Common Home-Renovating Mistakes
Ever wanted to renovate your home to be homier and up-to-date? Chance are, you already have an idea in place that can turn your abode into the home of your dreams. Whether you opt to renovate the home yourself or hire a professional, the choice is up to you.
Though, regardless of how you go about renovating your home, make sure you do it right the first time, because remodeling mishaps can happen at any time during the project, and can cost you time and money. Therefore, if you’re working with a careful budget, you may want to consider how you do things, buy things for your home, etc.
With that in mind, here are 9 of the most common home remodeling mistakes to avoid:
1.Not Being Realistic
“It’s very crucial to think about the big picture when renovating your home,” says Dylan Kenyon, a lifestyle blogger at Australian help and Paper Fellows. “Taking a realistic look at what your home needs and the cost associated with each project are the way to go. By being realistic, you’re making different lists of what are short-term – within the next year – what are medium-term, which is 2 to 5 years down the road, and long-term, which is more than 5 years down the road.”
2. Buying Materials Prematurely
Sales can either make or break you when it comes to buying for your renovation project.
First, wait to buy appliances, flooring, and other materials until project plans are finalized and accurate. Otherwise, you risk buying the wrong materials.
Next, consider re-doing the carpets or flooring in November or December, when many home improvement chains have pre-holiday sales. Plus, contractors are more willing to negotiate on prices during their slow time of the year.
3.Got Setting A Good Budget
How much are you willing to spend on renovations? That’s the question that you’ll have to answer as you embark on this project.
Normally, renovations will cost you more than you’ve originally expected. Therefore, it’s okay to be on the safe side and have extra money set aside in your budget, in case anything happens before or during the project. An extra 20% to your budget sounds about right.
4.Heavily Relying On Trends
While fresh, updated looks can be great, you may still want to consider resale value as well. Like most trends, they can be short-lived, while good designs tend to be timeless.
If you have any questions or concerns on how to design your home, then don’t hesitate to consult a professional designer.
5.Incorrect Measurements
A common remodeling mistake for DIYers, incorrect measurements can be detrimental to your home project. Always remember this phrase: “measure twice but cut once.” Not only will this thinking save you from countless delays, money, and frustration, it can also help you practice better measuring techniques. Even the smallest mistake of being off a fraction of an inch can have significant consequences (e.g. poor fits, reordered materials, etc.).
6.Ignoring Details
Details are vital to your renovating because even the slightest detail error can cause potential damage to the materials that you’ve already updated. Instead, be sure to install materials during your current home renovation, so that you save time and money.
7.Hiring A Contractor On Impulse
It’s important to hire the right contractor for the job. Don’t settle for just ANY contractor you’re your research. Interview potential hires. Check their references, portfolios, and reviews from other clients. You can also compare quotes and ask questions about materials, layout, and their typical construction process.
8.Having No Building Permit
“The last thing you want is to be stopped by any kind of authority, and be cited for not having a building permit,” says Alice Pittmann, a content writer at Boom Essays and State of writing. “For contractors, it’s mandatory for them to have building permits. However, if you’re doing the renovation yourself, be sure to check with your county or local municipal building department to determine whether or not a permit is needed for your specific project. Without a permit, your unpermitted project will be torn down.”
9.Not Talking To Professionals
Whether you hire a contractor or go DIY, always consult architects or designers to help you with your renovation plans. They can help you spot overlooked issues, as well as offer ideas on functionality and efficiency.
Home-Renovating Mistakes – Conclusion
As you’ve seen in these 9 Home-Renovating Mistakes, it’s important to keep them in mind as you transform your home into a dream house. And as always, contact your agent for more information.
Kristin Herman writes at UK Writings and Academized. She is also a freelance writer for online publications, such as Essayroo. As a tech enthusiast, she blogs about the latest trends in technology.
