You might have recently moved into a home only to realise that, for all of the plus points that drew you to that home in the first place, the property still isn’t quite… well, “you”.
This could motivate you to start brainstorming ideas for revamping your home. However, be warned that proceeding to a renovation project carries an array of adverse implications that could too easily escape your notice.
The following tips can help prevent you veering off course.
Launching too quickly into renovations
If the property doesn’t call for urgent renovations, give yourself time to get used to living there before you give yourself the go-ahead, whatever renovation ideas you have in mind. Check out this Home Remodeling & Renovation Guide for future reference.
In this time, learn how the property’s layout naturally flows, where your food and laundry are best placed and even, by following advice provided by Architectural Digest, how the sun and rain affect that home. The better you know your home, the better-informed your renovation choices can be.
Taking on too many renovation projects at once
Exciting a prospect though it may initially seem, to wipe the slate clean so to say, and make your home look like yours from the ground up, would be an ambitious choice and one we would warn against.
Once you have decided on one exciting idea, you could inadvertently be led onto another… and another… and another. However, trying to follow through with all of your plans risks leaving the house constantly looking like a mess, so carry out renovation projects strictly one at a time.
Attempting a DIY approach while lacking the right experience
No matter how many home improvement shows you might have seen on TV, don’t be too quick to assume that this has given you the credentials to do all of the renovation work yourself.
Freshome advises that “it’s only the right choice if you have the proper skills”. Otherwise, you could risk being too reliant on guesswork and, thus, sowing the seed for major issues further down the line. If you aren’t experienced in renovation work, turn to professionals who are.
Choosing a contractor on price more than reputation
As you act on advice to collect quotes from various contractors, you could too easily be swayed by an unusually low price. However, when a contractor sets their price peculiarly low, this could be because they will be cutting corners or omitting crucial services that would be worth extra spending.
Don’t be too driven by price; instead, read reviews of different contractors to see which ones seem the most reliable. Findley Roofing & Building is one example of a well-rated Yorkshire roofing firm.
Not allowing for potential setbacks
It isn’t unusual for a renovation project to stall halfway through due to the emergence of a new, previously unanticipated problem. However, through preparing for such issues in advance, you can help yourself to recover from them more quickly when they arise.
Spare about 10% to 15% of your budget for incidental risks, and set your deadline for the project at least two weeks later than the official project timeline cited by the contractor.
Main Image Source: By ToolsAreHome.com