Have you tried renovating your house? If so, you’ll know how difficult it was because of stress and the rising cost of construction materials. So what do you do? Many people have found success by planning and listing ahead what they will need. But there are a few things you should know before you implement a house renovation. This post will guide you to make sure you have a smooth renovation.
If you’re looking for a successful and hassle-free renovation, read on and follow these tips.
1. Be clear on your goal
Is your goal to increase the value of your property, or do you intend to live there for a long time? Do necessary renovations that will increase the value of your house if you will sell it. However, if you plan to live there permanently, it is wise to retain the original house structure and just renovate some parts.
2 Do your research
This means doing a home survey to check any structural defects and areas of concern. This could affect the budget and schedule for renovation.
3. Plan ahead
Stick to one plan and be firm on your decisions. It will save you time and money. Consider the needs and wants of your family in making the plan.
It must include the following:
- Design plan. This is a drawing or outline to guide construction, modification, remodeling, or renovating a house or building.
- Areas to renovate or remodel. Renovating and remodeling are two different things. Renovation means doing some repairs, improvements, and installation to a room. For example, if you want to renovate your bedroom, you could change the paint of the walls, add new shelves, install new floor tiles, and repair cabinet knobs. Simply put, renovation is retaining the structure and the function of the room. On the other hand, remodeling entails a lot of alteration in design and structure to repurpose the room. An example is remodeling a basement. You could convert it to a guest room when it used to be a stockroom. In this case, you need to install more windows, build a bathroom, add lighting fixtures, and replace the shelves with cabinets.
- Materials to use
- Will you be recycling some old materials, or will you opt to buy everything new? Will you outsource them locally or buy from another place? Keep in mind your budget, the weather condition in your place, and the materials’ availability before you decide what materials to use. Decide whether you will personally buy the materials or leave them to the contractors.
- Color scheme
- Decide what color you will use for each room. Ask your family members about their color preferences to avoid conflict and confusion.
4. Form a team
Hire professional and experienced contractors, architects, interior designers, electricians, and plumbers. Check their business permits. Read reviews of their company by their previous customers. Request for samples of their previous projects.
Insist for a contract with your team. It must include the right address, starting date, date of completion, and scope of the job. Read and understand every item before affixing your signature.
5. Set a budget and schedule, but make room for contingencies
The success and completion of a project depend heavily on one’s budget. To make sure you won’t overspend, stick to your budget and contract. However, allot some budget for contingencies like material price increase and additional permits.
Make room for delays in schedule due to sickness, natural calamities, and emergencies.
A word of advice: Don’t pay in full the contractor. We had seen it happened a lot of times. The contractors will demand full payment only to stall the renovation because he has another project on other sites. Thus pay him half of the contract price and pay in full once the job is done. Or you could pay him weekly or bi-monthly, depending on your agreement.
6. Pack up or temporarily move out
You could declutter, move, or pack your stuff and household appliances if you are renovating an area or a room. This will protect your valuables and appliances from possible damages. However, consider moving out temporarily, especially if you have kids when major remodeling is being done.
House renovation or remodeling can really be overwhelming. It is also stressful and can disrupt your regular routine. But now that you know the way to a hassle-free house improvement, you are now ready to take the challenge without losing your sanity. You can now put down your guard, pat yourself and say, “I did it!”
