Home renovation can be a costly process. If you make mistakes along the way, then the cost can quickly spiral. Therefore, it’s a good idea to take planning seriously, and to take a few other measures designed to keep your costs down.
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Plan Thoroughly Before Starting Any Work
Your plans should be drawn up before the work begins. If you don’t have a realistic budget for the entire project, as well as a timeline, then you are almost certain to run into surprises later on – once you’re already committed to the process.
For many homeowners, the decision to rush into work without considering the full costs can be disastrous. Draw up your budget in writing, and make sure that you divide it into separate areas of spending. That way, you’ll be able to see if something has gone over.
Choose the Right Professionals for the Job
The quality of the tradespeople you bring in will also be hugely consequential. Hire the wrong person, and you could end up with work that isn’t done to the required standard, or that’s done late, or both.
You can vet your workers by asking for recommendations from tradespeople you do trust. You might also look at previous work carried out by a particular person, or look for their online presence. A string of bad reviews could give you a reason to look elsewhere when you’re considering your options.
Of course, even if you’re extremely diligent, there remains the chance that you might hire the wrong person. In some cases, you can deal with this through insurance. In others, you might make a claim of professional negligence.
Understand Planning Permission and Regulations
In the UK, homeowners often find their renovation plans thwarted by building regulations and planning permissions.
The right tradespeople will be able to make sure that the work carried out is on the right side of the regulations. It’s typically necessary to seek planning permission when the changes are going to be visible from outside the property – but since this isn’t universally the case, it’s a good idea to ask your local authority whether permission is necessary before you start work. This can be done through online resources like the Planning Portal. If you fail to obtain permission when appropriate, you could be made to undo the work you’ve done later on.
Avoid the Temptation to Cut Corners on Materials
When you finish composing your budget, and notice that materials represent a substantial chunk of your spending, you might be tempted to make compromises by looking for cheaper materials. However, in the long term, this decision can often be costly. Make sure that the materials you choose are fit for purpose and that they don’t need repair work later on.
Have a Contingency Budget in Place
However well you plan your renovation, there will always be the possibility that something will go wrong. Having a buffer of cash available to deal with unexpected problems will allow you to keep the project going when these problems arrive. If you don’t have this money available, then you’ll need to either go into debt, or pause the project. Both options will be more costly in the long run.
Keep Communication Clear with Your Team
Managing your project means being able to speak to your team, and be understood by them. When your team suffers from crossed wires, it could put your project at risk. In some cases, you might even want to hire a project manager to minimise the likelihood of this happening.