There are several good reasons to renovate a house. Maybe you deliberately purchased a fixer-upper, and renovation was always part of the plan. Perhaps you’ve lived in your home for a long time and it’s time for a change. You may also want to increase the value of your home, especially if you’re thinking of selling it a few years down the road. However, not all renovations are created equal, and it’s important to avoid any big mistakes in the process as well. Below are several things you should consider as you embark on this project.
Budget
This is obviously important since it will be the main arbiter of what you can and can’t do, and yet you might be surprised at how many people overlook it or don’t place enough importance on it. There’s more to the budget than just figuring out how much you can spend. First, don’t make the common error of committing every cent of your budget to the project. There will almost certainly be expenses along the way that you do not anticipate, so use a budget calculator because you need a cushion to account for this. Second, don’t skimp on any elements that are really important. This includes things where the structure or safety of the home is involved, such as in a rewiring project, or items that get heavy use, such as internal doors or kitchen counters.
Plan for the Future
If you’re planning to stay in the home, think ahead to what you might want to do in the future. Future proofing can take a lot of different forms. Maybe you’ll want to make sure it’s energy efficient, or perhaps you’ll want a lot of sockets and ducts for running cables so you can stay up to date with technology. You can also think about how you could make altering rooms spaces easy in the future.
If you have an open plan design now but you anticipate a situation where your family will want more privacy later—or vice versa—you can use partitions to divide up spaces for greater flexibility. Another thing to think about is keeping the home accessible as you get older. Wider doorways and hallways can make it easier to move about in a wheelchair. You may even want to consider installing a home lift. You can contact a home lifts provider to find out more about costs and how it would fit into the design of your home.
Use Space Efficiently
Have you got an odd cupboard or closet in the house that isn’t the right shape or size for anything, or is there unused space under a staircase or elsewhere that you could use for storage? This is an excellent opportunity to make sure all the space in your home is used as efficiently as possible. Think built-in shelves and drawers to help with organization so that everything isn’t just stored in a jumble. Work with the rest of your family on figuring out what kind of storage needs everyone has and what would be most helpful for each person. The same goes for your yard: consider getting rid of old structures such as sheds or kennels if you don’t really use them — it will free up extra outside space. Hire an experienced demolition contractor that will do a neat job and make sure you are not left with a dirty hole in the ground. Choose a company with relevant certifications, positive reviews, and a convenient, easy-to-surf website.
