Must dos for any renovation

Before you start swinging a hammer at your walls there are some things to consider, whether you’re renovating to sell or renovating your dream house. It’s important to remember renovation is a long term investment; your decisions will have important consequences down the line.

If you don’t plan on selling you property straight away you are making a lifestyle investment rather than an investment for a profit. This means that instead of buying the cheapest bathroom taps or painting in neutral colours that potential buyers like, you are able to splurge on what you really love and what you know you will continue to love in 20 or 40 years!

Have a clear strategy

Plan ahead and set yourself targets. A timeline that you review at least every few days is a great way to stay on track.

Don’t forget about the Council

Getting council approval can take some time so it’s best to get a start on it early. Requirements differ from council to council but you will have to complete a formal development application for the property and you will also have to put forward proposals and building plans.

Be realistic about your budget

Overspending is a real concern for renovators and I’m not going to lie, it’s easy to do, that’s why a budget is vital in your renovation planning.

Essential Tips to Note before Commencing a Home Renovation Project

Have you been living in your house for a while and are ready to make some alterations? As time passes, family size and needs change, making a home renovation project more and more necessary. When children grow older, you no longer need a playroom, but might require a music room with soundproof walls and good acoustics.

Consider current & future needs

Consider not just your current needs, but your future ones as well when planning the new design for your home. This should form the context and basis of your renovation. If you expect that your children will move out within a couple of years, consider the what you may want to use their rooms for in the future.  If you plan to have a child, keep this in mind when considering the design and feel of each room. Choose a design that is child friendly and does not require much effort and time to keep clean. This tip will easily save you many hours of watching over your kids to ensure they do not hurt themselves or knock your precious glass decoration over.

Collect ideas to build a picture of your renovated house

Before engaging an interior designer, it helps if you have a rough idea(s) about what you would like your refurbished home to look like. So, get inspired; flip through a couple of interior design and home magazines or browse a few home renovation  design ideas on sites like Pinterest or Houzz. With a few ideas on hand, engaging an interior designer would be more fruitful as he/she would be better aligned with what you are trying to achieve in your home. You can have a lot of fun with this too, and your photos need not be limited in any way – it can extend  to the types of air conditioners that you want, some lighting or brickwork that you like and even furniture.

Find the right designers

With some design concepts in mind, it is time to start scouting for an interior designer. Obviously, the best way to do this is by using our Kaodim platform to compare quotations and services from our interior design experts.

Draw up the design

With your ideas and the experience of your interior designer, put the designs down on paper or view computerized 3-D images before you approach a contractor. If you need help with such planning, you can hire professional planners via our site. With a graphical representation of your ideal design, you will be able to better communicate your ideas to your renovation contractor.

HOW TO PLAN A HOUSE REMODEL

Let’s clarify things for a second here. I am not a contractor, and this is not an article about the technical aspects of actually completing specific projects.

I’m writing this because throughout 3 months of gutting and renovating a 2600 square foot home, I’ve learned a lot about the planning, process, and execution of a whole house remodel project.

Even with a top notch general contractor, you should know the overall timeline and order of operations (so to speak) to complete a large-scale project in the most efficient and organized way possible.

DESIGNER OR DIY?

Many people choose to work with a designer for part or all of their home design. We met with a kitchen designer but ultimately decided to save several thousand dollars by figuring it out ourselves. Some may think that is a crazy idea, while others (like me!) love taking on the creative and strategic elements of a project.

SCOPE OF WORK

The first thing we had to do on a whole home remodel was to determine where to start. We needed a plan. Before you start on any of the actual house remodeling work, you’ll need to plan out what you want to do to the house and develop a scope of work.

Choose the Best Renovations for Resale

Look At Comparable Properties

Don’t over-renovate. Only spend on upgrades that add value. The three key factors in valuing residential real estate are location, location and location. This is important to remember when figuring out what improvements to add.

Establish a Strong First Impression

Have you ever a watched television real estate show, like “House Hunters” on HGTV or “Million Dollar Listing” on Bravo? The one thing that all of these shows have in common is that when they are showing a house, they almost always show the potential buyer’s first impression when arriving at the property.

