Planning a home revamp is exciting, but it can be overwhelming. When you renovate a property, it’s important to plan and consider functionality as well as beauty. In this guide, we’ll share some practical tips to help you create a home that ticks every box.
Setting a budget
Before you embark upon any kind of home improvement project, it’s crucial to set a budget. The cost of home renovations can range from hundreds to thousands of pounds. Research costs, get multiple quotes and assess your finances to set a budget. Once you have a budget, you will be able to get an accurate idea of what you can afford to do. If you have grand plans, which you can’t afford at the moment, break the project down into smaller jobs. Start with the most important rooms or tasks. You can always come back to other jobs when you have more money.
Prioritising safety
When you revamp your home, it’s important to be mindful of safety. Whether you live alone, you have pets or children, or your elderly parents are moving in, you want to make sure that your home is a safe haven. Think carefully about the materials you use. If you’re fitting new balustrades for the staircase or creating an external deck, for example, toughened glass may be a good option. Assess risks, explore different features and materials and seek advice if you’re unsure whether your plans are viable. Architects and builders can share ideas, make recommendations and help you draw up detailed plans based on your preferences and budget.
Catering to your lifestyle
We all want our homes to look stunning, but design isn’t just about aesthetics. Plan a revamp that caters to your lifestyle. Think about how you want to use each room and the kind of environment you want to create. Consider your requirements as a family and take your interests into account.
If you have young children, you might want to turn a dining room into a playroom or open up the ground floor to make a large, open-plan kitchen and living area. If you love the great outdoors, you may want to create a utility area and cloakroom next to the back door to store equipment and dirty or wet clothes. If you love to entertain, you may dream of a big kitchen with a huge dining table and a bar. It’s helpful to personalise your plans.
Understanding rules and regulations
In an ideal world, we’d all have free rein to modernise or revamp our homes in any way we wanted, but there are rules in place. Make sure you’re aware of restrictions and regulations and be mindful of the time it may take to get the relevant permissions.
Planning a home renovation is exciting, but it can be stressful. Careful planning helps to reduce stress and make it easier to execute a successful revamp.
