Thinking about renovating your home? Perhaps you already have planning permission and you're now looking for builders to quote for the work? Maybe your scaffolding is up and the work is about to start! Either way, its not too late to have a read of this post where I share some of the things to consider before embarking on a renovation!
First things first. Get yourself Organised!
One thing is for certain, if you have everything you need for your renovation planned out in advance, you're going to be in a far better position than someone who hasn't!
Not only will you save yourself lots of stress, but it's likely you will save yourself money this way too. Giving yourself time to carefully consider all aspects will help you to avoid mistakes and making sure you have all supplies on site at the right time will help to avoid costly delays. Your trade team will have lots of questions for you, so knowing what you're doing in advance will make you feel much more confident and there will be fewer panic decisions!
Here are some things to think about before starting your project:
- What the layouts of the rooms will look like.
- What fixtures and fittings you will use (taps, shower heads, basins, handles, light switches etc. for bathrooms and kitchens).
- Do you want a niche in your shower? How will you store shampoos etc?
- What doors and door handles you will have.
- What appliances you'll be using in your kitchen/bathrooms/utility room (cabinetry will need to accommodate these).
- Do you want integrated or freestanding appliances?
- What flooring you will use (carpet, tiles, engineered wood etc.)
- Tile selections for bathrooms and splash backs in kitchen etc.
- How will the tiles be laid? What colour grout will you be using?
- Where do you want any feature lighting? e.g. pendants over kitchen island or dining table, wall lights, picture lights etc.
- Do you need or want any joinery? e.g. wardrobes, media units, vanity units etc.
- What window treatments you will use? Recessed blinds in the ceiling need to be planned in advance.
- Do you want underfloor heating? Or any smart technology wired in?
- Where will you position plug sockets and light switches?
- Do you want a boiling water tap?
- How high do you want your shower mixer?
These are just some of the selections you will need to have thought about prior to getting started.
You might be surprised at the number of things that need to be decided so early on! Often many finishes have long lead times and whilst to avoid delays it is important they are on site ready to go, knowing the answers to many of these questions will also help you to get a more accurate quote from your builder. For example, tilers not only quote based on the amount of tiling but also on the types of tiles they are working with. E.g. Mosaic tiles are generally more expensive to lay!
There will inevitably be things that come up that haven't been planned for or can't be done according to what has been planned. In these instances, in order for your project to move forwards quickly - try to make good and fast decisions.
If you are worried about making a decision or don't know the answer to a question you're being asked there are a couple of things you can do:
Seek advice from a design professional
You may not have considered hiring an interior designer - and if you're not confident with renovating or haven't done it before you're much better off seeking professional help earlier on in your project to help plan and avoid bigger mistakes down the road.
Do your research
If you can't afford professional advice, make sure you do thorough research on the decisions you're trying to make. This will help you feel confident in having a knowledgeable conversation with your trades on how to resolve the issue.
Be realistic. Things are going to go wrong.
No matter how organised and prepared you are, something will inevitably go wrong or not according to plan. Preparing yourself for this in advance will help you to adapt and feel less frustrated when it happens. At the end of the day - everyone is human and mistakes are going to happen but most of the time they can be worked through and resolved.
If you're planning a renovation and would like to chat about how I can help your project run smoothly drop me a line - I'm always happy to talk!
Happy renovating,
Dani
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