“Renovating not only restores the house but restores the story of the home and the neighborhood as well.”- Author Unknown
If we have lived in a home for a significant amount of time, craving something new or different would almost be an inevitable occurrence. More often than not, this want manifests itself in the form of bigger kitchens, spacious bathrooms, expanded bedrooms or new decors for the living room and the like. To put it succinctly: home improvements and renovations–after all, in renovating our homes, we are effectively giving it a fresh and new look.
Unfortunately, some renovations can be a bit costly, and if you end up executing a botched job, you are likely to spend even more for repairs. To avoid this possibility, it is always best to be aware of what you are getting yourself and your home into. Online resources such as this DIY expert guide provides in-depth information about home renovations. In this regard, you would be able to plan your renovations better and around a budget. So, whether you are renovating your house, here are some of the things you should consider:
1. Have a budget in mind
Quality renovations do not come in cheap, so much like you had drawn up a budget in buying a house, and so should you in planning a renovation. Do the necessary research and perhaps talk to a friend whose house has undergone a similar renovation. Ask them how much it set them back so that you could adequately prepare your renovation funds. Moreover, this is the best time to do some window shopping and cost-comparisons.
Ensure that the materials you have thought of getting are of good quality and would fit your budget. Lastly, make sure that you tack an extra twenty percent on top of your budget as this will be essential in defraying inevitable issues that would spring up. Better safe than sorry.
2. Be realistic
While everyone might have an ideal result in mind, it might not always be practical nor realistic. Sure, dreaming is the start of any good renovation. But in order for you to have a smooth experience, it is best if you gave your budget careful consideration and thought of what you can accomplish with it along with your resources and your existing home. However, if you are truly committed to realizing a dream renovation, you cannot seemingly afford, try to see if you can renovate in stages.
That gourmet kitchen or marble bathroom you have always wanted may take a little longer to finish and might exceed your existing budget, but if you are willing to wait, then your patience will be rewarded.
3. DIY or Contractor?
One of the pivotal questions you ask yourself before a renovation is whether you can undertake the project yourself, or hire a contractor to do it for you. While doing the project yourself can save you on contractor’s fees, it can be rather risky—especially if you have no prior experience as regards the home improvement you are about to do.
Taking on renovation projects on your own without the necessary skills and equipment might lead to substandard results that would require even further financing just to fix. Or worse, it might cause you injuries. If this is the case, it would be best to avail of the services of a seasoned professional who you can trust to deliver quality projects on time.
4. Have a schedule
Home improvement projects take time and sometimes, they are even longer than you originally thought them to be. In this regard, it would be wise to have a good timeframe for when to schedule renovation work. After all, you cannot just leave all the work to the contractor without overseeing the progress. With this in mind, it is imperative for you to devise a flexible schedule with alternative living plans.
Remember, you might not be able to use your bathroom or bedrooms for weeks to months when workers are going in and out of your house doing renovation work.
5. Know the rules you are dealing with
You might have the time, budget and the professional to work on the dream home improvement you want. Unfortunately, some renovation works might require permission before they can be done. Knocking down walls or even digging a pool in your yard might require you to get the necessary permits.
Furthermore, you would need to give your neighbors a heads up as regards the loud noise as a consequence of the renovation work. So, before doing any major renovation work, check the rules and regulations in your city first and ensure that you comply—or you might end up just having to undo all that work.
