Home & Garden

10 things you need to know before home renovation

If you plan a home renovation in the near future and don’t know where or how to start, don’t worry about it. This guide shows you the tips for home renovation and how to make your home healthy.

Plan ahead

First and foremost, it’s very important that you have a plan. Starting a project such as this one requires you to plan ahead for multiple reasons. Firstly, you need to prioritize. Depending on how tight of a budget you are, you have to select what kind of improvements you want to make around the house and which ones are the priority. Their priority can be based on their practicality, use, or something else that may be of greater importance to you. For instance, fixing water leaks will most likely be of greater importance and urgency. So, go through your plan and see what renovations and improvements you will go through first.

Calculate the costs

The second thing you need to do is to set the budget. Here you have to include the costs for building materials, labour, building permits as well as decorative finishes. Start by setting the budget you are willing to invest and then work on finalising your finances. It’s also a great option to get in touch with potential companies you will be working with and negotiate with them to see what kind of services they provide and how much they charge for those services. 

Make a renovation timeline

Speaking of which, you should also ask the company how long the renovations will take. Right after the plan-making and budget-setting, you need to determine the timeline of renovations. This is especially important if you plan to do renovations on a big scale. This helps you organize better in the time your home will be undergoing the renovation project. You may need to move out of the house for a certain period of time and it’s good to know for how long that will be. 

Visit a job site

Once you start looking into potential remodeling contractors, you can go visit their current job sites. This will help you evaluate their work and see if you want to work with them or not. It will also help you see how well the workers are handling the teamwork and how efficient their communication is.

Communicate effectively

Speaking of communication, once you start working with the contractors that you picked you need to work on communicating with them clearly and efficiently. You need to be able to know how to present your ideas and tell them what you want. You need to hear them out and their advice on how your ideas can be executed efficiently. You’re there to present your ideas and their job is to use their expertise to show you how your idea can come to life. Coming to a compromise is the goal for both sides and that’s why clear communication is the key.

Insist on a detailed contract

You also need to insist on signing a detailed contract. A contract should include all costs that go into this project. This kind of a contract is supposed to lock the costs in one place and prevent any sudden increases in cost over time. 

Keep resale in mind

Lastly, when renovating the house you have to stay open-minded to the possibility that you might one day want to sell it. That is why renovation can be useful beyond just your wish to renovate and improve your home. It can also increase your house market value and help you sell it faster.

Now, moving on to more specific tips and ideas, here are some creative ideas on how you can renovate your home.

Fresh coat of paint

One of the most effective ways to give your house a fresh new look is to apply a fresh coat of paint on the walls. You can opt for soft neutral or pastel colors, darker shades, or go for simple white or grey that will make other house features pop off in contrast.

Remodel the kitchen

If your budget allows it, you can remodel the kitchen. Open space concept work really well for the kitchen space. You can have a kitchen island in the middle of the kitchen or choose to free up that space and go for wide counters and a bar facing the dining area. It all depends on what kind of flow you want to create. Also, you can choose a specific theme for the kitchen. It can be modern with beige and black tones or you can go for rustic vibes with lots of plants and natural lighting. There are tons of options to explore. 

Update your bathroom 

You can also upgrade your bathroom by going for a nice bathtub, rearranging the bathroom furniture, and buying a new vanity. The tiles in the bathroom can determine the whole aesthetic of the bathroom. So, if you want an illusion of a bigger space go for bigger tiles. 

Think about expanding

Expanding the house can be both useful and it can help you create an open space concept inside your home. Different ideas of home extensions can help you free up some more space for storage, add an extra room or a level for people moving in, or anything else you’d like to add to your home to expand it. It’s a great renovating project that can also increase your house’s market value.  

Upgrade your windows and doors 

The doors and windows can make such a huge difference in what your house looks like. New window frames and doors around the house can truly make your home look brand new and clean. So, if your budget allows it, get new windows and doors installed around your home.

Conclusion

Overall, house renovation is a project that requires professional help. Whether you plan to change your windows, remodel your kitchen or expand your home, you need to work with contractors who will make your ideas come to life. In doing so, you need to evaluate your budget, make a plan, choose a contractor wisely, ask for a detailed contract and communicate your ideas clearly.