Now you have bought your new home – and hopefully with us – you may like to shape it more according to your tastes. Or you may want your property to gain in value and decide to refurbish your property by redesigning its interior. That way, you could to turn it into a more modern dwelling and attractive investment opportunity.
Like the saying “Rome was not built in one day”, you will have to expect the same for the work. This stressful operation will have an effect on your every-day life as you may have to spend a bit than expected and it might take longer than planned.
For preventing your dream to turn into a nightmare, we are presenting this list of advice to follow before you refurbish your property.
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Do not rush into decisions
As mentioned above, refurbishing your home is a lengthy process both for the planning of the work and its completion. Therefore, rushing is not an advisable move to make. Before starting anything, make sure you know what you need, that you design a project and that your budget goes accordingly to it.
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Why do you want to renovate your property?
Refurbishing your home is an important investment of time and money and we know just how stressful it can be! The first thing to have in mind when you begin to think about refurbishing is whether you are looking to improve the home you live in or if you are renovating a property to put it up for sale or rent. In the first case, you will need to prioritize your personal tastes and the needs of you and your family. In the second case, it will be important to make more impersonal choices.
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Think about your needs
If you have thought about a way to refurbish your property, it may be because you are looking for a change. This could include updating or improving the bathrooms, the kitchen, painting, putting in double-glazed windows or a new floor, updating the water, light and heating installations, or even modifying the basic floorplan of the house. Even if you hire an architect or interior designer, start planning the renovation by making a list of your needs and the improvements your home needs, because nobody knows this better than you.
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Prepare a budget
Set aside a certain amount of money for your refurbishment and try not to exceed this amount! No matter what your dream house may be like, it is so important to set a budget that fits your economic situation. If you realise that you cannot do everything you want, you could consider renovating your home in phases. If you want the work to be done at once, you could still contract a loan. Find more information about it here. Work with a closed budget, which includes the details of all the expenses, and add 10% for unforeseen expenses. In this way you will limit overspending as much as possible and, if the job is completed with no unforeseen events, you will have saved 10%!
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Work with trust-worthy professionals
Especially in the case of major refurbishments, it is a very good idea to hire the services of an architect or interior designer to help plan the project. It is even better to use a recommended professional if you want to be sure to avoid surprises. If they do their job well, they will understand your needs. They could then contribute good ideas, interact with other labourers involved in the project, help you control your budget and direct the renovation. The money that you invest in them will be worth it when you see the final results of the project.
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Compare prices
You may decide to refurbish your property with a single company that is in charge of the project or work with several suppliers (interior designer/ architect, bricklayer, plumber, painter, blacksmith, carpenter, purchase of materials, etc.). In that case, you should discuss your options with various companies to compare prices and negotiate. This is important not only for the price, but for the peace of mind of having made a good choice.
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