Intro
Thinking of renovating your home? Keep reading for some tips that we feel will make the process a little easier.
Move Out
- Move out of your home if possible. Even if you are living in a part of the home that is not being renovated, the reno will cause a disturbance to your daily life.
- Tradespeople will constantly be in and out of the property throughout the day and this can be distracting to your daily routine.
- The site can be very loud, dusty, and cold and the living conditions will not be ideal. You can mask off areas that are not being renovated, but dust particles still seep through these areas. Tradespeople may also be required to visit the unrenovated portions of the home at times.
- Keep in mind that electricity and plumbing may need to be turned off at times depending on the renovation.
Valuables and Deliveries
- Remove valuables from the job site. With lots of people coming in and out of the home, it can be easy for things to get misplaced or damaged during a renovation. Try to have all valuables off the property for the duration of the reno.
- Avoid having large items such as appliances and furniture delivered to the job site for storage. These often get in the way of the tradespeople on-site and slow down the overall process. There is also a high chance of these items getting damaged if they are not packaged properly.
Maintaining Relationships with Neighbors
- Try to be on good terms with the neighbors as it helps to not slow down the overall construction process.
- You might need access to their property at some point during the renovation process, especially if you have a party wall or shared driveway.
- Noise can often be a big factor when it comes to having good neighbor relations. Make sure to warn your neighbors about the work that will be taking place. Also, ensure that trades are not working on site and that noise is at a minimum, outside of agreed-upon hours.
Budget Accordingly
- It is good to have a set budget in place for your home renovation project, but it is also important to have realistic expectations.
- Be prepared for unforeseen costs to arise, especially if renovating an older property. You never know what’s going on behind the walls of a home!
- Know when to spend and when to save.
Have a Realistic Timeline
- Taking on too much within a very short timeframe will only lead to disappointment.
- Set the expectation from the start that not everything will go according to plan and leave a small buffer in your timeline for this.
- Homeowners often underestimate how long renovations will take. Talk to the professionals and ask them for their honest opinion on timelines for your renovation.
Hire a Professional
- Know when to work with contractors and designers.
- Don’t forget about the interior design of the space and leave room in your budget for this. Hire a designer to assist with drawings, layouts, and design schemes for your home renovation. This will go a long way when you are investing so much money into a home.
Be Decisive
- Work with designers and have a well-thought-out plan of action.
- Know what you want the end result to look like and be sure to communicate this from the start.
- It’s okay to change your mind, but know the consequences associated with this beforehand. Oftentimes, changes to the approved design and scope of work, at the last minute, can result in huge setbacks financially and cause delays with the timeline of the project.
