Renovating your property is a great way to increase its value and transform it into a home that you truly love, but you shouldn’t dive headlong into a renovation project without thinking very clearly about how much you’re willing to spend, and what you hope to gain from the project first.
If you want to be clever about your renovation and see great results, here are some top home renovation tips to get you started:
Don’t Blow Your Budget
You might have borrowed or saved a certain sum of money to cover the cost of your renovations, but that doesn’t mean that you should just go ahead and spend it all. Take the time to give your home an honest look, check out as many tradesmen as you can and check out which jobs really need to be done and which are just expensive, frivolous extras, and you might be pleasantly surprised by how much money you could save.
Make a Plan
When you’re renovating your home, it is co easy to get carried away with all the beautiful things you can do to make the property more attractive, impressive and comfortable, but you’ll probably blow your budget and then some if you act on every whim. What you really need to do is draw up your own plan, including wants and needs and stick firmly to the needs before you consider adding those little extras you’d love. Only in the most pressing circumstances should you allow yourself to break the budget.
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Source Your Materials Smartly
Instead of just walking into that bathroom showroom and picking out the prettiest pieces you can find, why not try checking out factory seconds, showroom pieces that you can buy for less and even salvaged stuff? You can often find pieces that are just as good as the new one’s you’re interested in at a fraction of the cost, and no one but you will ever know the difference.
Mix and Match
One of the best ways to save money on home renovations is to mix cheap and expensive elements together. You’ll get a more bespoke look, and your renovation will be solid. For example, using salvaged handles on newly built kitchen units will help to cut costs, as will using reclaimed wood on your counters. Do what you can to keep costs down, and you’ll be at little risk of blowing your budget.
Sort the Basics
When you’re undertaking a renovation, it is easy to get caught up with the big things that will make the most difference like new hardwood floors, knocking down walls and having bespoke units built, but the finished product isn’t going to look anywhere near as polished as it could if you neglect the little things like plaster ceiling repair and repainting the room. Take care of the little things, and the big changes will look even better as a result.
Hire a Professional
Unless you’re some kind of DIY god, you will have to call in the professionals, at least for some of the more complex jobs. If you try to do it all yourself, it’s unlikely you’ll get the finish you want, and when you come to sell your home, you might find it more difficult if there is an evidence oi shoddy, unsafe work having been carried out.
