Undergoing a home renovation is not for the faint of heart. It can get expensive, it can get messy, and things can go horribly wrong! There is a reason there are home renovation shows on TV. All of these stress factors, and going through the millions of decisions required in a renovation, all seem like fun when it is someone else’s home.
These are just a few things you can do to help eliminate the stress and make sure things run smoothly.
Know What You Want
Hindsight is a luxury that few people can afford when it comes to their home renovation. You will not believe the number of times we hear people lament that they wish they had started their project with a proper design plan and interior concept in mind. The most expensive part of a renovation process is changing your mind in the middle.
Hiring an interior designer is one of the best ways to help alleviate stress – and actually save yourself money during your renovation process.
Working with a designer to create your desired ‘look and feel’ for your home is the first step to a successful renovation project. Having someone you can trust to discuss ideas with is also a bit like having your own personal cheerleader. Even if you don’t use your designer to project manage the renovation for you, at least you have started the process with a clear goal in mind and know what you are working towards.
Surround Yourself With Good People
When you get the quotes in from contractors and joiners, don’t always make your decision on price. Word of mouth, references and going looking at previous jobs should be one of your biggest deciding factors. The team you assemble is crucial to bringing your design vision to life. You’ll also be interacting with them on a daily basis and need to trust they will do a good job for you.
Plan Accordingly
Before you even start on project, you’ll need to understand if any of the materials and finishes you have selected have order lead times or minimum order quantities. It is no good having your heart set on a flooring finish that will take 4 months to arrive and you’ve only got 2 months to execute your renovation plan. Rather have everything picked out, ordered, and ideally on-site before the renovation begins. This applies to any furniture you are looking to have made or to buy.
At the beginning of a project you need to get a clear overview and schedule from your contractor, so you can see the big picture of what will happen from week to week. Then factor in a few extra weeks for delays.
Hot Tip: If you are doing your renovation in stages – try to work from the back of your house to the front. That way any new work doesn’t damage anything that has already been completed.
Of course, in an ideal world you will be able to move out during the renovation process. This is mostly for your own sanity. If you are going to be living through your renovation, to to make a space that your contractor can use as a storage area, like a garage. This just allows most of the mess and materials to be contained in one main area and you can shut the doors and not have to think about it or see it at the end of every day.
Staying On Schedule
Schedule regular meetings with your contractor – daily or weekly – to walk through the projects progress, review the work that has been completed that week, and then to re-confirm or adjust the schedule for the week ahead.
We also find that finding a small manageable task to do – like clearing out a bag of mess, packing away materials, or ticking items off a list – will make you feel more organised throughout the process, and help you keep a semblance of sanity.
Afterwards
Have a small budget allowance for a cleaning crew once the work has been completed. Any work involving breaking or building walls and sanding is extremely dusty and dirty, and the dust is able to travel to every corner of a room. On this note. Whether you are staying or moving out, anything left behind will be at the mercy of the dust, so either make sure it is properly packed away and sealed, or that your personal items have been moved off-site and only return once your home has been properly cleaned.
The reality is that no matter how much you plan and prepare, setbacks and obstacles are going to pop up along the way. Try not to stress about them, and instead, focus on coming up with a solution. Your designer can help with that!
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