DIY: Common Mistakes You Should Avoid While Renovating Your Place

You might be living in a nice little home and thinking about making it bigger, or you just bought a run-down property and are hoping to turn it into a nice little home. Living in an inviting and comfortable home is important for us all, but not everyone can afford a thorough renovation.

Even if people decide to renovate, they often make mistakes which cost them time and money. If you’re thinking about renovating your place, here are a few things you should avoid doing.

Not minding the money: You might start with a general idea of how much you’re willing to spend on a renovation. Let’s be honest, no one can predict exactly how much they’ll spend, but you can set a budget and decide how much is just too much.

Once you do this, it’s important to stick to it. This means no last-minute impulse purchases just because something looks nice or you think it would look nice in your new living room or bedroom. Don’t waste money on unnecessary works and try not to lavish it on expensive frivolous fittings (designer radiators, really?).

Optimistic budgeting: It’s wonderful to be optimistic and believe that everything will work out just fine, that there will be no accidents, and that things will run smoothly. Optimism can make you write down the lowest possible sums and start believing that this will be enough.

Renovation is unpredictable, you can discover that some things are in better shape than you hoped, while others can be far worse. This is why you should be prepared for some unpleasant surprises along the way. Also, don’t forget that you have to put aside some money for fees of professionals involved: architects, designers, engineers, as well as surveyors.

Picking the cheapest options: This is especially important when it comes to builders – you want professionals who are willing and prepared to work hard, but at the same time they are hard to find at a reasonable price. Picking the cheapest option may be tempting, but think about it – you will spend more money on renovation after your renovation if you pick the cheapest builders.

Another thing – if their price is incredibly cheap, they probably didn’t include something, and you’ll end up paying more than you thought in the beginning.

Ignoring the original features: You might think that it’s best if you tear everything down and simply start over, but you need to be careful. If the house is a post-war one, you can do pretty much anything and you won’t be accused of vandalism. On the other hand, when it comes to older properties, you need to think things through and work with professionals.

With older homes, it’s best if you can retain or perhaps reinstate original features. Not only will this save you a lot of work and money, but you will end up with a really valuable home in the end. To put it simply – think twice before you decide to destroy old fireplaces, floor tiles, and internal walls.

Not taking your builder’s advice: You were probably warned to be careful and not trust your builders blindly, because there are those who want to scam you. To be honest, most builders are decent people who try to do their job honestly, and they can be a gold mine of valuable experience.

It’s wise to be careful, but listen to your builders and think about their suggestions and advice they’re offering because they usually know tricks to finish the job in a simpler, better, and less expensive ways.

Not protecting the furniture: Sometimes, when people renovate, they simply clear out a room which they’re currently working on and transfer all items into other rooms in the house. This might seem like a nice and simple idea at first, but you’ll end up with every room in your home being crammed with things, battered, and dusty, and it’ll take forever to put everything back in order.

Instead of living in a messy home while the renovation lasts and renovating one room at the time, you can find supercheap storage solutions and move all your furniture away. This way you will make more room, protect all your things, and simply take them back when everything’s finished.

No matter how well you plan your renovation, you’ll likely make a few mistakes. It happens, mistakes are common, and they aren’t necessarily your fault. Still, if you take time and prepare, you’ll likely save a lot of time and money, not to mention nerves, and you’ll be happy with the result.