When you are thinking of revamping your home, most likely, your mind is filled with ideas. Chances are, you get a lot of advice from family and friends on how to do it while you are being inundated with various online home renovation blogs.
As the COVID-19 pandemic forced governments all over the world to enforce lockdown measures and social distancing regulations to its citizens, the U.K. has seen a surge in individuals engaging in DIY activities.
March 2020, online sales of home improvement and gardening retail products increased to almost 50 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
We are almost halfway now in 2021, yet these numbers do not seem to die down. Since people are still stuck in their homes and can save a considerable amount of money, they can allocate such an amount on home improvement projects.
Starting a home renovation project, though, can be challenging. Especially for first-timers, you might not know where to start.
So before you start tearing down walls, ripping out your carpets, or doing any other home renovation project, take a step back and consider these pointers.
Things You Should Consider Before Starting a Home Renovation
1. Know Your Intention
You must know why you are renovating. Are you doing it to address a long-existing problem, or are you planning on increasing the resale value of your property? If you plan to keep your current home until old age, you might want to consider home renovations that are long-term and are not cheap.
On the other hand, if your home is only transitional, it is not wise to splurge so much on revamping the place. Rather, choose something that appeals to the general demographic.
2. Give Your Home a Thorough Examination
Take a tour around your home and thoroughly check what areas or rooms could benefit from doing some change. Check your home’s HVAC system, the walls, the ceilings, and the flooring. Doing these allows you to get a good glimpse of the extent of the work needed to revamp your home.
3. Determine Issues
After doing a thorough check of your home, you need to identify the issues that need to be addressed. Consider the following aspects in figuring out the issues around your house: light, space, and storage. Jot down the problems of each of these elements, any possible solutions, and whether you would need a contractor for it or you can do it yourself.
4. Identify the Must-haves and Wishlists
When planning on a home renovation, it is also important to ask yourself whether your plan is necessary or a luxury. It is a rookie mistake for most homeowners to jump right into a renovation project without discerning the two.
Failing to recognize needs from wants may sometimes leave you with insufficient cash to further fund the project. In some cases, it is even the necessities left out, making the whole renovation project a futile one.
5. Know Your Budget
Figuring out your budget is perhaps the most important pointer before proceeding with any renovation project. The first question any contractor would ask you when you are out there canvassing for firms to do the job is how much your budget is. Without such information, contractors cannot provide you with honest and professional feedback on your renovation plans.
Also, without a carefully planned budget and contractors who follow a budgeting process would definitely lead to overspending.
6. Find the Best Contractor
Selecting the best reputable contractor is just as important as setting your budget. The contractor you hire for your home renovation project could make or break your envisioned result.
Take time to look for the right contractor whom you have confidence can deliver your need. According to countless how-to blogs and articles, these are some of the steps you need to do when searching for the right contractor:
Ask for referrals. The good ol’ reliable word of mouth is always the best way to find the best expert who can handle the job. Ask your friends, family, or even office colleagues if they could recommend a good renovation contractor.
Check credentials. Once you have done your preliminary research, it is time to screen candidates. Interview them and ask for any required licenses or credentials, such as passing the CSCS test. Inquire as well if they have insurance coverage and ask for some sample works.
Get it in writing. Once you have selected a contractor who can tackle the job, it is necessary to have every agreement in writing. Read carefully through the documents.
Have a Contingency Plan
Of course, we all hope our renovation plans go off smoothly without any hitch. But that is not how often things turn out to be. When tackling a home renovation project, be prepared to meet bumps along the way. Nonetheless, it helps to be optimistic that the final result is just as you have imagined it to be.
