5 Questions to Ask Before You Renovate
If you plan to renovate your home one day, make sure you ask yourself these important questions before you start.
Renovating your home can be one of the most exciting and rewarding journeys that you can go on. It can also be stressful, overwhelming, and expensive.
The more that you can educate and prepare yourself ahead of the time, the better.
Most budget blowouts happen because of lack of knowledge – of the price of materials, trades, etc.
And relationships with trades can go awry when there’s a misunderstanding about deadlines or deliverables.
If you plan to renovate your home one day, make sure you ask yourself the following questions.
1. Why do you want to renovate?
It’s important to get clear on why you want to renovate. It’s easy to get seduced by the quick fix makeover shows. Even on platforms such as Instagram, renovating can be something of a spectator sport. Everyone loves to see a transformation, and the possibility of what that brings.
But before you get carried away, get clear on why you want to renovate. Everyone’s situation is different. The type of choices you are going to make with your first home are going to be different to someone who is flipping a home for profit or building their forever home.
Also, get clear on what needs you want to meet, and why.
Does your home feel tired and dated? Is it lacking storage?
2. What is your budget?
We can spend so much time online getting inspiration and ideas. And while that is important, you need to filter those decisions through your available budget.
How much money you have will determine the extent of the changes that you can make, and which materials you can specify.
While it’s easy to just consider the building costs, there are many others to factor in too, including architects/draftspersons, engineers, planning and building permits.
Also, don’t forget any rental fees that you might need to pay while waiting for the renovation to be completed.
3. What is your timeline?
Timeline and budget go hand in hand.
Depending on how much money you have available for your project will impact the amount of time the project will take.
You might be able to complete the project all at once.
However, if you don’t have enough available funds, you might have to execute the renovation in stages over a couple of years, or longer.
Generally, this is a more expensive way to renovate in the long run.
4. Who is your dream team?
Almost everyone has a horror story of working with a builder, contractor or trade. But there are just as many stories of good people doing good work.
It’s essential that you spend time finding professionals and trades who you can trust for not only the quality of their work, but also the way they behave.
Referrals are essential. And check more than one.
5. What changes are you allowed to make?
You can have all the dreams and ideas in the world, but if you don’t have regulatory approval to make those designs a reality, you are wasting your precious time and energy.
The rules and regulations of your local council or authority can seem perplexing.
However, there are often simple steps you can take to get the information that you need.
Before you get too far ahead and excited with your design plans, make sure you have a clear understanding of what changes you are allowed to make.
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