Avoiding common home renovation mistakes
Change is often inevitable when it comes to homeownership. More affordable homes are often in need of certain repairs or upgrades, such as the replacement of an aging roof or drafty windows. Even if your home is in good shape, you may find yourself itching to make over an outdated kitchen or bathroom.
Renovating your home is an exciting time, since the updates will usually let you get more enjoyment and use out of the property. But the process can also cause a lot of stress and anxiety if you run into one of several common problems during the process.
Money is a key consideration in any home improvement project, and you'll want to make sure the price tag won't give you a nasty surprise. Jaymi Naciri, writing for Realty Times, says you should budget at least 20 percent higher than the amount you expect to spend on the work. This cushion can help ensure that you will be able to afford any unexpected cost increases.
This precaution is especially important if you are doing work on an older home. Meaghan O'Neill, writing for Architectural Digest, says extensive renovations can easily uncover other issues that need to be addressed. You might open a wall and find asbestos, termite damage, leaking pipes, or other problems that can't be ignored. Unexpected problems are less common in newer homes, but can still occur.
Strive to stay within the limits of your budget. The home improvement site HomeAdvisor says it's easy to get carried away with a project, buying high-end supplies or otherwise ramping up your costs. Outline the expenses you expect to incur, and don't make the mistake of thinking the money you spend will result in a corresponding increase in the home's value; most projects only recoup a small portion of their cost in this way.
Don't be too stingy with the checkbook, though. O'Neill says opting for fixtures and other items with a lower price might leave you with a lower quality item. Not only are you less likely to be satisfied with it, but it will likely need to be replaced sooner than expected.
Similarly, take the time to research a contractor or other home improvement professional before you hire them. Ask for references and examples of their work to make sure they'll be a good fit. Simply accepting the low bid may leave you with a person whose work will leave you disappointed.
Be flexible when it comes to the timeline. Instead of starting the renovations right after your purchase the home, take some time to get to know the property and take stock of how any changes might affect it. Naciri says you can ask professionals or people who have renovated their home how long the process took in order to get an idea of the anticipated timeframe.
If you're doing a project on your own, don't expect that you can quickly wrap it up by working on the weekends. A more extensive process can take several months to complete under this strategy, and you'll need to live with the partially completed work in the meantime. Progress can be further slowed if more pressing matters arrive or if you find yourself becoming fatigued with the work.
Hiring a professional designer and contractor is always a good idea, particularly if you are doing more complex work. You'll also want to ask plenty of questions during the planning phase, and not wait too long to make any changes. Even a seemingly simple request such as moving a light switch can result in a sharp uptick in costs.
Demolition work can be a cathartic process for a homeowner, and doing it on your own can help reduce the cost of the project. However, you won't want to break out the sledgehammer unless you know you can safely remove any components. For example, destroying a wall can remove a structural support, rupture pipes, or severe electrical connections if you aren't careful.
Purchasing materials can also help you control your budget, but might create unexpected problems. HomeAdvisor says you should only buy materials once a plan is in place and you have accurate measurements of your home, so you can order the right amount of supplies or correctly sized appliances.