise you. Know which of your walls are load-bearing--and don't knock them down until you are able to support the structure.  That might mean a large beam or pillars, or posts in order that your upper stories or roof do not fall in. Having a plan will allow you to avoid common mistakes--in measuring or building. 

You also need a plan in case you run into SERIOUS issues--such as mold, termites or asbestos--those require professional abatement. And know what you are going to do if you encounter HVAC ducting or electrical wires or plumbing issues. KNOW YOUR LOCAL BUILDING CODES--you can't do things like bury wiring inside drywalled areas in every case. Or limit access to your services.  

Your success will greatly depends on which part of your house you are renovating, too. Bathrooms and kitchens ought to be done by PROs. They are the most difficult rooms to do, and the most expensive. Do them badly and you have to live with your mistakes until you can find the cash to RE-do them. 

Other rooms are not quite as complicated.  But I would make sure you get a professional contractor in first to make sure you aren't going to run into huge problems AND to see if your renovation idea is even possible. 

Realize that everything will take longer and cost more than you thunk it will.

Set yourself a budget.

Make up your mind to let go of old things