Renovating a home, whether you are working with professionals or doing it all on your own, is an extremely stressful task. After all, you’ll be doing a lot of planning, organising, and most importantly, spending.
Fortunately, there are a few ways for you to make house renovations as manageable and hassle-free as possible. In this article, you will find seven ways to ease the burden of renovating your London home. Here they are:
Plan Ahead
Planning is always key to a successful home renovation. So, always take as much time to plan out your project. You will also want to take this time to identify your design, structural, and material options. Putting this off may lead to a disastrous and stressful home renovation project.
Approach this planning phase patiently. Do not haste into making decisions, but instead take the time to find out as much as you can. Aside from what you find online, you will also want to speak with experts and friends who have had home renovation projects.
Be Realistic With Your Budget and Timeline
While planning out your house renovation project, it would also be beneficial for you to set a timeline and budget. Failing to set this early may cause a lot of physical, emotional, and financial turmoil. This is especially important when you are living in London, where most things are typically more expensive as compared to everywhere else in the UK.
Remember that your plans and your budget should always coincide, though. That means if you are planning to make significant changes during your house renovation project, then you should be prepared to spend a bit more money for it. Here is an estimated cost of a full home renovation.
Similarly, always try to gauge if your timeline for the project is reasonable. Some parts of the job will require more work than others, and will therefore take more time to complete. For example, you couldn’t expect your home renovation project to be done in a couple of days if you are planning on a total kitchen overhaul.
Here are some more tips to keep in mind:
- Include a contingency amount in your budget to cover any unforeseen expenses or emergencies.
- You will also want a buffer period of one or two weeks on your renovation timeline.
- If you are working with a professional contractor, work with them to make sure your timeline and budget are as realistic as possible. Meanwhile, if you are working on your own, consider at least seeking professional advice for this part of the project.
Hire a Man and Van in London To Clear Your Home During The Renovation
Leaving your furniture exposed and lying around the house during a renovation project puts them at risk for damage. Moreover, you and your renovation crew will be misspending a lot of time and energy manoeuvring around your furniture. Hence, it would be very much ideal for you to get these items out of the house temporarily.
While temporarily moving them into the garage or out in the driveway would be a good idea, there are a few more benefits to hiring London man and van services to help you out with this job instead. Yes, you read that right! Aside from moving house, a man with a van is also helpful when you are renovating a house. Here are a few reasons why:
- You can rest assured, knowing your belongings are handled safely and securely.
- There will be a minimised risk of injury due to the lifting of heavy objects.
- There will also be little risk of damage on your newly-painted walls or freshly-buffed floors while moving your belongings back into the house.
- With your man with a van’s packing services, you may save a lot of time and energy packing up your furniture.
If you are planning on hiring a man and van London service to clear out your home temporarily, make sure to have at least three companies in the running. Doing so may just help you find the best man and van deals in your area!
Be Aware Of The Necessary Safety Protocols
The last thing you need is for your renovation project to be halted or delayed due to avoidable accidents and injuries. Hence, whether you are hiring a renovation crew or are doing all the work yourself, you need to take note of the necessary safety protocols for home renovations.
You will also want to make sure the modifications you are about to do on your home are all up to par with your town or city’s building code.
Insure Your Investment
Chances are, you’ll be putting a lot of your money into your renovation project. Hence, it only makes sense for you to be a step ahead and cover your liability in case things take a turn for the worse. Always remember that not all home and contents insurance policies cover renovation work, so it would be best to purchase a self-build or home renovation insurance.
A tip: Never assume the contents of your insurance coverage. Always ask your provider if you find anything unclear or confusing.
Planning on getting insurance for your belongings after the renovation project?
Check this out for the other types of insurance you need in a home.
Be Transparent With Your Neighbours
Remember that such home renovation projects may cause a lot of disruption to your neighbours. The last thing you want is to get into arguments or disagreements with those living around you.
So, before starting your renovation project, let your neighbours know about what is going on, how long your project is going to take, and whom they should reach out to should there be a problem.
Be sure to settle any disputes or grievances as soon as possible. An apology, some baked goodies, a bottle of wine, or some flowers will definitely help smooth things over.
Take It Easy
If you encounter any type of stress, frustration, and discomfort during your house renovation project, try to take it easy. Rather than looking for someone and something to blame for any mishaps, focus on getting things solved as soon as possible.
Remember that no house renovation project has ever run perfectly. So, take it easy and try not to sweat the small stuff!
