Seeing an old house or a house that needs work, such as a complete interior design , is like a siren song for some people. They just can’t resist the challenge and have a clear vision of what the finished project will look like, even before work has begun. In some cases, you may not need to renovate the whole house. There may just be certain rooms that you wish to modernize or refresh. Most commonly these are the bathrooms and the kitchen.
Whether you are renovating a whole house from top to bottom or a couple of rooms to bring them up to a modern standard there are a few basic principles that you should follow to ensure your house renovation runs smoothly and is a success.
Hire Professionals
When you are considering a bathroom renovation, you will often require the services of a plumber. Doing an internet search for “plumbers near me” will bring up a number of options for you to choose from. Modern bathrooms designed by a bathroom designer Surrey may have specialist design features like underfloor heating. This is something a plumber will be able to fit for you along with all of the other bathroom suite installations that you choose.
Custom additions and k itchen renovations are also likely to require the assistance of a professional in some areas. You may choose to get a kitchen designed that is bespoke to your space. Alternatively, you could buy a kitchen from a showroom or online and have someone come and fit it for you. Smaller jobs like laying the floor and painting the walls are much easier and can probably be done by yourself.
Do Your Research on the Property
Before agreeing to take on any kind of project or purchasing a house, is it essential that you have a good knowledge of the property. This includes getting a home survey done to highlight any structural defects and areas of concern like subsistence or damp. Although many of these problems can be resolved, going into a property blind without knowing about these will have a serious impact on your budget.
Once you know what the potential problems are, you will be able to get people in to quote for the work or identify whether you can do the work yourself. Another important area to consider is the roof and guttering. Leaks and holes can cause problems elsewhere with mold and damp. A new gutter installation may be necessary if there are holes and damages on your gutters.
Budgeting is Essential
When you are renovating a house, it’s very easy for costs to get out of control. One of the most common ways that costs spiral is when people don’t know their budget or they haven’t kept track of spending. Running out of money can derail a whole project and leave with additional costs such as finding somewhere to live while the work is being competed (if you still have money left to do so).
One of the biggest plusses of having a renovation budget and keeping track of spending is that it will tell you if you have any additional money left over. With any left-over money, you may be able to upgrade fixtures or fittings, do additional construction work or get the renovation finished earlier.
When setting a budget, you should always try and get quotes from at least 2 or 3 different companies. This way, you will be able to gauge what you think a fair price is and will have different options to choose from. It will also help you to set a realistic budget.
Set a Timescale
Once you’ve seen the state of the property and have set a realistic budget to complete the work, you will need to know how long it’s going to take. Like the budget, having this in place before you begin is a good way to measure progress. If you don’t have any kind of timescale in place, how will you know if the renovation is going on track?
Usually, renovations have a hard deadline as people want to move into the property or they want to sell in on for profit. A lot of the timescale will be defined by people you hire. Their existing work contracts may mean that they are not available when you want them which can cause delays.
It’s certainly an incredible feeling when you finally finish a renovation project. Whether you were doing it to live in or are planning to sell the house on it’s worth taking a moment to step back and consider what you have achieved. Renovation takes a lot of time, and sometimes money. As long as you set a realistic timescale, stick to the budget you have put in place and know what you are getting yourself into, your renovation is likely to be a success.
