Top Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid

It doesn’t matter whether you are just changing a few aspects of your own home or are revamping a whole new property, mistakes can happen anywhere and at any time. However, here are several renovation mistakes that are fairly common and easily avoidable if you are aware of them.

Not sticking to a budget

One of the biggest home renovation mistakes people make is to exceed their budget.

There are two optimal ways in which you can work to your budget and avoid this mistake. The first being is to calculate to the best of your ability all the costs that you will incur throughout the entire project. Put this money aside or pay for all materials and labour upfront, making sure you also include a little extra in case of any problems or changes of plan. The other option is to only proceed with a set amount of work throughout that month so as to not over or under-spend, once you know the rough estimate for your project costs.  It’s also a good idea to look for great ways to save money, such as hiring a company such as Kitchen Makeovers to re-use your existing kitchen and improve it, rather than starting fresh.

Not calling a professional

As previously highlighted your budget is an important aspect of a renovation project, and as such often people will try to reduce the costs of said project as much as possible. This can become an issue when something goes wrong and you either try to fix the problem yourself or get someone who has little to no training involved. Instead of making this mistake, call the electrician or emergency plumber to rectify the problem, and ensure to get the problem fixed properly and only once, rather than allowing it to become an expensive or problematic issue later down the line.

Not creating a schedule

There will be different phases through any renovation project, whether it is a large or small one. Often people can forget to plan a schedule of what works are being completed and when, which can lead to clashes between trades, or rooms/areas being unavailable or unfit for purpose. For example, you don’t want to install a new floor before painting or undergoing any heavy-duty construction as this will ruin the new flooring. To avoid this mistake, make sure you create a schedule, and communicate it to everyone involved. You will also need to ensure everyone is dedicated to the schedule, and problems are raised before they cause delays. 

Not following rules or obtaining permits 

Some renovation projects such as extensions will require rules and permits to be obtained and followed. If these are not met or filled out, then this can lead to fines, or the demolition of any works already carried out. So, to make sure you don’t make this mistake, do your research or talk to a professional who can advise you on which steps you need to take.

Focusing on quantity, not quality

Again, reflecting back on your budget you need to find a balance between the quality and the quantity of any materials and labour you are using for your renovation project. It is easy to go too far one way or the other. If you focus too much on the quality of the renovation it can become expensive and timely, whereas if you focus too much on the quantity of work done and materials that you can acquire then this can lead to poor workmanship and end results. Make sure you find a good balance between the two. 

There are many other mistakes you should be aware of, but make sure you consider all the above when you embark on any renovation project.

By Rachel Newcombe.