Will you be renovating your home? Check out The Biggest Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid so that it can be a smooth process.

 

The Biggest Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid

Renovating your home is an excellent way to improve the way it looks and feels. There are a plethora of opportunities when it comes to renovating your home, whether you want to increase its size, customize it to your taste, or increase the value of your property, renovating is the way to go. 

While renovating your home is an exciting project to invest in, it is also very risky. You must take time to plan the work and figure out all the details. Even the smallest mistake can set the project back, and end in costly delays. 

To help you on your journey, here are some of the biggest home renovation mistakes to avoid. 

#1 Not creating a detailed plan

Planning your renovation is everything. Without a detailed plan, you are planning to fail. Whether you are going to hire a team of contractors to help you renovate your home, or you are going to be doing it all yourself, a plan will guide the activities, keep everyone working towards the same goals, and ensure that deadlines are met. This plan will need to include all the work that needs completing, in what order, and all the details about the colors and features. You will also need to plan what you are going to do during the time of the renovation, where your stuff is going to go, and more. 

#2 Not being thorough when hiring contractors

If you choose to work with contractors, you should always be thorough when sourcing the right ones. You will be making a huge mistake if you just go with the first one you find or do not consider their skills. All contractors are different, and you must speak to them and get to know them before you sign any contractors. This is because their skills, experience, style, personality, and prices are all important factors that are going to impact your project. Speak to more than one contractor and obtain quotes, ask lots of questions and get to know them. This way you have contractors to compare, and it will help you choose the right one. 

This applies to all contractors. You should be thorough whether you are talking to a flooring installation company or a plumber. Every contractor will play a vital role in the renovation project.

#3 Not obtaining permissions and permits

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to think that just because they own their home, they can do whatever they want to it. While to some extent this is true, some changes require permission from neighbors or local authorities. You should always check to see what you need to obtain permission for before you plan any work. If you need to gain permission, it can take a long time to obtain as you will need to complete and file an application form, and wait for it to go through a review and approval process. If you want your renovations to go smoothly and according to your plan, you should seek permission and permits in advance. If you go ahead with the work without permits, you might find your project has to be stopped or taken down in the future, as well as be given a fine or penalty. 

#4 Knocking down walls without care

You might have the idea of knocking down a few walls to make your home bigger and more spacious. Knocking down a wall can seem like a really simple thing to do, however, if it is not done correctly or with the right inspection, you might end up with some dire consequences. Changing the location of a wall can impact the electrical wiring, plumbing, and the foundation of your home. It is vital that you take some time to inspect the walls, and even get a professional to help you. You should always ensure that you are certain of what is behind any wall before you start knocking them down. This will ensure you are not compromising the structural integrity of your home and you can make any alternate plans for wiring and plumbing that needs to be moved. 

#5 Tight deadlines 

You should never rush a renovation project. Understandably, you would want your renovation project to be completed quickly and efficiently, so it is important to set realistic deadlines. Do some research and find out what kind of timelines are realistic to work towards, and avoid setting tight deadlines. You should also schedule time into your plan for any delays, especially if you are going through a bigger renovation. This is because there are so many people involved in a big project, that the risk is higher for something to go wrong. For example, a job takes longer than expected, there is something hidden in the home that hinders progress, or the hardware store is out of materials.