Renovating a house can be a challenging prospect. There’s a lot of work that goes into planning a home renovation, not to mention the hard work and cost that goes into it.
If you’re planning to transform your home and want to know how you can experience a successful renovation project, take a look at our guide to renovating a house, including our top tips for a successful home renovation project. We’ll discuss what you need to know before renovating, as well as any costly renovation mistakes to avoid. Are you ready to know more? Here are 6 factors to consider before planning a home renovation.
What is your home renovation budget?
Establishing a home renovation budget is key to understanding the scope of what you can do, especially if you only have limited funds to spend on renovating a house or apartment. Once you’ve decided on a budget, you can use this to plan your renovations.
The overall cost of renovating a house can be expensive, so you need to plan carefully. For example, if you’re transforming several rooms, look into the average costs of renovating each room. This will give you an idea of how to split your budget for a successful renovation project. It’s also a good idea to have a back-up renovation fund in case there are delays or if any costs accidentally go over your home renovation budget.
Get planning permission
If you’re planning an extensive home renovation project, you may need planning permission from your local council, particularly if you plan on building an extension or knocking down a wall.
It’s advisable to seek planning permission as soon as possible to avoid any delays to your project. It normally takes between 8 to 13 weeks for a decision to be made and you can appeal if you are declined. However, this will add extra time to your overall project timeline.
Establish a renovation schedule
Creating a renovation with a Renovation Dojo timeline will help to keep your plans on track. While it’s unlikely that every step of your home renovation will run exactly to plan, having an estimated schedule that maps out every job that needs completing is essential for a successful renovation project. In addition to each task, list your contractor or who is completing the job, as well as the individual cost.
Ensure you have adequate damp proofing
Damp is a potentially serious problem in any building, especially those that are old. Damp occurs by excess moisture in the air, such as steam from cooking or drying clothes in your home. It can often be visible on internal walls, affecting wallpaper, paint, and plaster, as well as appearing as condensation on windows. Before you start any extensive renovation project, ensure you have adequate damp proofing in your property. If you have signs of visible damp, you either have no damp proofing or the damp proofing has failed. In this case, contact a specialist damp proofer to assess the situation and determine a suitable resolution and cost.
Commission a building survey
One of the benefits of renovating your home is that it’s a highly rewarding experience. However, any extensive renovation requires an initial building survey, particularly if you’ve just purchased the property. A building survey can cost between £500 and £1000 but it will notify you of any major problems, such as structural issues.
Be savvy when it comes to downstairs bathrooms
Downstairs bathrooms are common in older properties, but you don’t need to necessarily replace it with one upstairs. Not only is this expensive – you could end up losing valuable bedroom or storage space. Consider adding a shower room instead or at least make use of your downstairs bathroom while you create one upstairs.
A successful renovation project starts with thorough planning
Now that you know the best tips for home renovation projects, it’s time to start planning your own. Planning a home renovation can require thorough research so ensure that you spend time detailing your home renovation budget, contractors, surveys, damp proofing and any other tasks.
Renovating a house can be a complex process but it’s also an exciting and rewarding challenge. Seeing your completed renovation makes all the hard work worthwhile.
About The Author
Jack Noon is the owner of Dower Datech a family company specializing in damp proofing and property preservation in East Midlands and the surrounding areas.
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