Avoid These Mistakes When Renovating Your Home

Owning a home is a significant milestone in any adult’s life. You have complete autonomy over choosing a design and how you can decorate it. Often, however, your options are limited to houses that have already been built rather than having one constructed, which is more expensive.

If you opt for a second-hand home, you might also need to do some fixes to boost its appeal. Whether you’re a house flipper that’s planning to sell a house that needs repairs or you just want to ensure you and your family’s comfort in the property, you should be aware of the mistakes that most people make when they renovate their homes. Here are a few of them:

#1 Renovating Too Early

Some people start their renovation projects too early, even before they’ve identified all the areas that need fixing. This is impractical since you won’t be aware of the extent of the remodeling task. Plus, you can’t create an efficient workflow if new problems keep popping up along the way.

#2 Underestimating the Cost

Renovations entail considerable funds, too. Of course, it can depend on the specific areas that you’ll need to fix. Nonetheless, you still have to pay for the materials and labor.

You don’t want to be caught off-guard with the expenses. You should consider the other areas that’ll be affected when you install or remove something. For instance, you want a new backsplash. However, you ought to think about the drywall that might get damaged. Plus, there might be electrical issues behind the wall, which can lead to more expenses.

When you underestimate the cost, you run the risk of cutting corners, especially with the materials. Set a buffer of at least 15% of the total project cost. You might even want to increase this figure for older homes.

#3 Choosing the Wrong Contractor

Since you’ll be spending money on the renovation project, you might as well ensure that you get high-quality results. This means enlisting the help of the best professionals in your area. Be wary of contractors that promise cheap labor. You might end up with more structural issues to fix in the long run.

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#4 Not Hiring a Designer

Doing things yourself is never a good idea when talking about home improvement. Another professional that you should hire is a designer. They have the skills and knowledge to ensure that the changes you make to your home will complement its existing aesthetics. This doesn’t mean that everything should have a uniform theme. Rather, a designer can make sure that there’s cohesiveness with the old and new parts.

#5 Neglecting Function for Form

You should be careful about focusing too much on the aesthetics of your home rather than its livability. Remember, you’re the one who has to use and live in it every day. The modifications that you make must give you a comfortable experience when doing your daily tasks.

Going back to the first mistake of renovating too early, you need to become familiar with your new home. Learn the home’s choke points, like where the rain usually slants, and where the sun hits. This way, you can get an idea of the changes you can make in your remodeling project to accommodate your lifestyle.

Renovations still cost money. That’s why you have to avoid these crucial mistakes so that you don’t waste funds. Plus, you can ensure that you’ll end up enjoying your home for a long time.

Published in: Home advice | Author: Irene