Did you know there are some homes where toilets are located in the kitchen? How about homes where chimneys cover upstairs windows? Well hopefully you don’t, and hopefully these aren’t problems within your own home. Avoiding these renovation horror stories can be done by simply following a few tips we have in store for you.
Unfortunately, horror stories like these are actually quite common. Reasons vary, but typically it can be boiled down to negligence. Negligence of simply planning and executing in a well thought out manner.
This can be caused by those trying to attempt their own renovations, or hiring a “handyman” to get the job done. Either way, professional input was not involved. Now, this isn’t to say you can’t do things on your own, it is a free country.
However, there are some things you should consider before attempting anything on your own. Additionally, if you are hiring someone else, there are some things you should be aware of when looking for the right person or team to start renovating your home.
The goal of this article is to properly inform you and get you prepared for renovating your home the right way, the first time. That way, you can avoid costly mistakes and headaches.
Get Your Ducks in a Row and See the Entire Process Before You Execute.
Alright, so you want to renovate your home. Whether it is you doing the work or a trusted professional; YOU NEED TO PLAN AHEAD. It’s exciting thinking about expanding your kitchen, building a theater room, or creating a man cave. However, you can’t get too caught up in excitement. If you want to avoid problems that cost you time and money, having the right plan before you start is absolutely crucial.
If you haven’t renovated before, you may not be aware of all the hang-ups and problems you may face when completing a project. Many of these issues can be avoided by laying out a plan of action including all the variables before any work is started.
List everything you will need for materials, estimate times of completion, save room in the budget for mistakes, and most importantly; talk to a professional. In most cases, people leave everything to the pros. However, if you are planning on doing everything yourself, it’s still valuable to at least get some input from those who are experienced.
Getting the right advice can also help you plan properly. You may not end up needing as many materials, or you may need more. With the right input, you can develop a well thought out plan as to what the finished product will look like. Seeing the whole picture beforehand gives you everything you need to worry about.
Find Some Help
Let’s be honest, if you aren’t insane, you will find some people to help you in the endeavors of renovations. Doing things by yourself is a recipe for disaster.
So look for the right people when you are seeking assistance. Whether it be experienced friends of professionals, their help will make things progress smoothly and quickly, hopefully.
Keep in mind that most renovations require a fair budget, and you re making significant changes to your home. Don’t treat this all willy-nilly if you are looking to save time, money, and sanity. Whoever you are bringing on board should be well suited for the job.
That’s where your better judgment comes into play. Be sure that whoever you are letting into your home is well equipped with the knowledge and tools needed for the job. If you pick the wrong people, it will cost you dearly.
Research the best renovation experts in your area and see who is the most reputable. Keep an eye out for people who are honest and reliable. The same goes for looking for a friend with experience. However, at the end of the day, we recommend against that. Professionals that work in this industry day in and day out have more valuable insights and techniques than your average Joe.
Yes, your friend may be offering “free” help, or ask for less than a professional would. But this will cost you much much more in the future if things were done wrong, and you have to renovate all over again to fix a mistake that could have been avoided by having a trusted professional do the job in the first place.
Prepping to Avoid Harmful Aftermaths of Renovations
Yes, we have already covered some of the ideas behind preparing properly, but there are some more things to consider. Renovating a home means a ton of foot traffic in and out, and debris littering your home as everything moves forward.
That is why you should be aware of some things to help avoid a future mess caused by renovations to the rest of your home. This means tucking away valuables, laying cardboard or carpet over hardwood to protect it, and sectioning off nearby areas of renovations with a plastic sheet. These are just a few of the things you can do.
The main idea is to avoid as much collateral damage as possible. So without knowing what exactly is going to be affected in your home, you must personally take an inventory of what may be affected by a renovation. Moreover, it is crucial to pick the right people to help you that you can also trust. You don’t want to have to worry about theft or damage, so choose wisely.
Additionally, treating the team working in your home with respect and dignity will assure a mutual level of respect. This shouldn’t need to be stated, but there are stories where malicious acts were done to some people’s homes purely out of spite. So just make sure everyone is in a good state of mind. That way mistakes from frustration can hopefully be avoided.
Speaking of Frustration
Whether it be you or a team of professionals working in your home, it is key to make sure you goo into it with the right state of mind. Regardless of all the preparations you make and variables you analyze, mistakes and hangups will most likely happen. Your job is to limit that and avoid as many headaches as possible.
Be aware that not everything is within your control. With the right prep, you can avoid most headaches. Just remember that there are still possibilities that things can go wrong, and that’s ok! Just be aware that this is going to be somewhat stressful, all you can do it mitigate as much as you can to make it as smooth as possible.
Luckily, professionals like us take care of a lot of that headache for good reason. Ensuring that someone is happy with their project starts from the very beginning. With the right preparations and attitudes, renovating doesn’t have to be a nightmare.
That is why with some simple prep and foresight, you can be sure that your home won’t have atrocious mistakes made that permanently affect the look and functionality of your home.
These are just a small handful of things to think about when renovating your home. So look out for upcoming blogs going into more detail about tips and tricks to help your home renovations. Thank you for reading!