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Renovating a home is a serious undertaking, that requires you to wear a number of different hats at once – from logistics and planning to the trade work itself, renovating can feel like a juggling act, and especially so to those new to homeownership. If you are one of the 205,000 households expected to complete in 2022, what are some things you should keep in mind while planning your renovation project?
Budget and costing
One early concern you should prioritize is the financial side of your renovation plans. Easy as it can be to get carried away with new interior design ideas and pie-in-the-sky additions to your property, it can also be very expensive. While you certainly won’t have been intending to go into your renovation project blind to cost, it is crucial that you have as keen an understanding of the finances as possible.
Setting a budget early on allows you to work within a set of parameters – giving you plans structure, and also giving you the opportunity to plan for setbacks. Delays, supply shortages, and even the rate of inflation can impact the affordability of a project even as it is underway, but budgeting means you can create a financial cushion and lessen the impact.
DIY Vs. skilled labor
The drawing-up of a comprehensive renovation budget is often the first time that people fully appreciate the cost of labor. Man-hours are justifiably expensive, and often comprise a large majority of costs relating to renovation work; costs that could be offset or eliminated entirely by doing the work yourself.
While going DIY has its merits for lighter, lower-risk work such as painting and light repair work, there are some jobs that simply should not be attempted by a layperson. Electrical work is one such job, carrying as it does fatal risk.
There are also projects that might benefit from a skilled pair of hands if only to ensure the best possible aesthetic outcome. If a new bespoke patio is part of your renovation plans, it might be safer to source the paving materials yourself and hire a landscaper to perform the laying. This way, you retain direct control over the materials budget and aesthetic, while weaponizing local skilled tradespeople to realize your vision.
Energy efficiency
Lastly, renovation is the perfect time to sneak in some quality-of-life changes to your home – and a good time to think about energy efficiency. While energy efficiency changes won’t do much for the aesthetics of your home, they will make it cheaper and more sustainable.
This can have a tangible impact on your annual energy costs, and ensure that finished living spaces feel all the cozier. Whether replacing the insulation in your stud walls or replacing your boiler entirely, heat and heating should have at least a small place in your overall plans.
