There is far more to the average home than merely being a shelter from the elements. As the saying goes, a person’s home is their castle and can showcase to others your character, your style. It is a highly intimate place where you sleep, eat, and love. Nevertheless, many homeowners will eschew the hassle of turning their abode into something amazing and opt for a life of blandness and mediocrity, possibly due to budget or time constraints. However, we are here to tell you that you need not fall into the trap of apathy. There are numerous tasks that you can either hire a professional to complete or bring out your inner DIYer and accomplish by yourself. This article is for those who wish to make a stand and turn their paltry properties into something utterly unique and unforgettable.
Evaluate Your Home’s Current Condition
Before you get thoughts of avarice and come up with a number of wild ideas that you want to do, it’s highly worth investing some of your resources in evaluating the current condition of your house. Start by performing a walkthrough of your place, checking out every nook and cranny for signs of issues that might need further inspection. Check for obvious issues like chipped paint, damaged walls (cosmetic and structural), and any plumbing problems that could cause a headache if left untreated. While you’re going through this process, you can use the time to think about what changes you might want to make. You should also head outside and into your garden to consider what design elements might fit in with the overall aesthetic you trying to achieve. As you are doing this, you should have listed all the repairs and upgrades required in order of priority. This way, you’ll have a solid game plan to move forward with your revamp.
Develop A Comprehensive Renovation Plan With An Architect
Now that you have your list of tasks, it’s time to develop a comprehensive renovation plan. You could do this by yourself, but it will pay in the long run if you recruit an architect to assist you with the process. This is simply because you do not want to create a plan, only to discover that your contractor is unable to implement it due to improper material use and regulatory issues. An architect will understand what you can and can’t do based on your input. Nevertheless, the idea is to create a plan pinpointing which parts of your home are in the most urgent need of care and figure out a budget to achieve the task. Furthermore, depending on your jurisdiction, you may need to apply for specific permits, which can take time, so you should initiate this process as early as possible to avoid delays.
Determine Your Budget And Timeline
Part of your plan will be determining your overall budget and the timescale you want everything completed. Regarding these points, you should leave a healthy buffer in order to avoid stress when things (inevitably) don’t go to plan. Your budget should include the costs of (but not limited to):
- Permits: Depending on what you need to be done, you may need a variety of permits.
- Materials: It’s wise to add a little extra to your budget and invest in higher-quality materials. Not only will they look better, but they usually last longer.
- Labor: This includes deliveries, electricians, contractors, architects, designers, and anyone who is performing a task.
- Furniture: Depending on your refurbishment project, you might need to pencil in the costs of new furniture.
- Electricals: If you are installing new electrical equipment or upgrading to energy-efficient products, you will need to add this (rather costly) expense to the list.
- Waste disposal: Don’t forget that any waste produced will need to be disposed of according to various local regulations.
Once these costs are covered, you must also designate a timeline for the completion of each section. This is particularly important if you are performing a whole house refurb. Moreover, you should try to join as many tasks together as you can to save time. This means that when you have the painters and decorators in, you could probably also hire a landscaper to take care of your garden. You can get the job done much faster if tasks are completed concurrently when feasible.
Research And Select Reliable Contractors
Regardless of whether you want to perform some tasks yourself, there will come a time when you have to bring in the pros. These guys have the expertise, equipment, and team to handle the most demanding tasks and finish them promptly and of the highest quality. However, not all contractors are equal, requiring you to spend time researching the best options in your area. If you have already hired an architect, they may have a few contacts you can get in touch with. However, make sure that you get several quotes and reviews from previous clients (which you can usually do online these days).
Following the advice here, you should end up with the house of your dreams that brings immeasurable pleasure to your life. Make sure to hire professionals who can handle the various jobs, and factor in some extra time and money to avoid the inevitable overruns that always occur with these types of jobs.
