10 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Home Renovation Without Knowing It
Even when you’re working with the best builders in Toowoomba, the ball isn’t entirely out of your court when it comes to having a successful home renovation. While it’s true that your talented team of builders and contractors will do the lion’s share of the work, there are things that homeowners do that can sabotage their renovation.
To ensure that your renovation goes well and you end up with the home of your dreams, keep reading to discover the 10 most common ways that homeowners sabotage the renovation process. If you can avoid these classic blunders, your renovation process will go a lot smoother.
1. Having a Goal That’s Overly Vague
Many of us don’t want to approach a professional with a very specific set of goals and prefer to leave some room for their input and expertise. While that’s all well and good, having a renovation goal that’s overly vague can result in you ending up with a home that looks nothing like what you had in mind. To avoid this disappointment, leave some room for your crew’s input, but have pictures on hand that resemble what you’d like to achieve with the renovation process.
2. Having a Goal That’s Too Specific
Yes, a vague renovation goal is bad, but an overly specific one can be just as undesirable. It’s good to know what it is that you want, but remember that the bones of your property might not accommodate your exact vision. For example, if you want a wide open space but the area contains load-bearing pillars, there might not be anything your crew can do to help you achieve your vision. It’s good to have a goal in mind of what you want, but it’s also important to leave some wiggle room.
3. Being Too Trendy
Fads come and go. While it might be okay to experiment with a trendy outfit or haircut, be cautious about being overly trendy when it comes to your home. Remember, your might have this property for decades or even the rest of your life. You don’t want to be stuck in a home that feels dated within five or 10 years because you were overly dependent on trendy styles instead of choosing a look that’s more evergreen. Feel free to be fashionable when it comes to superficial aspects such as paint colors or even cabinets, but aim for timeless when it comes to more permanent fixtures.
4. Choosing the Cheapest Option for Everything
It’s no secret that a home renovation can be a huge hit to your wallet. It costs money to achieve the home of your dreams. Because of this, many homeowners will often default to the cheapest available options. It’s great to be frugal and to attempt to cut costs, but this is your home and you very well might be living in it for a long time. Cut costs when possible, but don’t be cheap when it comes to one of the most important investments you’ll ever have.
5. Failure to Communicate with Your Crew
When we pay someone to do something, we ideally want to be able to step away and let our money do the work for us. While a talented crew will certainly do as much as they can to make the process as stress- and involvement-free as possible for the homeowner, it’s important to stay involved in the renovation process. Things sometimes go wrong or take longer than expected and your crew needs to be able to reach you whenever this happens. The more involved you are in the process, the better your finished result will be.
6. Micromanaging Your Crew
Communication is key during a home renovation, but there’s nothing builders hate more than homeowners who feel the need to micromanage every little thing. It’s natural to want to be deeply involved in the process of renovating your beloved home. However, you might not know as much about renovation as you think you do and your builders don’t need your input or direction at every turn. Stay involved in the process, but know when to back off and let your talented crew do their jobs.
7. Failing To Measure 10 Times
Renovation teams aren’t joking around when they say “measure 10 times and cut once.” Too many homeowners have found themselves heartbroken because they’ve ordered cabinets or fixtures only to discover that they’re the wrong fit on arrival. Be sure to have your measurements down to a thousandth of an inch before you place an order. If you don’t feel comfortable taking them yourself, ask a builder from your crew to do it for you.
8. Skipping the Little Details
When entering into a renovation, many homeowners are preoccupied with the big aspects of their home, such as how their kitchen will look or whether or not they’ll add his and her sinks to the master bathroom. It’s true that the big design aspects are the most exciting part of any renovation. However, it’s important to focus on the “boring” stuff too. Those little details like remembering to put a floor drain in the laundry room or adding ventilation to attic storage spaces can have a big impact in preventing disasters or the need for costly repairs in the future.
9. Being Inflexible in Your Timeframe
Unicorns are more common that renovations that stay exactly on schedule. Even if you’ve meticulously planned out the process and have an exceptional crew, things go wrong or get delayed. It’s best to accept this from the start and remain flexible in your timeframe. Don’t get overly upset or stressed by delays or unforeseen issues.
10. Failure to Adequately Line Up Alternate Housing
While this doesn’t pertain to homeowners who are renovating their second home or rental property, it can be a major source of drama for homeowners who are renovating their only home. Be sure to have alternate housing lined up and be sure it’s a place in which you’ll be happy to stay. The renovation process can be stressful, so you need a temporary home that’s comfortable and relaxing. The last thing you need during the renovation process is added stress from your temporary apartment.
If you avoid these 10 classic blunders, you can ensure that you have a successful renovation. The process isn’t always perfect, but it’ll be worth it when the last coat of paint has dried and you’re stepping into your dream home.
Source: https://bit.ly/2GemgCj
