Renovating your house can be the difference between staying in a home you love or moving to a home more suited for your family. In fact, in the UK, thanks to rising house prices, home extensions are becoming increasingly popular as the benefits provided from the extra space outweigh the process as a whole plus, it is easier to live with small disruptions for a short time than trying to not only find a new home, sell your current one but packing up to move too.

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But before you get carried away looking at designs and plans, what do you need to know before you start any home renovations?

Have A Realistic Timeline

Prepare for a longer refurbishment than expected and plan to avoid dissatisfaction. A bathroom remodel, for example, could seem simple enough. The old fixtures may be removed in a few hours, but finding a new tub and vanity can take weeks. They may take two weeks to arrive. A week-long wait for your new bathroom flooring can evolve into a six-week wait. Be realistic about the renovation process and schedule, and choose your new materials before removing the old ones.

Plan For The Worst

Every home has secrets in the walls, floors, and ceilings. A renovation can reveal them. It may be that the contractor tells you the floors are uneven because the centre joist has moved when measuring for your new hardwood floors. Or removing plaster on the walls can identify previously undiscovered cracks or dampness. This is just one example of how you should plan for the unexpected by adding extra time and money to your renovation budget.

Get Plenty of Quotes

It pays to interview and compare contractors. Let’s say you want to move your water heater from an upstairs closet to the kitchen. Your first plumber, for example, estimates a £3,000 bill to reroute hot water lines and estimates the job taking up to 5 days. The second plumber agrees with this quote. Plumber three estimates a one-day job at £1,500 with no water line rerouting. 

Who is right, and who is doing the job correctly? 

The lower price might be tempting, but getting more quotes can help you gain added knowledge into the work required and find a pattern in the prices quoted. You risk overpaying and not getting what you want if you don’t interview many contractors. 

Be Clear on What You Want and Flexible on How To Get There

Be upfront about designs and furniture you want and specific features. Have a list of must-haves and compromises. Talk to different contractors about the best use of the extra space you are creating or layout options for existing rooms. They will have years of special expertise in this area and will have encountered a wide range of issues and layout problems they can advise you on.

Have your idea in place but allow for their input to assist you in bringing it to life realistically and practically. Being flexible on your approach will create a better working relationship between you and your contractors and designers if you aren’t doing this part yourself.

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