Planning is key to a job well done

Building a deck, re-plumbing a bathroom, hanging new kitchen cabinets or even adding on to your home – projects like these can be intimidating to start but good preparation work makes all the difference when it comes to home improvements.

Decide early on if you can take on the project yourself or if you need professional help. If you are taking the job on yourself, you can bridge the gap between amateur and professional results with planning and a better understanding of the process.

Think like a contractor: get lots of information about the project, draw a clear set of plans, find the proper tools and the right materials – and once you start the job keep moving.

Before starting any large project call Cork County Council and talk with an inspector. The council provides hand-outs on code requirements for common projects.

For large projects you will need to get permission and have your work inspected, but it’s money well spent to have experts check over your work.

Before starting, draw your project to scale on graph paper. This helps with the design process, clarifies the construction details and makes it easier to compile a list of materials.

Organise your project around basic building code requirements and intended function, and the design will fall into place.

Before starting, buy or rent all the tools you need – it’s counter-productive to attempt a major project with second-rate equipment. Good tools save hours of frustration and make jobs look better with a lot less effort.

Get all the materials you need before starting your job to avoid time-wasting trips to the hardware store, and arrange for deliveries when possible.

Special order items like windows and doors can take several weeks to get and are usually non-returnable, so triple check measurements.

Where possible, find sources for good advice at the local hardware store or builders’ suppliers. Ask the more experienced people working at the contractor’s desk for advice.

Hardware and paint stores also usually have a few really knowledgeable people. Catch them on a slow day (not Saturday morning) then ask them about your project and let them talk.

Check out builders suppliers that cater to contractors. They’re staffed with experienced people who can answer questions and give advice on complicated technical issues. They’re set up to make contractors’ lives easy and profitable, and they can do the same for you.

When it comes to getting down to work, make a list of everything you’re doing and work out the sequence of steps.

If you’re building an addition, frame it and close it in before you knock out any existing exterior walls. Staging work in the right sequence is a major part of a contractor’s job, but mostly it just requires common sense.

If possible, break your job down into small sections and finish each one before moving on. This will keep a large job from feeling overwhelming.

A good trick to keep the momentum going is to finishat least one task every day, even if it’s just putting a few screws in.

Happy renovating.