Renovating your home is one of the most exciting endeavours you will undertake. You have the chance to make your old home feel like new and make some serious improvements to the way you and your family live. But as with any major undertaking there is the potential for wrong turns.
Here are the top 5 renovation mistakes we think are most relevant to our customers:
Not moving out
For the type of extensive renovation that will truly transform your home you should consider moving out during the build. It’s going to be loud, dusty and no place for a family to live. Your family will thank you for moving them out. Read more about the benefits of moving out during your renovation.
Blowing the budget
Very few people are fortunate enough to have unlimited budgets for their renovation and many people can be taken aback by the cost of a major renovation. While your renovation will be undertaken on a fixed price basis, it is easy to set your initial budget too high or to over-invest in expensive fittings and furnishings. The trick is investing the money where it will have the greatest impact.
This is where working with an experienced builder can help to clarify your requirements and work within a budget. That way you will have the cash to spare for the wonderful new furniture you’ll want to add to your as new home.
Not doing enough/stopping short
This is in a way the flip side to blowing the budget. When it comes to a major renovation you have an opportunity to make significant changes to your home. Our message is don’t waste this opportunity. Go for as much renovation value as your budget will permit so you won’t be regretting having not done more at a later date. At Renovare we’ll work with you to get maximum value out of your renovation for a realistic budget.
Not getting expert advice
Some renovators may not seek out professional advice because they feel it is too expensive or that they themselves can provide the same valuable input a building professional can. But a quick viewing of The Block, Grand Designs or any renovation show on TV will show just how wrong this thinking can be. By not getting professional advice you run a real risk of living with a botched renovation.
Unless you are an architect or building designer the best approach is to get your ideas and goals clearly detailed on paper and then work with a building professional to finesse the plans and drawings. A renovation company like Renovare can draw on the skills of many building professionals to help bring your plans to reality.
Trying to DIY aspects of the build
Do it Yourself sounds like a great idea until it actually comes time for the ‘doing’ to start. Most householders are not well placed to take on DIY as part of the renovation either due to a lack of time, skill or motivation.
To ensure a complete renovation solution delivered on time and budget it is best to leave the renovation to the building team. Adding a DIY component (or wanting to use your own tiler, painter, electrician etc) injects complexity into the project and may in fact increase the project timeline or cost.
Some problems you definitely won’t encounter with Renovare
As you have read through this top 5 list you may notice it doesn’t include some of the usual ‘garden variety’ renovation pitfalls. This is because these simply won’t be an issue when building with a reputable builder like Renovare. Some of these common problems that you will definitely not encounter with Renovare include:
- shoddy work – typically associated with low-cost builders usually working alone
- blown out/excessive timelines – sole builders or small teams usually can’t get through extensive renovations in a reasonable timeframe
- incomplete work – as above, this is a common symptom of dealing with builders who lack the ability, capacity or professionalism to deliver a finished product
To avoid these common pitfalls it always makes sense to build with a company you can trust. Renovare’s goal is to streamline and demystify renovations, helping you make considered choices, hit every milestone, enjoy the process and love the outcome.