Home Improvement Tips

Renovating a home can be a daunting and emotional task, however, the end results can be extremely rewarding. Regardless of if it’s something small, like opening the space by creating some built-in shelves or adding value to your home with an extension, relaxing in a home that you helped build makes all the hard work worth it.

Before taking on such a big task it’s vital that you take the necessary precautions. Of course, any home improvement project is bound to have its challenges, but with the proper planning, you can give your home a makeover with hopefully as little disruption as possible.

Research

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t walk into a home improvement project without doing your research. A well thought through plan and in-depth research can save you both time and money in the long run. Even something which might seem trivial such as looking a little longer for your furniture, could turn up some bargains you might otherwise have missed; saving you money which could then go back into your renovation.

If you are planning a bigger build, such as an extension, then an architectural drawing is an important part of the preparation process. As well as giving you a visual representation of what your finished product should look like, it can also help avoid confusion between you and the people working with you on your build.

Before starting any big renovations, it’s also worth looking into the age of your house, or if there are likely to be any issues which could be provoked through any big changes – such as electrical, plumbing or even structural problems. Regardless of the age of your home, it is generally advised that you avoid moving fixed structures such as bathtubs and sinks as this can be costly and runs the risk of causing further issues which could cost more.

Permissions and Warranty

Another crucial aspect of planning is to ensure you have the right permissions and insurance to carry out your renovation. Although this isn’t a problem if you’re, say, just changing the layout of your living room, if your house is going through any structural changes then you need to look into which permissions (if any) you need.

Although on the less exciting side of a home renovation, the right insurance/Structural Warranty will protect your hard work for years to come. Self-Build Zone (https://www.selfbuildzone.com/)  is an established provider, with over 25 years of experience, who will provide your finished product with 10-Years of protection.

Budget

Setting a strict budget and sticking to it is a great way to prevent yourself from running away with the project or stretching yourself too thin. Following your plan and writing up a detailed price guide can save a lot of money in the long run.

This being said, no matter how well you plan your home renovation, there is always the possibility that things could come up which demand a higher overall spend. Unexpected costs can come in the form of accidental damage, or issues which only become apparent once work starts. For example, a house could have issues within the structure of the walls, however this might not be made known until you have disturbed the construction.

As there is always a risk for your build to be costlier than you originally thought, it would be wise to ‘pad out’ your budget and always overestimate rather than underestimate your overall spend. In addition, it’s important to include the cost of wastage – for example in the case of laying flooring.

Schedule

A schedule is not only important for ensuring that your home improvements are completed in a timely manner, but it can also help keep you motivated.

One of the most important parts of organising your time is negotiating with the elements – and this means choosing the appropriate time of year for your project.

Summer is the obvious season people tend to choose if the building work is external – and with good reason. The generally drier climate means that there is less chance building work will be delayed by adverse weather conditions. On the other hand, the colder months tend to be quieter for construction companies and therefore if you are planning to hire one to help with your home improvements then it could be worth looking into this option.

As mentioned, regardless of the size of your home improvements, keeping up motivation is a big benefit of creating a schedule for your renovation. A simple, but often overlooked, tip to aid with this is to split down your overall vision into smaller checkpoints and giving these a deadline. Constructing this list of tasks can help make even the biggest task feel more easily digestible.

Patience

Especially if the home improvement you’re carrying out is on the larger side, patience is a must.  As some renovations can prove to be big and costly jobs, taking the time to ensure that you’ve planned out the changes you want is important. Rushing into a project that is not thoroughly planned out could cause a range of issues.

This not only applies to the actual renovating stage of your project, but if your plans are more on the expensive side then it’s important that you don’t go into them hastily. Biding your time until the correct permissions and plans are drawn up and you have enough funds saved, can protect both you and your home in the long run.

Taking your time is not only beneficial for the planning stage of your project but waiting until retail sales can also help you buy that perfect piece for less; freeing up more funds for finishing touches or other unexpected costs.

Enjoy It

For all the hard work that goes into home improvements, there’s no better feeling than putting your own, personal stamp on your house. So, enjoy the journey, for all its ups and downs and keep your eye on the final goal.