It has to be said that planning and executing a home renovation is not easy. There are a lot of moving parts to think about both in the planning stages and throughout the renovation work itself. With that being said, it’s good to be organized and to take advantage of any helpful tools and tips that will make the process easier.
With that being said, here’s how to properly plan your home’s renovation easily and efficiently so that it’s less of a headache for you and your household.
Set Yourself a Reasonable Budget
A budget is important because it can be very easy to overspend when renovating your home. According to a U.S bank back in 2016, only 41% followed a budget, which means a home renovation can certainly be a risky one to take on financially.
Whether it’s a big renovation across the home or confined to one room only, it’s an expensive project to undertake regardless. So with that in mind, it’s worth knowing how much you’re committed to spending on the property.
It’s worth setting up a spreadsheet so that you can see exactly what needs to be included within the budget and always try to estimate at the top end. That way, you’ll likely spend less than you anticipated and it always feels good to know you’re saving some money!
If this is your first renovation project, it might be useful to talk to family and friends on how much they spent if they’re happy to divulge the information. With this financial information, you’ll know whether or not you’re spending too much or not enough on the renovation or parts of it.
Find Inspiration Online and Do Your Research
With home renovations, often enough it can be difficult to know exactly what you want. It might be that you’ve got a few ideas in your head but sometimes a little inspiration can go a long way. Any renovation should have a degree of research done before you go into the designing process and hiring contractors to do the work.
Take a look at platforms like Pinterest and online home interior design magazines like Ideal Home and Architectural Digest. These are great resources for seeking inspiration, especially when you might have very little to go on yourself. Some people are naturally creative in designing a space whereas others might need a little more to go off in the form of background research.
When you’ve done enough research, you’ll be ready to move onto the next stage of the process which is designing the space. In this day and age, we’re fortunate to have so many online resources to look through and find ideas for the home.
Use a Free Home Design Software like Foyr
Home design software is something to take full advantage of, especially when it’s free. Many home renovation projects can cost thousands of dollars, with the average kitchen costing around $14,000. This kind of money is not just spare change and so it’s essential that whatever you’re doing, the outcome is how and what you expect it to be.
So unless you want to risk the outcome being a let down, it’s good to use a free home design software like Foyr. By seeing the room’s layout and design in a 3D format, it can ensure that any tweaks and changes you do make are the right ones for the space.
With advancements of technology today, you can get a visual and accurate representation of what the end result will look like and it can be helpful to have this visual for all those involved in the project. Whether you’re doing most of it yourself or getting help, it’s critical to ensure everyone is on the right page from a design point of view.
Foyr has thousands of ready-made templates and products to use, all whilst being completely free. It’s worth using a design software tool every time you do any type of renovation on your home, whether it’s big or small.
Ensure you Have all the Relevant Paperwork Processed
There are some renovation projects that might require some form of legal paperwork or prior approval before beginning the work. You want to ensure that all this relevant paperwork has been successfully processed and in place, otherwise you could face legal action and that can be costly.
At the same time, if you’re doing renovation work that could somehow impact your neighbour’s view or there will be excessive amounts of noise on a daily basis, it’s worth letting them know. It might be that they try to stop the proposed work from going forward. If they’re aware of it, then they’re more likely to be accommodating to your requests.
Consider what defines planning permission in regards to renovation projects and do your due-diligence in letting nearby neighbours know of plans that might disrupt their day to day living. It’s the least you can do and it’s going to save a lot of headaches further down the line when you’ve spent money.
If you’re not sure if you need planning permission or what processes are needed, then it’s worth contacting your local governing bodies where possible. It’s better to be productive in your efforts than to just go ahead with the work.
Find Reputable and Highly-Skilled Contractors
With a renovation project, you could have a great idea and plan in mind for the design but it’s all about executing it successfully. This is influenced a lot by any contractors that you bring in to do the work. From electricians to builders and plumbers, it’s very important you find the right ones for the job.
Whilst there might be many skilled and talented contractors, there will also be some cowboys too that are willing to take your money and do a shoddy job. For finding reputable and highly-skilled contractors, it’s worth doing your research and asking around initially for recommendations.
Take a look at their website if they have one and if not, ask for any evidence of work done prior. Any contractor that’s worth their salt should be active in taking photos of their handiwork in order to acquire future clients. Be sure to ask for evidence where it’s not readily available and if it isn’t, then look elsewhere.
In a digital world, it’s very easy to find reviews of reputable contractors and previous testimonials. Don’t just take the company or contractor’s word for it either and look on review or forum sites. There’s likely to be more realistic and honest reviews that you can find.
It’s also worth speaking to the contractor prior to signing any contract or agreement. That way you can make a personal judgement on whether or not you’d like to work with them.
Expect Delays and Make Alternative Arrangements
There are likely to be snags in the renovation process and this tends to happen particularly when it involves the addition of a room on the property. Weather conditions can affect the process and with renovations on existing rooms, materials may be delayed in coming in.
Contractors might also contribute to the delays that happen and so it’s worth making accommodations and alternative arrangements where needed. For example, bathroom and kitchen renovations can often be difficult to manage and it might be that you have to temporarily move to a family or friend’s property whilst it gets done.
When you expect delays to happen, you can make any necessary arrangements ahead of time and that way, it’s likely to be handled in a more stress-free manner. Even though it’s a hefty process to renovate a property or part of one, it should still be fun to do!
Play site manager to check everything is going to plan
As a home renovation is in progress, it’s essential that you play site manager whether you’re still in the property or you’ve moved out temporarily. By having your presence there whilst the work is ongoing, it can help keep things moving and there’s less opportunity for things to slack, especially with contractors.
