Whether you want to do a renovation of your home to modify the structure of it and update the existing feature of it. Or you are renovating a home to better prepare it for sale, there are some factors that you should know before you start renovating your home.
Inspect
Before you begin renovating your home, it is vital to know whether your home is thoroughly inspected or not. If not, you may need an inspection engineer who will see the fundamental condition of your home and find any hidden issues that you just can’t even notice. And according to that, he will give you a report that highlights which work you are supposed to do and which permit you are required to obtain so that you will be able to think about your renovating work better.
Make a Plan
It is better to form a clear plan before initiating the work of your home renovating too soon. Having a plan of how you wish your space to appear and what you would like to change will save yours as well your contractor’s time. For this, you have to think about all the below aspects before you give any estimates to your contractor because even a small change can cost a lot.
- Do you have a sufficient budget for the completion of your renovating work?
- What to skip if the budget is insufficient?
- Which type of changes do you wish to do in your home renovation? Normal or structural?
- What would you prefer to renovate first?
- Which elements will you need for your renovating work?
Set a Budget
Setting the budget initially is better rather than deciding during the process of renovating work. Especially, when you want to do your home renovation economically. This will also give you an idea of whether you will need an equity loan or not. If you are not sure about how much your home renovation can cost, ask your relatives or friends who have done the same renovation as you want. Another thing you can do for estimating your budget is to price out everything listed below.
- Electrical work
- Flooring cost
- Waterproofing
- Plumbing
- Labor cost
- Lighting cost
- Furniture cost
Once you know your budget, try to do your home renovation work within it. However, be ready for the situation when your budget exceeds your estimate because of some unexpected reasons.
Do Your Research
Sometimes due to the excitement, you select the design without giving a thought of whether it would be the best fit for your space or not. If you don’t want an unpleasant result, invest some time in research before renovating your home. Research what you expect in your home renovation by browsing through the internet or getting an idea from the design magazines. You may also take the help of a reputable renovation expert or designer if you are overwhelmed with so many designs.
Do also research on finding the best contractor, interior, furniture, good quality material, paint brand if you don’t want to waste time while renovating your home.
Hire a Contractor
Renovating a home is a difficult task as it requires government authorities and professional knowledge along with your efforts. Hire a contractor if you are not sure about what to do at each stage of your home renovation. The advantage of hiring a contractor is that he can manage the workflow in modern ways plus have an action plan which gives you the best result in less time.
Meet two or three contractors before finally committing to anyone and then choose one who will do your renovation work in less time and money. Never hire a contractor without the detailed information of following
- A license of a contractor
- A certificate of insurance
- Year of experience or lien history of a contractor
- Payment schedule
- Estimate timing
Decide Priority
One thing you can do before beginning your home renovation work is to decide a priority. This means you have a clear idea of which area of your home should be renovated first, which next and so on. For this, you can list all the work which you want to do in priority order. This way, you will have a proper order to follow when you begin your home renovation work.
Inform your Neighbors
Don’t begin your work without explaining the whole plan of your home renovation to your neighbors. Also, inform them that whatever you are going to do is under permits and inspections.
Generally, it is okay if you do not inform your neighbors about the changes like painting, installing flooring or countertops, and replacing a faucet. But if your renovation work includes structure changes, you must inform your neighbors so that they will not interrupt while you begin your renovation work.
Conclusion
Unlike redecorating, the process of home renovation is both difficult and stressful. So, it is important to be prepared in the beginning if you don’t want to take any wrong turns later. Consider the factors mentioned above so that the outcome of your home renovating process is as pleasant as you want.
