If you’re thinking about renovating your house, there’s a lot to consider before diving headfirst into a big project. Whether it’s a complete reimagining of what you have or cosmetic changes for a handful of rooms, you’ll need to ensure you have a robust plan in place. To help, we’ve put together a list of things to think about when you’re making your plans.
Create a full schedule of the work
It’s imperative to draw up a schedule of the work you intend to carry out before you make a start. It goes without saying that things can and will get chaotic without at least a rough plan – but ideally a thoroughly planned schedule.
If you’re getting tradespeople in, you’ll absolutely have to stick to a planned process to avoid overlapping. There are also jobs that will need to be done in a logical order and those that can be tackled at the same time to save on time and money.
Planning properly can also help to avoid you changing your mind too many times down the line – which will make the project run over time and over budget.
Overestimate
Things very often never quite run as smoothly as you think they will or hope for – that’s why overestimating both your timelines and how much you think the project will cost will help you in the long run. If you come in at under your estimated timescale and budget, it’s a huge bonus, but the alternative can really affect your finances – and your sanity.
It’s extremely common to underestimate what things will cost, so a rule of thumb is to overestimate by 20 per cent to avoid any nasty surprises further down the line.
Think about how the renovations could affect your life
It’s very easy to go full steam ahead with a renovation project and forget about the finer details and how temporary changes might affect your life. For instance, if you’re ripping out your whole bathroom to replace everything you could be without a toilet for a while. If you go ahead and take everything without considering where and when you’ll be able to use a bathroom, this is going to have a huge impact on your life.
Companies such as Fortis Hire offer lots of different options for portable toilet hire – a perfect short-term option for you and your family while you create your dream bathroom.
By not rushing into the work and creating a full schedule first, you’ll be able to identify any needs such as this and avoid any mishaps.
Avoid opting for the lowest quote
It can be very tempting to shake hands with the tradespeople who present you with the lowest quote. However, if the work is subpar, you’ll have to pay someone to rectify mistakes. Our advice is to gather a few quotes, ask for references for each contractor and ensure they’re the right fit to carry out your project.
Hopefully, these tips have got you on the right path to beginning your house renovation. Remember that planning is the most important piece of the puzzle – start with a thorough schedule you’re happy with and move forward from there.
