Renovating your home is an exciting, if somewhat stressful, prospect and projects can vary in size.
Knocking down a wall to create an open plan living space might sound easy enough but even that can come with a few challenges.
A large extension and full internal redesign on the other hand is a sizeable undertaking and one which might even span a couple of years depending on the level of effort involved.
So you need to think about things carefully in order to cope with it all and get the outcome you desire.
Take a look at our top tips for planning a home renovation:
Have the right surveys conducted
If you are changing anything structurally in the building or might be compromising any walls or anything at all, you will need to fully understand the impact of these.
If you’ll be adding to the property, you’ll need to consider the roof and external walls and a building survey will highlight any issues that are likely.
Select the right team
Getting quotes from different tradesmen to complete the work is of course important, but opting for the lowest bidder is not necessarily the wisest idea.
You need to consider when they can complete any jobs and how that fits with the other work you’re having done.
You also need to consider communication – they need to be able to understand your vision and translate it into the property.
You might also want to consider reputation and recommendations – it’s really useful to get these opinions from people you can trust if possible.
Consider the atmosphere you want to achieve
Why exactly are you wanting to change your property?
Is it to get your own office space, or have an open plan living area that you can all congregate in whilst doing your own thing?
The lifestyle you want to achieve needs to be factored into the plans, as does the finished ‘feel’ of the property.
For example, if your home is darker than you would like, is the aim to brighten it up?
Talk to your architect or builder about windows in the roof to allow natural light to flood in.
These can be purchased from reputable companies such as Roof Window Outlet and will drastically change your property’s final look.
Think about how you will live throughout the project
If you’re ripping out your kitchen and won’t be having the new one for several months, how will you live?
Will the builders create a temporary space and can you live like that for an extended period?
What about the noise and dust – this might be particularly pertinent if you work from home.
If your expectations are properly set, it will be easier to cope with.
Budget well
Financing a project can be one of the key problem areas so make sure you budget very carefully.
Think about how will you raise the funds and consider having some kind of contingency money in case unforeseen circumstances arise.
This is very common in building projects, after all!
Renovating a property is a great way to get your dream house without having to move.
Plan it well and it will go as smoothly as possible too.