20 House Remodeling Planning Tips
It’s tempting to move straight to the fun part of picking new paint colours, fixtures, and fittings when planning a home makeover, but there are a few things to consider before you start.
Know What You Want To Achieve.
You must first determine what your final aim is for your property before deciding how comprehensive to renovate. Are you renovating your house to increase its market value, or are you planning to stay in it for a long time? Before you begin, assess the state of your neighbourhood and choose which modifications will provide a fair return on investment and which would be regarded excessive for the region. Having a defined strategy for your future can assist you in deciding how far to go your project.
Make a Strategy
One of the most crucial aspects of renovation planning is determining your budget and sticking to it. Remember to set aside a contingency fund for any unforeseen costs, as well as incidental expenses such as dining out during a kitchen renovation or even staying in a hotel for a night or two. It’s natural to desire a top-of-the-line renovation, but sometimes all you need are a few inexpensive modifications to make your house appear more costly. Before you lift a hammer, do your homework and make a budget.
Consult the schedule.
If you’re looking for a fresh new house for a special occasion or holiday, start with the end date and move backward. To minimise disappointment, leave a few weeks to a month at the end for wriggle space in case of setbacks along the road.
Make Sure You Finish Your Assignment.
Take the time to talk to your friends, family, and neighbours about the renovations they’ve completed and the problems they’ve encountered along the way. In the planning phase, having a plethora of knowledge from homeowners who have been in your shoes may be useful, and this information may change your final strategy.
Recognize Your Limits
DIY renovations are a terrific way to save money, feel accomplished, and include the whole family, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, they may be devastating. Know which jobs you can safely do yourself and which you should leave to the professionals, such as a possibly load-bearing wall, asbestos, or lead paint.
Request A List Of References.
Before a task begins, any qualified contractor will gladly provide references and documents of liability insurance. Don’t just depend on client testimonials; find real customers who can offer you an insider’s viewpoint and answer any queries you might have. Ask to examine before and after photos of a contractor’s previous work for any project, and most importantly, follow your instincts and know which questions to ask.
Pack Your Belongings
Declutter, pack up, or transfer any objects in the renovation zone to make any house redesign as simple as feasible. Consider hiring an offsite locker or an onsite storage pod for a whole-house refurbishment to keep all of your stuff safe and tidy.
Take A Look At Your Daily Routine.
If you’re a seasoned DIYer, you’re probably used to working around the inconveniences of a home renovation. If you’ve hired a contractor for any aspect of the task, make sure to communicate your daily routine to the contractor and work together to come up with start and finish hours that create the least amount of interruption to your family’s day. After all, no one wants to run into a tradesperson while still in their robe.
Establish Mission Control.
Nothing is more aggravating than being in the middle of a project and not being able to locate the instrument you require. Before you start your makeover, designate a room in your house as mission control, where you’ll keep all of your equipment, supplies, instructions, and checklists.
Defend The Children!
A house makeover is a great opportunity to get the kids interested in DIY, but it may also be harmful for very young children. Install kid safety gates, electrical safety covers, and keep sharp equipment out of reach of curious children, especially during off-hours when there may not be enough supervision in the remodelling zone.
Don’t Forget About the Animals!
Even for the human residents of the house, the temporary upheaval of a home under renovation may be distressing, let alone for the four-legged family members. Consider your dogs’ safety and care when remodelling your home, which may involve having a family member or friend pet-sit while the majority of the work is completed. This is especially true when the doors are often opened to bring in and out tools and materials.
Prepare For Power Outages.
If the area you’re working on doesn’t have any plumbing shut-off valves, you’ll have to cut off the water at the main valve, leaving your home without running water. Prepare ahead of time by keeping containers of water in the fridge for drinking, on the counter for cooking, and in buckets for flushing the toilet. Filling the bathtub with water and placing a bucket nearby to pour into the toilet bowl is a simple method to achieve this.
Make A Comprehensive List.
Make a master checklist of materials you’ll need, from administrative duties like permits to paint rollers, to give yourself the best chance of success and to aid in the budgeting process. It’s a good idea to divide the list into products you already have and those you need to buy. When it comes to tools, establishing a list might help you decide which ones you can rent instead of buying new to save money.
Make a Drawing
You don’t have to be an engineer to prepare work drawings, yet you’ll almost certainly need one to get a permit for your home renovation. Make a note of the square footage, door and window heights and widths, and the existing position of any utilities such as electricity, gas, or water.
Acquire Permits
Many homeowners view acquiring a construction permit as an extra hassle that will hold down the renovation process, but permits are a vital part of the process in most circumstances, and if not acquired in the first place, they will come back to haunt you. Building permits are required to verify that your home renovation complies with structural and fire safety regulations, and code inspectors in most jurisdictions can order you to pull out non-compliant work if it isn’t up to snuff. This might be a costly problem if you plan to sell your house in the future. It’s usually a good idea to plan ahead and follow the permission procedure. For additional information, see our DIY home improvement in Dublin regulations.
Make A Reno-Free Zone Plan.
It’s a good idea to create a renovation-free zone for your family to congregate in semi-relaxation before undertaking all the muck of a remodel. Make sure you have everything you need, such as a kettle or microwave, in one convenient location so you can gather, dine, or simply unwind at the end of the day.
Cleanup Should Be Scheduled.
It’s tempting to just turn out the light and leave the mess for tomorrow after a long day of renovations. Unfortunately, this may lead to delays, misplaced tools, and a loss of sanity. Make sure you leave enough time in your renovation schedule to clean up at the end of the day. You’ll be grateful to your future self!
Prepare Ahead Of Time
Even with a cosmetic redesign, there may be opportunities to improve the functionality or cost-effectiveness of your house. When pulling out a complete room, for example, this may be the ideal moment to insulate the walls, replace your electrical panel, or add more lighting or electrical fixtures. The trick is to plan ahead of time for how you’ll use the space and to use aesthetic upgrades to improve the structure of your house.
Make a Help Request
If you’re planning a renovation, now is the time to enlist the help of your family and friends. Allow plenty of time for people to organise their schedules to assist, and send them lots of reminders as the project approaches. (A complimentary meal offer is also helpful!) If you’re hiring a contractor, make sure you give them ample notice so they can meet your deadline; otherwise, you can be left waiting.
Look At The Weather Forecast.
Even if you’re planning a makeover for the spring or summer, don’t count on beautiful weather to complete it. Before starting a task, examine the long and short-term predictions, and plan jobs that require outdoor access, such as spray painting or wood cutting, on days with the best forecast. On days when you may need to switch off your furnace or air conditioner for pleasant working conditions, think about heat and cold, and keep an eye out for unexpected weather changes. You’ll be on your way to a successful house makeover in no time if you follow these and other cost-effective home remodeling recommendations!
