BEST FOR YOUR BUDGET

When making home improvements yourself, ensure intended savings don’t turn into massive unforeseen expenses

B8 DIY

EFORE jumping into a home improvement project, ask yourself these questions:

1. COSTS

How much will this cost, and how much value will this add to my home? For those answers, you will need to talk to a contractor regarding costs, and an estate agent to find out if it is worthwhile forking out a huge sum of money to upgrade your home if you won’t get it back on resale.

During a renovation you will be inconvenienced. There is no way around this. Consider how you will manage without the facilities in the room being renovated, the time of year and how uncomfortable you may be during construction. Consider moving out during renovation if you can. If not, plan ahead to ensure the discomfort is minimal.

During the planning, interview many contractors and ask for costs. Check out their communication style. Does it work well with your communication style, or will you find yourself getting irritated by it? If so, maybe this contractor is not for you. Also ask about insurance and get as many references as you can. Most importantly: Ensure all contractors are accredited.

If you have your home’s original plans, plus plans that include home improvements and additions over the years, offer them to the contractor. This can really simplify the job.

Before starting any work that will finances, ensure you have a contract in

2.DISCOMFORT

3. INVESTIGATE

4. HISTORY

5 THE LEGAL STUFF impact your place.

6 BILLING

Ask for itemised billing as opposed to a lump sum fee. This way you can keep a handle on how your money is being spent.

Never pay in full or upfront. Any contractor who requires this is probably scamming you.

Be realistic about how much you can do yourself and when you need to call in professionals. Many a DIY job has required extra money to sort out what you further broke.

7 WARNING