No sane human being wakes up one morning and decides to do a full home renovation. Not even the best construction experts in Tunbridge Wells can perform miracles if you have no idea of what you want. There are certain things you should be prepared for. Here are a few pointers to help you:
1. Have a realistic budget
If you decide that you want a full home renovation, then you need to have the budget to match. The average homeowner spends at least £23,000. That’s a significant sum of money. But even so, you should prepare to pay more if need be. It will be prudent for you to have a buffer of about 10% of the total renovation budget for anything else that crops up.
You should overestimate the cost of a full home renovation than underestimate it. If the money remains, you can always channel it elsewhere. However, if you have less money than required for your renovation, you might be forced to cut corners in the end, which will compromise the overall look and quality of your home. Luckily, banks like Barclays do offer home renovation loans for times such as these.
2. Have a list of everything that needs to be done
There is a vast difference between a full home renovation and renovating one or two sections of your home. The former involves everything you can think of that needs to be repaired or replaced. And you need to have a complete plan of what it is you intend to do. These include the roof, plumbing, tile work, walls, patio, electrical work, etc.
Don’t embark on your renovation if you have no idea of what needs to be done. Listing everything that needs tackling will give you a good idea of what to expect and thus enable you to manage the stress that goes with renovations. It will also ensure that you set up a plan for contingencies.
3. Don’t tackle home renovation projects you cannot do
It is tempting to tackle home renovation projects so that you can save money. But ignorance can be quite costly. If you have no idea of what you are doing or lack the necessary expertise, you may damage sections of your home. And that damage can even be costlier to repair, which will cause your home renovation budget to increase significantly.
Be realistic about what you can handle. Drop your ego. Hire the best contractors to do the work that needs to be done that requires a high level of expertise. Think of the money you spend on them as an investment that will yield a higher-quality home in the end.
4. Don’t forget the contract
A contract is an essential document where a full home renovation is concerned. Your contract should outline the work that needs to be done, the deadline, the cost, and any other relevant information about the products and services provided. Contracts keep everyone involved in the renovation project accountable. Everyone is legally bound to do their part, which makes it more likely that you will end up with the home of your dreams.
A full home renovation is nothing to joke about, so do everything in your power to make it easy for everyone. So have the money ready, ensure you have a plan of what needs to be accomplished, let everyone sign a contract, and then let them do their jobs. When your full home renovation is done, it might be well worth a page or two in the Architectural Digest.
