Everyone wants a smooth-running home renovation. However we have all heard of horror stories too. Why does it have to be that way? Well… it doesn’t.
A home renovation should be an exciting time in your life. Sure, it comes with plenty of challenges and the potential for things to go wrong. Which is why you may need some expert tips for a smooth-running home renovation.
As an Adelaide interior designer, I also project manage the renovations of my clients. So I’ve learnt plenty of tips and tricks for recognising traps and ensuring my clients have a smooth-running home renovation experience.
Hire A Reputable Building Company
You will have plenty of different trades coming to your home during a renovation. However, one of the most important components is the building company you choose. Many independent builders will have trusted sub-contract trades including plumbing and electrical.
However, the building company that will be taking over your home, removing walls, working with supporting beams and ripping up floors needs to be trusted by you. Ask friends for their recommendations, look at reviews for the builder and ask your interior designer if you’ve hired one.
Interior designers don’t just fluff cushions and swoon over wallpaper, they also work closely with may trades and can recommend trusted people for your renovation.
When you’re spending a huge amount of money and putting your property into the hands of others, you need to be sure that they’re good at what they do. Check out this website for a company that’s reputable for their painting services.
Ensure The Communication Channels Are Open… And Working
When dealing with different trades who need access to your home and also access to your other trades, you need to have excellent communication. Keep on top of all the communication required.
Don’t assume that everyone is communicating effectively with each other. If you have engaged a project manager then this will be part of their job. However, consider that a typical renovation will require a builder, an engineer, a plumber, an electrician, a flooring contractor, a tiler, a painter, a carpenter/joiner and even a landscaper. On top of that, different item will be delivered at various times including tiles and pavers, doors and windows, cabinets, lighting, etc. It’s a large body of people to keep under control.
Use a Project Manager, which could be the builder or interior designer, to keep everything on track and all communication open. The Project Manager will also have the contact details for every person involved in any way and be able to minimise problems. Well worth their fee, believe me.
Have An Emergency Fund
I always recommend that my clients have a contingency or emergency fund. Generally this is 10 – 15% of the total budget, depending on the complexity of the renovation.
When renovating, there can be unseen expenses. For example, you can’t see inside a wall until its taken down. If there are leaks, rotting wood or broken pipes then these will need to be fixed. This could be an unexpected expense.
Perhaps your new renovation is for a business, such as a home office or Air b ‘n b. If you aren’t bringing in an income until renovations are finished, you’ll need to have funds set aside. So remember to have an emergency fund with a reasonable amount there to use, should anything go wrong.
Expect Things To Go Wrong
As much as you want a smooth-running home renovation, things may go wrong that are out of your control. You just have to deal with them. For example, on a recent renovation I completed we couldn’t have known the condition of the concrete floor prior to pulling up all the carpet.
My eagle-eyed flooring contractor noticed undulations in the floor. If we were relaying carpet then it would have been OK. However, we were laying hybrid flooring, so the substrate had to be perfect. It took an extra day to order the right machinery to ‘sand’ a concrete floor and re-concrete a small section.
On the same job, the window frames were delivered but not the glass. So that was a hold up for a few days because the painting couldn’t be finished until the windows went in.
At least with this in mind, you can prepare and add on a little wiggle room in your initial conversation about the time frame.
The weather and many other aspects can be to blame for delays. Just ensure you aren’t left out of pocket. This is where a Project Manager is very useful and clear & open lines of communication with all contractors.
Follow these tips, and you’re sure to have a smooth-running home renovation.
