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Renovating your property is an exciting way of injecting a new lease of life into your home – whether you’re looking to upgrade your bedroom, repair and restore original features, or are gutting your house from top to bottom, a home renovation project is a challenging and rewarding experience that can add some serious equity to the value of your home.
Home renovations can be complicated, and you may run into unexpected issues and expenses, so being well prepared is key to a successful project.
We’ve gathered together 7 top tips for making your home renovation a success.
Set a Realistic Budget
Renovation projects can get expensive pretty quickly, and while it goes without saying that you need a starting budget for your project it’s not always an easy task to master, especially when you have a dream design in mind.
That’s why it’s super important to get a true understanding of the cost of your project early on in the process.
Take the cost for materials and labor, and as a rule of thumb add on 10-20% to that figure to act as a contingency – this should be more than enough to cover you should something unexpected arise mid-way through your renovation.
Set a Timeline
Once you’ve established your budget, you’ll need to clarify what work is happening and when. Setting a clear and concise schedule is a great way of assisting you throughout your home renovation project – it’ll not only help you stay on track with what’s happening when and where, but it will also give you a sense of order and calm in a chaotic time.
A good schedule should outline each job that needs to be carried out, from start to finish, in the right order. Ideally, your schedule would include a list of who is doing what and how much it will cost.
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Find Good Help
Choosing reliable builders and contractors is one of the toughest parts of renovating, yet one of the most important to get right.
It can be super tempting to try and keep costs low on this, especially when your budget is stretched but this isn’t one expense you want to skimp on.
One of the best ways to find a good, reliable tradesperson is to ask friends or family for recommendations and take references.
You’ll want to ensure you get quotes from at least three different builders to ensure you are getting good value for your project.
Take time to go and see some of their previous projects – it’s likely a lot of builders and contractors will be on social media, so spend some time looking through their work so you can understand what you’ll be paying for.
Draw Up a Contract
Once you have agreed with your contractor to carry out the work, draw up a contract. It may seem like a fuss, but a contract is great in acting as a framework for the contractor to undertake the work and for you to monitor progress.
During the build it’s highly likely that timings will change, depending on whether or not you face any obstacles, but a contract means at least you are both clear on the goals and objectives from the start.
Your contract should also include a payment plan – a timetable of when the contractor will invoice you for the work and for how much.
Plan Ahead
From the paint that coats the walls to the appliances that will be installed, anyone who has completed a home renovation project before will tell you it’s much better to have everything picked out before you start the work.
This is because you’ll need to make decisions once the work starts and the more you’ve made beforehand the easier it’ll be for you.
Online tools like Pinterest are a great way of pulling a mood board together, allowing you to gather all your ideas and inspirations in one place, while showroom visits and material swatches are a great way of visualizing the space.
Don’t be afraid to get a head start on your project by purchasing items early.
Shop Around
Once you’ve got your design and contractors in place, it’s time to start the fun part – shopping for interior pieces and materials to complement your space.
You’ll be surprised at the number of options you have once you start your research – those beautiful, reclaimed wood shelves you liked at that high-end retailer in the city can be purchased at a much lower price if you choose to shop locally at wood merchants.
When renovating your home, you’re likely to find everything you need at a fairly inexpensive price, it just requires a little shopping around.
Take advantage of online shopping, charity shops, online auction sites, and discount codes and see how far your budget will stretch.
Call in the Professionals
Renovating your property is no easy task – whether you’re a complete novice or have a number of renovations under your belt, you can always lean on professional project managers to help take the stress off and bring your concept to life.
Design companies like SP3 London, we can support you and your home renovation by offering comprehensive end-to-end management solutions – they do all the running around so you can get on with your busy life.
An FF&E interior design specialist, pride themselves on striking the perfect balance between quality and meeting your requirements, ensuring your costs come in on budget and your dreams are made a reality.
Looking to find out more about what the professionals can do for you across FF&E, click here.
Conclusion
Renovating your property is an exciting time, but if you’re a busy individual who wants a hassle-free project, you can always lean on professional interior design project managers who can take over your project and ensure it’s delivered to the highest standard.
If you are including a second storey extension as part of your renovation, you will need specialist advice.
