Home makeovers are often a great source of stress, not to mention high expenses. A great deal of stress comes from the fact that you can’t have control over everything. For instance, your dream setup may not be possible as it could negatively affect the structural soundness of your home. In some cases, it can be as minor as your favourite one-of-a-kind paint colour or door handles running out of stocks.
Physical and exhaustion may not be the only thing that could bother you. If you’re not doing the renovations yourself, choosing the wrong home remodelling contractor can also weigh your otherwise exciting home project down.
Here are some common home renovation mistakes you need to avoid so you can have a hassle-free home makeover:
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Lack of preparation
Before embarking on a big home project, always spend time researching the proper procedures. For instance, know the basic home remodelling guidelines from your homeowner’s association and government home agencies.
Building permits and other documentary requirements are typically needed for any type of reconstruction activities, depending on the scale of the project. In some cases, local agencies allow only specific days and hours for noisy construction works to take place. Sort out all these things for a seamless home makeover project.
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Skipping on a home inspection
Buying your new home to remodel? The best option is to hire a house inspector to check the structure for integrity. Inspectors can also provide homeowners with other important considerations before bringing your kitchen makeover ideas to life, for instance.
As trained professionals, they can spot flaws that are easy to miss. More importantly, they’re tasked to help homeowners meet specific requirements under the building code. Their expert advice allows you to have peace of mind even before hitting the first nail on your ageing building post.
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Not getting the right permits
Skipping this procedure can give you both a wallet and a brain-busting problem. If you start with your home project without the required papers, you may have to tear everything down and wait until you can get the papers.
Another compelling reason to have a building permit: you won’t get paid by your home insurance firm in case something bad happens in the process of beautifying your home. This is especially true if you’re doing the project by yourself.
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Forgetting to follow basic safety procedures
If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of guy, home remodelling can give you a different high, the one that may inadvertently cause you to forget basic safety protocols, such as turning off the circuit breaker or clearing the roof and floor of the debris before rolling your sleeves up.
Keeping your working area safe should be your prime consideration in any home renovation project. This is not only to speed up the work but to keep you in one piece while flexing your muscles in achieving the modern yet minimalist house of your dreams.
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Choosing the wrong contractor
Unless you’re selling your house and leaving the renovations up to a reliable home buyer, such as Ocean City Development, you may need to hire home renovation service providers.
Do your homework and search for online and offline resources before coming up with your preferred home contractor. Ask for references and permits, and discuss with their former clients to get an idea of how they work. Some may consider doing these things as a waste of time, but it can save you a lot of headaches, hassles and costs.
- Not preparing for unexpected costs
As with other types of projects, home renovations can put a toll on your budget. Even if you think you’ve already prepared enough cash to spend on your home makeover, you’ll be in for a much bigger surprise. In most cases, it’s not enough to allow a 10% buffer cost to your overall budget. Why? Because there are so many things happening in between your house’s four walls that you’re not aware of.
For instance, your heat, ventilation, and air conditioning system may need to be upgraded to get rid of moulds, bacteria, and other pollutants. Or, your bathroom may have been experiencing a leak that wouldn’t have been discovered if your contractor didn’t break down the walls in your toilet for that much-needed expansion.
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Buying cheap and low-quality materials
You may not think of it as a major issue, but buying cheap and low-priced home items may ruin your home renovation project. Even if you maintained strict procedures in your home makeover, a low-quality material may cause major problems, like leaking faucets and sinks, or a door that deforms even with the slightest impact.
While it doesn’t necessarily follow that budget-friendly product are low in quality, it’s most often true. In buying materials for your home remodelling activity, look for trusted and durable brands, whether they’re cheap or pricey.
- Don’t hesitate to seek professional help
If you’re doing the renovation by yourself, make sure you know how to measure properly. Homebuilders have specific techniques in measuring specific parts of the house, such as windows and doors. If you don’t know how to do it, better ask for the help of professionals. Purchasing materials that are too small or too large is a complete waste of money and time. Even if your hardware store allows you to change to the correct size, you may still have to wait for the stocks to arrive. So, it’s best to make it right the first time.
Making questionable choices
The golden rule in home renovations is to consider your family’s needs and lifestyle. If you have small children or love having pets and house guests, make the necessary changes in your home to accommodate them. For instance, ditch your Oriental-inspired garden with expensive plants and fish to create a space in your yard for family fun. Or, instead of creating a steep, spiral, and modern-type staircase to your house’s second floor, why not make a child-proof yet equally mesmerizing design?
Recap
Before making any move in achieving your ideal home, do your homework and prepare the necessary permits, materials, and design to save you from major problems later on. Whether planning to do it yourself or hiring a home contractor, make sure to keep safe, and don’t hesitate to seek the help of professionals to make the procedure worry-free.
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