10 Renovation Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t make these mistakes when you renovate your home!
Here are ten factors to look out for if you’re planning home improvements.
A good renovation can easily add value to your home.
But what happens when a renovation is poorly done?
Not only are you detracting value from your home, but lousy handiwork can cause damage to your home or even put you and your family at risk of injury.
So, how can you avoid making renovation mistakes?
Here is a list of ten renovation mistakes to avoid.
#1 Going for the Cheapest Builder or Trade
Don’t be tempted to use the cheapest one without considering other factors when getting quotes from tradespeople.
While you may be saving money now, you could be at risk of needing to spend significantly more to fix their mistakes.
Ask yourself:
- Why are they cheaper?
- Are they planning to use cheap material?
- Are they qualified to do the work?
- Have they included everything in the quote?
Especially in the case of plumbing and electrical work, you need to be sure that the professional that you hire is highly trained and experienced.
It’s a good idea to go online and check reviews from previous clients to determine whether their work is of high quality.
If not, it’s worth paying more for an ethical and reputable electrician or plumber.
#2 Ignoring existing problems
Anyone who has renovated an older home will know that tearing down walls or tearing up floors can lead to some big surprises.
If you encounter any issues during your renovation, it’s best to deal with them straight away.
While fixing issues such as rotting framework or uneven flooring can cost extra now, you will inevitably run into problems later down the line.
By that time, you’ll end up paying even more to fix both the original problem and any further issues it has caused.
#3 Buying cheap accessories
As they say: cheap is cheap, and it’s cheap for a reason.
Saving a few dollars in the short term may is rarely worth the ongoing maintenance and repairs you will face in the long run.
In the case of fixtures that you use regularly, quality choices are a better idea for a durable option that will look good and function well for longer.
#4 Buying expensive bathroom tiles
Bathroom tiles do not need to be expensive to look good.
Save that money for quality fixtures!
Choose a simple colour palette to match your taste instead of spending a fortune on imported or fashionable tiles (that will likely be out of fashion in a few short years).
#5 Terrible paint jobs
Even the most professional building job will be ruined when finished with terrible paintwork.
There is so much more to painting than people realise; a painter has to avoid poor blending techniques, uneven coverage, brush marks and paint drips, all while working quickly enough to complete the job before the paint dries.
If you’re not up to the task, hire a professional local painter, such as Jim’s Painting to get the quality finish that your home renovation deserves.
#6 Opting for the latest trends
This not only applies to short-lived fashion trends but ‘must-have’ appliances that you will ultimately find useless.
A great example of this is a pot-filler. Yes, a pot-filler.
“What is that?” you may ask – it is a tap installed next to your stovetop so that you can fill a pot of water without having to carry it sloshing from the sink.
While it may seem like a good idea to install nifty gadgets and fitting such as this, ask yourself whether it’s worth it.
In the case of the pot-filler, exactly how much trouble it is to take a pot of water from the sink to the stove?
It’s likely not worth the money you would spend on installing it.
#7 Buying clearance stock
Items on sale may be there because the manufacturer stopped making them.
It doesn’t necessarily mean they are of poor quality.
However, you should be careful when buying clearance items that they are not damaged in any way that will cause you problems later on.
If an item is on clearance, it could mean that it has been sitting on the floor for a long time.
Buying clearance stock could also mean that finding replacement parts down the line is very difficult or impossible.
This is particularly important when it comes to buying clearance tiles because you need to carefully budget for space, allowing extra for wastage as you may not be able to find the same batch of stock should you run out.
This can be disastrous for your end result as mismatched tiles will ruin your final look.
#8 Not building in enough storage
You can never have enough storage, so build it wherever you can.
If you don’t, you’ll end up spending far more money down the line on freestanding cupboards and shelving, which is not only a financial drain but also a waste of space.
Wherever you can find a space for more storage, build it!
You will thank yourself later!
#9 Using your friend/cousin/uncle/sister
So, you have a tradie friend or family member. Amazing!
While they might be great for advice, be careful about using them to do the actual work.
First and foremost, always make sure that they are licensed professionals for the trades that they are doing.
While Auntie Sue might be a licenced electrician, she shouldn’t be doing any plumbing work for you.
Secondly, even if you have a close relationship, you MUST make sure that they have the necessary insurance in place.
Any accidents could leave you liable and could end up costing you a fortune.
It’s also a smart idea to think about what will happen if you are unhappy with their work.
Are you willing to either live with their mistakes or cause a breakdown in your relationship with them?
If not, it might be best to use a stranger.
#10 Not installing adequate heating and cooling
No matter where you live, you will need to use artificial heating or cooling to moderate your home’s temperature at some point throughout the year.
By not installing a heating or cooling system while renovations are still underway, installing it later will cost you more as work that was already completed will have to be removed and redone.
You will likely lose profit when selling your home as buyers will be more interested in purchasing houses with these installed features.
While you’re still renovating, have the appropriate heating or cooling system installed.
There is no doubt that renovations cost money; however, cutting corners to save on costs will inevitably lead to more financial output in the future.
Save yourself the hassle of ongoing issues by hiring professionals now.
If you would like a free quote on any heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical or painting services when renovating your home, contact Jim’s Group on 13 15 46 today.
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