First, you need to make sure that the structure itself is as nice as it can be. Power wash the siding, freshly paint all trim work, make sure that window casings are in good condition, etc. Doing easy cosmetic fixes can make a big difference. Some suggestions for things that will give you a big bang for your buck include:

Dressing up the front door by painting it a contrasting color

Replacing old exterior hardware like door knobs

Making the entryway symmetrical

Installing outdoor lighting

Planting flowers and plants

Installing a new mailbox

Adding shutters

Kitchens and Bathrooms Sell the House

In the highly competitive residential home sales market, you cannot have a dated kitchen or bathroom and expect to get top dollar for your property. Not only are these improvements the key to getting a good price for your house flip, but they are crucial for getting people interested. They will surely decrease the days a property spends on the market.

Don’t Impose Your Personal Style

Focusing on neutral design elements will appeal to the largest buying audience. Nothing turns buyers off more than bad taste. Of course, what is bad taste is in the eye of the beholder? Be very careful on imposing what you believe is your extreme good taste on a property.

Things I Learned From My Renovations Contractor

Renovations are justifiably known as a time of upheaval and enormous family stress. Your home and refuge are being torn apart, dust flies  (everywhere) and there are countless little issues to trip you up (‘you found knob-and-tube wiring?”). Much like the gift planning process, what keeps everyone going is a sketched-out vision for the future. Sometimes it feels like a dream that recedes with each step you take. In both journeys, it is helpful to have a guide who is knowledgeable, reassuring, and who communicates well.

Be both responsive and proactive – preferred method of communications is email Being on the road constantly, he carries an iPhone, which he checks frequently. We always get quick responses – often within minutes – to our inquiries and comments. He also responds at any time of the day or night, or day of the week, which is understandable as a business owner. He is also proactive in his communication. He tells us what’s happening, and when. We always know what we need to do and what to expect. This constant flow of information greatly reduces our anxiety level that is the result of your home being wrecked (and rebuilt). What is rare in a user of a hand-held device, responses   are thoughtful, thorough, and articulate. writes well. And he knows when a longer response is needed. He outlines options clearly and makes sure we know what we are supposed to decide upon. He manages to be both efficient and personable in his notes, which has subtle effect of creating a tremendous bank of goodwill that smoothes over the rough patches.

Know when to go “live” – primary form of communication is email, but he is not one of those office denizens who hides behind his keyboard (er, touchscreen). There are inevitable moments in any renovation when something goes wrong. With our kitchen, we had a gas pipe put in the wrong place, a window broken, and an electrician’s assistant who drilled through our new cabinets! Stuff happens. As clients, we send emails expression out concerns. intuitively seems to know when to respond to the emails and when to call. With the drilled-through cabinets, Barbara sent a flamer and Paul instantly called to talk her down off the ledge. Emails don’t work in situations like this. You need a human voice – or presence. insists that we meet in person on a semi-regular basis, particularly if other key players like our cabinet makers are included. At the messiest part of the process, showed up one Saturday afternoon unannounced. He wanted to know how we were feeling about things. Yes, our house was reassuring. The real message of that in-person meeting wasn’t information it was his support.

Have a process – is a terrific planner. His quotes are thorough. His contract provides clear and fair dispute settlement mechanisms. His project plan is detailed and realistic. he tracks the project against the schedule. He also provides budget updates to report on the bills related to the individual phases of the project. All of these mechanisms provide confidence. As clients, we know where we were going and where we stand against the plan. His process is a form of macro-communications that demonstrates his experience and overall shape of the project. It helps us to ensure we don’t get lost in the petty details. Another impressive element is realism. His project schedule for our kitchen initially seemed to be a bit lengthy, but he knew better than we did. Down days and delays are inevitable, but they can be planned for,

Never be defensive – As mentioned, stuff happens. There are just too many people and pieces in motion to control them all. Accusations and recriminations are a predictable part of the renovation process. Clients often feel aggrieved – we respond with shock and passion to any little mishap – and have a natural propensity to be indignant. If you are on the other side of the equation, you need to be philosophical or situations can easily escalate. is always pre-emptive with communicating in a “crisis” and he is never defensive. His first impulse is to take responsibility if one of his sub-contractors screws up. It is just what he does. When our beautiful new cabinet was drilled by the electrician’s assistant, he immediately offered to pay – sight unseen. He doesn’t grandstand or blame the team member. We know he is going to do the right thing, which makes us far more reasonable people to deal with. When the window was broken he said, “don’t worry, these things happen, and it’s my job to fix them when they do.”