If you have plans for a house renovation project in 2023, stop right there! Don’t go any further without being sure you can put a tick next to every single one of these five golden rules.
Golden Rule No. 1. Decide your budget with a professional
When it comes to making budgets, having a contingency in-case of any surprise costs is really important. But this isn’t just a contingency for if your others-half’s next Birthday present needs to be extra special. With house renovations, huge amounts of money can be at stake. Yes, you need a basic budget and contingency. But you also may want to consider professional advice. They can look at your current finances and estimated future fiances to make sure you don’t overspend. Doing so could cause terrible things for your finances in the future. Don’t risk it- speak to someone with expertise.
Golden Rule No. 2- Give ample time for planning.
In this piece for The Telegraph newspaper, a house renovation is featured that took five years to complete. The end result was stunning, made the renovators lots of money and won them an award. So how was this time divided up? Not as some novices might think. Kevin McCloud is the presenter of TV’s Grand Designs and a real expert. He said; “Everyone approaching a project like this should spend three years on planning, and six months on the really expensive bit – the building.” This highlights just how crucial the planning stage is. If ample time isn’t given, mistakes can get made. These mistakes will be irritating at best and incredibly costly at worse.
Golden Rule No. 3- Consider carefully who is in charge
When it comes to renovating a house, it is no time for false ego! Unless you are a trained specialist, builder or architect, leave this job to the professionals. You can get involved in other ways, like the finance or interiors, if this is your area of expertise. This doesn’t mean that any professional will do. Putting a renovation project in the hands of poorly trained and disorganised builders can mean disaster. Investing in experts will be well worth the money.
Golden Rule No. 4- Invest in a trustworthy Asbestos Surveyor
An Asbestos Surveyor is going to be another crucial element of ensuring the house renovation is safe. Chose a company that are independent and don’t work with removers. Doing so puts you at risk of dishonesty. This way you can trust any reports they give you and know that they’re not just trying to get work for their partners!
Golden Rule No. 5- Build and design the house with others in mind
This is imperative if you plan to sell or let the house once renovations are complete. At every step, be thinking, is this a neutral decision? Is this an eco-friendly decision? Will lots of people like this decision? There is nothing wrong with adoring bright orange walls, but keep this in your own home. There is no point putting in years of work if you then struggle to sell once you’re done.
