You’ve probably watched a bunch of home renovation shows where they start a project, have a lot of fun in between and get a finished product in a few days. This is not how renovations go in real life, unfortunately. There are many obstacles you need to beat and invest a lot of time and effort into your reno before you end up with something dazzling. Luckily, you don’t have to learn from your mistakes-the internet is here to help you with a few renovation tips that actually make renovations easier.
Start with planning and lists
If you nail the planning stage, you can expect a successful renovation, but only then. Without a plan, you’re going to spend a lot of money, cause disagreement and have to waste a lot more time and energy on your project. Usually, the more effort you invest into planning, the better your renovation is going to be. Draw inspiration from Pinterest and renovation shows, adopt the plans for your home, consult with the builders, talk to plumbers about fixtures and discuss your paint plans with your painter. When you know about everything that’s going to be happening during your renovation, only then you can start.
Review your budget
More serious renovations cost a lot of money, and the easiest way to experience delays is to break your budget on unforeseen things. Things like busting through cables, bursting a water main or even not getting permissions for construction can all cost a lot of money in rent, eating out and hiring extra trades. It’s best to plan with these mishaps and add some extra money to your budget to cover unforeseen things. It’s a much better solution than experiencing issues and having no more money or time to handle them.
Hire professionals
Doing renovations yourself is super fun – it’s a creative job that brings many rewards. However, it’s best to know your limit when it comes to DIY and not bite more than you can chew. In the case of the United States, most house owners often get help from a masonry tuckpointing contractor in Washington DC in order to restore and improve their home’s appearance and to prevent costly damages in the future. Some jobs need to be conducted by professionals like foundation work, plumbing and electrical work. Many countries like Australia can’t do without air conditioning, but even though these appliances are so common, it’s still not recommended to take a DIY route with them. If you decide to tackle air conditioning installation yourself, make sure to have an expert on air conditioning in Brisbane ready on the line in case something goes wrong. Having your AC expert on speed dial is a great tip you need to follow before you start messing with any wires and cables. All in all, it’s best to leave these big and complicated tasks to the pros.
Keep the site clean
No matter who’s tackling demolition (you or professionals), make sure to clean up behind you and leave a safe and practical site. Tradies love to see a site that’s properly prepped, so make sure to remove all the debris, trash, extra materials and loose tools. If you have a lot of debris, you can rent a dumpster and keep it on-site while your renovation is in progress. This is a very practical and safe way to dispose of the trash, and you can just remove it when you’re done. With a clean site, your professionals will simply breeze through your reno!
Start from the outside
If you’re planning to tackle both the interior and exterior during your renovation, make sure to start from the outside. Sure, gutters, pipes, grading and roofing might not sound like the most exciting jobs, but you have to give your house a sturdy envelope before you start on the interior. Imagine the disappointment of setting up new hardwood floors just to experience a huge leak on the roof.
Keep your old windows
You might have heard that you can replace your old windows with the new, energy-efficient ones and get your money back in energy savings in no time. Well, this is not exactly true. If you hear this, it’s probably coming from people looking to earn money on your window renovation jobs. If your house has original windows that are holding up pretty nicely, just shower them with some DIY love and do your best to resuscitate them. If you want to boost energy efficiency, add storm windows instead of replacing your old ones altogether.
Don’t make too many changes
We all change our minds from time to time, but make sure to break this habit when it comes to renovations. Make a good renovation plan in the beginning and stick to it until the end. Moving things all over the place and adding new elements to the design can cost a lot of money. For instance, moving just one light switch can cost you over $1,000. If you want to make any changes, consult with your builder, ask for cost estimates and only then make the move (but keep this as your last resort).
Once you come up with excellent ideas for your home renovation, it’s time to read these tips and take them into consideration before you start demolishing. With these useful tips, your renovation will go smoothly and your home will get a whole new look worthy of you and your family.
