It sounds like you want to renovate your home, but you have no idea where to start. That’s okay. The renovation process can be a mystery to many homeowners. They regret not having a plan only after they suffer renovation mishaps. Renovations can be difficult without preparation because you aren’t starting from scratch, unlike building a new house. It can lead to unexpected costs and difficulties. Let’s take a look at seven things you should know before you begin remodeling.
1. Conduct a neighborhood survey
Although you may be able to afford remodeling your home, that does not mean you should. The local market determines the value of a home, and there is usually a ceiling on the potential sale price in a given neighborhood. If you buy a home for $200,000 and nearby homes sell for $250,000 at best, then you don’t want to spend more than $50,000 on upgrades. You can obtain this information from a professional.
2. Install a key lockbox
Think about investing in a key lock box if you’re renovating your home before moving in and living far away. You will have to hire a contractor for large projects you can’t handle yourself. It’s a good idea to attach a lockbox or install smart door hardware that will allow guests to enter with a code so that contractors can access the property early in the morning. Many hours, gallons of fuel, and early morning wake-up calls can be saved.
3. Expect the Unexpected
In every house are secrets hidden behind the walls, beneath the floors, and elsewhere. A renovation can reveal them. When your contractor tells you while measuring for your highly anticipated new hardwood floors, your floors are uneven because the center joist has moved.
Getting the floor joist repaired before laying the new material will require dealing with the home inspector. You should plan extra time and extra money into your renovation budget to allow for unanticipated mishaps along the way. It is just one example of how you should expect the unexpected.
4. New Electricity Budget
Older buildings often have outdated wiring – look for round-pin plugs, old-fashioned fuse boxes, and fabric-coated flex.
The cost of rewiring a typical three-bedroom terrace is between $4,500 and $5,500. Rewiring, installing a new consumer unit, replacing the floorboards, and lifting and replacing the old wiring are all included. Plastering is not included in this process. The cost of installing additional light fittings and sockets might be higher.
5. Create a work schedule
Create a work schedule before you start any renovations. A lack of a schedule can result in a chaotic process, with tradespeople overlapping and many jobs that could have been carried out simultaneously, resulting in higher costs. In a schedule, the tasks to be performed on the house are listed in order of importance. Along with the overall schedule, it is helpful to put out a schedule for each project phase, such as a schedule for kitchen additions, moving bathrooms upstairs, and loft
