Dos and Don’ts of Renovating

Picture this. You’ve just purchased your new home and you’re eager to get your hands on a sledgehammer and start redesigning. Before you do, here are some important home renovation tips to consider.

Don’t

Don’t underestimate the efforts involved. Home renovation is notorious for taking longer than planned! Homeowners always want their renovations to go perfectly, which often takes more time. Additionally, living plans must be arranged for the renovation process. While living on site is an option, it may not be convenient. Depending on which rooms are being renovated, it’s likely you’ll encounter periods without access to amenities such as running water or flushing toilets.

You should also consider who and how many people would potentially be living on site. Founder of The School of Renovating and professional renovator, Bernadette Janson, says that her first home renovation, which happened when her four children were young, created many safety issues.

Janson’s advice to anyone considering living in a property while renovating is to avoid if at all possible.

So, it’s a good idea to consider a rental during this time. You’ll need to consider the extra costs involved in renting or the extra effort, if moving in with someone else, as well as the efforts of visiting your home to check renovation progress.

Don’t settle for the cheapest option, especially if it means compromising on quality. This goes for labour costs, materials and appliances. Remember that your home is an investment, so focus on decisions that will add value in the future.

First, find reputable and professional tradespeople who will do the job. Additionally, consider the harsh reality that DIY could create more damage than good and there are some activities that you should definitely not DIY. 

When it comes to materials and appliances, high quality should always overcome price. Not only do the better quality options reduce replacement costs in the near future, but they also increase the value and comfort of your home. 

Do

Do plan and plan well. Deciding on the outcome as well the products and materials used will minimise the risk of wasting money. 

Do gather design ideas. This is possibly the most exciting step! It’s important to do extensive research to achieve your desired look. The two best places to start your research are magazines and of course, the Internet. Pinterest will be your best friend. Pinterest allows you to conveniently follow pages like ours, group pins according to categories, and save pins to your own pin boards. A pro tip is to start by categorising each board into a different room. 

Do create a budget and be prepared for unexpected costs. To help you out, take a look at our budget planner here.

Read: Think your home won’t fit a laundry? Think again!