Coming home to a cozy living space after a tiring day at work or school? It’s one of the joys of having a place to call your own. Another joy of homeownership is being able to improve the feel and look of your home to make it attuned to your current tastes or needs.
However, home improvement is a serious business—research and effort go together to make your venture a success. Whether you are renovating your bathroom, repainting your walls, or shopping for supplies, stick to this post so you can avoid the potholes that may deter you from finishing your home renovation project with ease and enough money left in your pockets.
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The Great Home Renovation Project and What Not to Do to Ruin It
It is not much to say that a house is a work in progress. Aside from the routine maintenance, every once in a while, you think of upgrading your home space, whether it be in one giant project or something done in stages.
While you probably have your ways in carrying out your great home renovation project to completion, it will help if you consider these mistakes that homeowners commonly commit and that you must avoid at all cost.
Mistake No. 1: Not Having Estimates of Renovation Costs
You can’t properly come up with a reasonable budget without considering how much each room or area of the house under renovation will cost. To avoid this scenario where you spend more or allocate less on a designated room, set aside renovation money based on how much it will contribute to the home’s overall value.
But which ones are noteworthy renovation projects?
Kitchens and bathrooms are obvious choices when renovating a home. A kitchen is believed to represent 10 to 15 percent of your home’s value, so consider your costs within that range. As for bathrooms, you can recoup money on them because most homebuyers have them on their list. And a midrange bathroom makeover can do the work.
You can add a Saniflo upflush toilet in your bathroom or kitchen because of its macerating system. Other things you can do for either project is to regrout the tiles and replace fixtures that make the area look dated.
Mistake No. 2: Not Having a Reasonable Budget
As you go along, your project may hit speed bumps or snags in the budget department. Against this backdrop, set aside a reasonable budget with 20 percent of your estimated renovation costs to cover additional materials or labor costs. If putting away that amount is out of the question, you may have to adjust the work needed for your project.
Mistake No. 3: Not Focusing on One Area
Unless you are doing a total home makeover, you may have to focus on one area (e.g., bathroom at a time) and proceed from there. Working on multiple rooms at once will kill your budget and time. Prioritize the place(s) where you think will provide the best investment and least disruption from your day-to-day activities.
Mistake No. 4: Not Shopping Around for Contractors
By taking the time to interview contractors, you’ll save yourself time and money because you will be only hiring people who will do the work efficiently and timely. For your safety, you can be sure that the work they do will meet the relevant building codes. Ask for references, and check the track record of these home contractors so you can come up with an informed decision.
Mistake No. 5: Not Getting Rid of Mold in Home
Prior to carrying out any renovation work, conduct allergy and mold tests in your home. You may have been living with mold spores that cause a variety of health issues, allergies included. While the presence of mold does not damage your structure, your health comes first especially with these spores affecting the air you breathe inside your home.
There are no hard-and-fast rules in giving your home an upgrade, and you can surely learn from the mistakes of others when it’s your turn to renovate your home.
