Renovating Hints and Tips

Renovating – it’s either something that excites you or something that fills you with fear. No matter what side of the fence you’re on, there are some hints and tips to ensure that your renovation goes as smoothly as possible.

How to Get What You Want

The key to getting what you want is to do plenty of research. Books, magazines, and display homes are all excellent avenues for finding out the latest trends, or simply for getting ideas that will suit your space. If you find the choice overwhelming, an interior designer, interior decorator or architect will be able to help you. It is fine to include your own personal style in your renovation – after all, you’re the one that will live in it! – but it is prudent to consider the people who will be buying your property when you do decide to sell. Opting for colours and materials that are fairly neutral will maximise resale value. You can put your own stamp on the place via removable items such as curtains, furniture, and artwork.

What Should You Renovate?

To get the most bang for your buck, carefully choose the rooms that you are going to renovate. Money is usually generally well spent in improving the look and function of kitchens, bathrooms, the master bedroom and the living areas. Don’t fixate on any one area however. Look for flexibility – create areas that can be used in more than one way. Also research what works well in your local area. If you live in a leafy suburb – an open plan family room that leads onto a deck will be very desirable.

The Most Important Factor – The Budget

The budget is the deciding factor in any renovation. Before signing any contracts, sort out your finances. Outside finance is the choice for many people and possibilities in this range include personal loans, lines of credit, home equity loans, and mortgages. How much money you spend on your renovation should depend on if you plan to live in your home when the work is completed or to sell it for a profit. You do not want to overcapitalise.

Once you know how much you can afford, it is a great idea to draw up a list of what you want to do, in order of preference. To get a realistic idea of what you can get for your money, ask two architects and two contractors to look at your home and provide you with estimates. Once you have the figures, strike a balance between solving your needs and achieving the appropriate quality of work while still staying within your budget. If you can’t get to everything at one time, it may be best to postpone some renovations until a later date, when you will have more money. This is better than doing everything to a poor standard.

Choosing the Contractor – How to Get it Right

When starting a renovating project, it is important to get the best contractor that you can afford. This is one area where it is best to go for quality. Also make sure that you are comfortable with the building renovation contractor. This will make it easy for you to share any concerns or issues with them. Always check that they are correctly licensed, and that you have a written contract that outlines all the terms of the work, including materials to be used, the time for the work to be completed, and the costs. Read the contract before you sign it, and be sure that you understand it. Take it to a solicitor if necessary, as anything that is not on the contract will become your responsibility.

Before beginning anything, check that you have all of the permits needed. If you don’t have the right permits, insurance will not cover you should anything go wrong. Your contractor can help with this.

Can You Live in Your Home?

During the renovation, it may become awkward for you to live in your home. Talk to the contractor about the schedule of work to be done. Knowing when certain tasks are being completed will allow you to plan around them and minimise inconvenience. For example, will you need to set up a temporary kitchen while the main kitchen is being renovated? If you are renovating the bathroom, you can look into portable bathrooms so you can shower. As well as minimising inconvenience to yourself, you should also try to minimise inconvenience to the workers. Ensure that they have access to water, electricity, and a bathroom, if necessary. Renovations are known for being noisy, so inform your neighbours of the expected work schedules and try to keep noise to the acceptable hours of the day.