Being the person in charge of a home renovation can be stressful. Coordinating construction teams, gaining planning permission and purchasing the right materials is all a big job. People get so tempted to dive right in when it comes to a home renovation, but this is the one thing that you can do for your home that you should never try to rush. There is a lot of essential planning that must be done, and homeowners need to follow the same steps as a contractor if they hope to get the job done correctly.
If you are lucky enough to have some friends or family who work in the building trade, then all you may need to do is purchase materials and a decent truck from Truck Dealers Australia to get the work done for you. Hiring in a design professional to help you create a detailed plan of the work required is going to be an essential if you don’t have people in your life already that can help you. Always interview design professionals and builders in person where you can, and get as many references and recommendations from past jobs that they have worked on before you sign any contracts.
Contractors that you hire are often asked to provide an estimate first, and you should get these from more than one company before you make a start on the new work that needs doing. It can take up to six weeks to hire in the right contractor and their team, so try not to rush yourself when it comes to this part of the job. Get as much professional advice as you possibly can on the right materials so that you can spend money in the right area before you commit to the job. You should allow yourself a couple of months when it comes to choosing materials, as your home renovation project is going to take some time to get finished. The materials you buy will really depend on where you are renovating in the home. Kitchens and bathrooms will often take less time but if you’re tacking on a whole new extension to the home, you need to plan for time and materials. Your budget is going to factor here, and this is the importance of design advice from a professional.
When you are ready to get started, make sure that you have all the right permits and planning permission that you can. Permitting can take some time, and you won’t necessarily get a permit granted in a day, either. Factor in the fees for your permits with your budget. These can range from a couple of hundred to a few thousand depending on the size of the job and the length of work. Once you’ve covered yourself legally, with insurance and you’ve got all the right material, you can finally get your project off the ground and your home renovation finished. It won’t be easy, but the end result will always be worth it!
gala says
Great post. We are going “to jump” into this process later next year and I’m so scared.
Amanda Wood says
we just bought a house, and although we’re certainly happy with it as-is, i’m already getting the itch to change a few things here and there. Thanks for the advice!
Debbie Welchert says
Oh how I remember those days of completely gutting a house and putting it back together again. You gave lots of great advice. We were lucky enough to have family help us with our renovations.
Shelly says
What a great post. This is definitely something that needs a lot of forethought.