Renovations are an exciting but fraught part of homeownership. Behind every great result there is always a lot of thought, hard work - and often frustration and pain. Here are some tips to ease the journey.
What’s the big idea?
Deciding what you want is one of the most enjoyable aspects of renovating your home. At this stage you can imagine anything is possible, before narrowing your dreams down to something more realistic. Commit some deep thinking to what you really want, what will be of the most benefit, and whether it is actually worth it. Look for inspiration where you can and devise a brief that details your goals for the project.
Planning department
Once you have a clear idea of what you want, it’s time to start planning. What are the logistics of the renovation, and what are the potential problems it will entail? If you’re contemplating a new bathroom and kitchen, the house may be unlivable for a period. Unless you have an understanding family you can stay with, that will involve cost and inconvenience.
Money, money, money
The primary consideration when it comes to what you can actually achieve is of course your budget. Being realistic about the cost of each element of the project is vitally important, and you’ll need to stay on top of this as you proceed. Talk to your bank or mortgage broker early to get an idea of what’s affordable. And build in a decent contingency for those unexpected costs.
R&D
It’s time for your ideas to be fleshed out into a design - with your budget in mind of course. Check out design magazines and websites for ideas and start refining your goals into something more definable. Even if you’re using a designer to develop a plan, it will be far better if you can present them with a well-formed idea. Think about the details – how you actually use your home, where you could use extra power outlets, where the sun is at different times of the year, and whether you’ll still like that shade of paint in a couple of years. Consider how you can best future proof your home.
Time in motion
Another step in the planning before engaging contractors to do the work is developing a workable timeline. Of course, this will be contingent on the availability of the professionals you ultimately hire, so you may have to work it out in collaboration with them. Having a realistic idea of when work will get done for each stage of the renovation, and how the project will be managed overall is imperative.
The professionals
Choosing who to work with is an important step in any project. Maybe they’ve been recommended by friends or family, you’ve seen good work done in your neighbourhood, or you’ve found them online. However you arrive at the contractors you work with, the most important part is trusting them. In terms of reputation, word-of-mouth recommendations are good, but it’s always worth checking out online reviews.
Make it legal
In collaboration with your contractors, work out what building consent is necessary for your project. Smaller jobs may require no boxes to be ticked, while more substantial work will require sign-off from the local council. This can be frustrating and costly, but it is a necessary part of any major renovation.
Be prepared
Leading up to the work being started there will be some preparation necessary. At the very least this will mean moving furniture and other items out of the space and into storage, either within the house or elsewhere. There may also be some clearing work you can complete to ease the path for the contractors – old cabinetry and carpets for example. If you’re staying at home while the renovation work is happening, think about how you’re going to work around it, taking kids and pets into consideration.
Collaborate and listen
If there’s one truism about renovations, it’s that they’re seldom a smooth process. Any number of issues can emerge, so it pays to be adaptable. Having contingencies for cost and time will offer some peace of mind when problems arise, enabling you to ride out the storm. Ensuring you have good channels of communication with your contractors will minimise surprises and help get you and the project to the finish line with your sanity intact.
Live it up
Once all the work is done and the clean-up is complete it’s time to enjoy your new space. Move the furniture and other items into place and relax. But this is also a good time to assess how the project has gone, and whether the result meets your initial goals. There may be some tweaking necessary to get things exactly how you want them... and perhaps some lessons learnt for the next time.
