Renovating a home is a significant investment, especially if you have decided to go for full-home renovation. It gives you the opportunity to improve the functioning of your house and adjust it to your growing family and changing needs. It also helps in lowering your annual energy costs and creates a more practical and useful space. In all, it lets you transform your home into something unique and makes it stand out from the rest of the buildings in the neighbourhood.
Home renovations include anything and everything that is possible to change structurally. That could include adding a home theatre, changing the layout of the property, removing walls for expansion, or bringing in other changes for comfort and enjoyment. Some of the popular types of renovations you can come across these days are kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, and home additions. These are undertaken with the help of a skilled contractor and worked on together for the greatest value of money.
However, there can be some mistakes in the process that can dramatically increase the odds of timely completion of your home renovation. Keep reading to know more about them and the various ways to overcome them in your course of the renovation project.
1. Not Setting a Realistic Budget
When estimating the budget for your home renovation project, you cannot foresee the challenges that lie ahead. It is due to the hidden problems in the home that renovations can go beyond what was expected. So, a great way to avoid surprise bills at the end of the day is adding an extra 20% as a safety net to your budget and peace of your mind.
2. Not Using Quality Materials
Everyone gets enticed by budget-friendly house makeovers, but do they think of quality in that process? Well, these days, I have been encountering plenty of homeowners that happily buy and use cheap materials and tools for their homes without thinking of how they would perform in the long term. Thus, I would genuinely advise my readers to spend money on good quality materials, not quantity items.
3. Not Considering Existing Architectural Style
It is totally acceptable if your home renovations or additions aren’t the same styles as your property architecture. However, that doesn’t mean that you can do anything you want and pay no heed to the important elements around you. Whatever kind of renovation you decide to go for; it must complement the original structure to look great and contribute towards the home’s resale value in the future.
4. Not Balancing Functionality and Aesthetics
Fresh, trendy looks are great, but consider how you are going to live in that space. Trends are highly variable and change with seasons, while a good design providing the necessary elements lasts forever. So, make sure you determine your lifestyle needs and traffic patterns throughout the home for smooth living and impressive resale value.
5. Not Adhering to Building Codes
Carrying out major renovations and home additions can at times affect the structural integrity of your property. And many homeowners don’t ask for approval considering it to be a hassle. However, securing building permits is essential in order to ensure that your renovation project is in compliance with safety and building laws. So, make sure you work that out.
6. Not Choosing Experienced Contractors
Calling an amateur contractor for the sake of saving a few hundred dollars is one thing one must never do. The renovation firm you choose has to have a considerable amount of experience in the industry and a number of good projects under its name. He needs to be duly licensed and insured and responsive to your needs in terms of budget and timelines.
