A home renovation is often a big commitment. Depending on the size of the job, it can mean months of work and thousands of pounds. Obviously, this is something that you will need to consider before you decide whether or not to go ahead. If you do decide to go ahead with a home renovation, then there are several things that you will need to think about. In fact, proper planning and preparation can help to ensure that the renovation goes as smoothly as possible. This is why we have put together the following guide so let’s get into it.
Think About Your Starting Point
Obviously, before you can begin to plan your renovation or move forward with it at all, you first need to take a look around your home as is. You might have a few renovations in mind, but when you walk around your home to gauge what you are working with, it might become apparent that there are other, more pressing jobs that need doing. It tends to come down to the age of the home. Before you consider any cosmetic work, you should ensure that the structural supports of the property are sound. You also need to be aware of any issues that could potentially impede the progress of the renovation.
After having carried out a thorough assessment of your home, you can then begin to plan the renovation with more accuracy. Remember, when carrying out an assessment of your home, this includes all areas of your home, both inside and out. You will also need to assess the wiring; depending on the age of your home, updating or replacing the wiring might make sense. Don’t forget the roof, too, especially if the renovation will include building an extension or knocking down walls. You need to ensure that the roof is stable enough to withstand the work. When planning a home renovation, it’s important to consider all aspects, including the practicality and aesthetics of fixtures such as oak internal doors.
Planning the Renovation
Once you have carried out your assessment, you can then begin to plan your renovation. You should first think about why you are renovating. Is it to add more floor space to your home, are there elements that simply aren’t functional for your family or maybe it is simply a little outdated, and it could do with being modernised? Once you have a purpose behind the renovation, you can then begin to start planning with this purpose in mind which can help to inform the decisions that you need to make.
Research is also incredibly important when it comes to planning a renovation. If you aren’t particularly experienced or knowledgeable in interior design, it can be difficult to form your vision. Finding inspiration is key; the internet can be an excellent resource for this, as can interior design magazines. It might be worth creating a mood board either online or physically on paper to help you to keep track of the elements you like and want to incorporate. You can explore different color palettes, flooring options, furniture styles, and even consider practical details such as proper lighting and the use of floor wax to enhance the overall aesthetic and functionality of the space.
It can also help in a number of practical ways too, from working out how much the renovation should cost to finding common problems people have encountered and how they can be avoided. You can also find the best builders depending on the job. For example, the Federation of Master Builders has the best double-glazing companies compiled in a list on their website.
Be Strict with the Budget
Your budget will depend entirely on the size and scale of the home renovation. Obviously, home renovations can be expensive, but oftentimes, the decisions that you make can greatly impact the price. As mentioned above, the research that you have done should have given you a good idea of how much the renovation should cost. Although this can vary depending on the builders that you have used and the building materials. The budget needs to be realistic; you don’t want to run out of money. This is why you should shop around for quotes before you settle on a builder. It is also worth ensuring that you build in a cushion to your budget. Most people tend to suggest having an additional fifteen to twenty percent on top of your budget, just in case.
Hiring a Builder or DIY?
Obviously, this will depend on several factors, including the scope of the job and your abilities, of course. If you are particularly skilled in DIY, or if you haven’t got a strict timeline to work to, then you absolutely could do the renovation yourself, and you are likely to save some money in doing so. You could then funnel the savings back into the renovation itself, springing for better quality or higher-end materials. However, you need to be realistic. If you do not have the skills required to carry out the job, then you shouldn’t do the job yourself. It could result in making costly mistakes.
The Final Considerations
Before you go any further in the planning process, you need to take measurements of the rooms to work out where you would like different things to go and whether they will fit or not. After that, it comes time to choose the colour palettes. Any renovation you do needs to feel in keeping with your general design aesthetic as a whole; you don’t want the renovation to look out of place within your home after all. You will also need to make a decision on fixtures, fittings and other design elements that you want to include. This can help to ensure that the process moves as quickly as possible.
It also makes sense to think about designing the layout of the room when finished too. Coming up with a layout and working out where the furniture is going to go. This can be beneficial when working out where the different outlets need to be. Depending on the builder or if you have decided to do the work yourself, you might also need to think about hiring a skip for the waste created by the renovation process.
Lastly, when planning or preparing for a home renovation, you really need to take stock of your plans and consider their practical applications moving forward. It can be incredibly tempting to incorporate the home design trends of the time into your home refurbishment, but trends change quickly. Ideally, your home renovation will be timeless; you don’t want it to feel dated in a couple of years because you have embraced the trends of the time. This can also impact the value of your home, which is something to think about too.
The Bottom Line
Preparing for a home renovation can feel a little overwhelming simply because there are a lot of elements to consider. However, it is worth doing because it really does have an impact on the success of the renovation as a whole and whether it adheres to the timeline and budget that you have envisioned. Make sure that you have taken all the elements above on board when it comes to working out your home renovation plan. Remember to consider whether or not the home renovation has longevity or not. Obviously, an awareness of the current home trends is likely to influence the renovation to an extent, but you should try to avoid leaning into them too heavily.
