Home Renovation Advice: Best Ways To Prepare For Your Project

Just like any construction project, DIY and home renovation both require focus and determination. If you’re planning on ‘flipping’ your property after a renovation, it needs to be approached the right way with a level of preparedness. In fact, 63% of respondents to a study regretted at least one of their projects. 

To emphasize that point – it’s always better to be prepared. To help out, the following advice is all you need to know for home renovation before you get started. It might seem like you’ve got a lot ahead of you, but these will help ensure you’re fully prepared for the reno.

Get a feel for the ambiance of the space

Sometimes you can’t make any design renovation decisions until you’ve got a feel for the ambiance of the space. Should you paint the walls duck egg blue or scarlet, and how can you decide? These sorts of decisions require you to get a real understanding or ‘feel’ for the space you’re renovating. It’s quite important because if you find yourself making snap reno decisions, you might just find yourself regretting those decisions or having ‘to renovate the renovation’ with a demolition hammer all over again. 

Put your plan together and factor in additional expenses

A plan is essential when it comes to home renovations because if your renovation is like a journey, your plan is the roadmap to your destination. This is exactly why it needs to be detailed enough so that others can follow it (see our point below about getting support for your renovation), but flexible enough for some options to be altered and based on research. Two of the factors your plan should include are potential delays in the completion date for your renovation and the additional expenses you might not have taken into account. The completion date should always be an estimation. 

To factor this in, there should always be a ‘margin for error’ for particular tasks that might take longer than expected. Say, for instance, you notice that the wooden flooring beneath your carpets is not in as good a shape as you first anticipated, you’ll want to have factored this into your plans so you can consider alternative flooring options.

Get helpers on board to lighten your workload

We recognize that home renovation projects often involve DIY, or ‘doing it yourself’, but the better way to approach home renovations is to get the support of others. It’s never easy to take on an entire renovation project by yourself, so it’s time to ask around and see who’s willing to lend their support. 

The more friends, neighbors, family members and support you can get, the better you’ll be at completing your project, carrying out demolitions or installing new features. Remember, to make things more straightforward, you’ve got a vision of what your renovation will end up. You’ve also made an efficient plan – as we’ve just mentioned, so share this vision and plan with your helpers, friends and neighbors to ensure the result is what you were aiming for 

Always consider getting the best materials

So, you’ve started your reno. You’ve chosen your replacement cabinets – the cheapest ones on the market. And then, you notice it. A handle is out of shape. There’s a crack in some of your materials… What can you do to avoid situations like these? Our advice is that you’re going to want the best quality materials for the best price because cheap isn’t always cheerful in the world of home renovations. 

Making comparisons across the market is the best way to get the best quality materials for the best price. Avoid the absolute rock-bottom prices that will leave you in a position where you might just need to purchase materials again or endure more headaches and potential stress than necessary. Make a sound judgment on the price you should pay based on the price you can expect to pay at other building material stores.

Getting started

Home renovations can seem like a mountain to climb, particularly as you’re not a professional, but it is achievable. Remember to:

• Plan in detail, but factor in potential changes in the timeframe and costs
• Get support from friends, family, neighbors and helpers to help tackle renovation challenges, and
• Cheap isn’t always cheerful, so consider getting the best quality materials for the best price

Follow these four tips for being prepared and you’ll find your renovation is less stressful and goes much more smoothly.