15 Things You Need to Consider Before Renovating a Home A renovation project (or ‘fixer-upper’ as they say) is an exciting adventure. True, it comes with its fair share of challenges, but a well-planned, carefully executed renovation can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do!
Renovating is a different kettle of fish to building from scratch: you’ve got an existing building to work with, so it pays to expect a few hidden surprises once you get started. As we say, forewarned is forearmed, so before you start knocking out the bricks or putting shovel to dirt, take a moment to consider these home renovation tips from Combit Construction, professional builders in North London:
1. What will your Renovation do to the Value of your Home? Before they start a home renovation, homeowners need to be sure that the project will add real value to the property -your house is a big investment, after all! Regardless of whether you’re planning to sell, it’s always good to keep re-sale value in the back of your mind when you renovate. Housing prices rise and fall over time, so
arrange a property appraisal of your home with an estate agent and find out where your home sits in the current market. Discuss your renovation plans with the real estate agent and get their opinion on what you plan to do. Find out what features are well sought after in your area, and what will boost market value should you wish to sell down the track.
2. Planning is Everything Successful home renovations don’t happen by chance: they’re well planned and carefully thought out. So, while home remodelling ideas are everywhere, it’s important to think carefully about what you really want to gain from your project. Do you need to extend the property, or can you achieve the results you want by reconfiguring the existing space?
When you renovate, try and prepare for the future too. As we know, this is easier said than done, but if you have a growing family, you need to think about your long-term needs as well as the immediate challenges –combined living zones that lend themselves to communal living are a great option for families of all ages.
3. Choose Your Builder
Beautiful home renovations require experience and expertise builders. To ensure your project is 100% successful, it’s best to enlist the help of the professionals. Research builders in your area online. Ask for referrals. Talk to family and friends who have successfully renovated their homes.
Arrange for a face-to-face meeting with a few different builders (not at the same time!!) and discuss your renovation plans. A physical meeting will give you the chance to assess each builder’s approach to your project and decide whether you feel ‘comfortable’ around them. Remember, open and honest communication between yourself and your builder is key to a successful result.
4. Timing Think about the time of year you want to renovate: if your project involves breaking through exterior walls to extend the property, you won’t want to be doing that in midwinter! Talk to your builder about when would be the best time of year to embark on your project, and plan accordingly.
5. Setting a Budget
Setting your budget is a super important part of planning. Failure to budget accurately is guaranteed to have far-reaching effects: believe us when we say there’s all too many half-finished renovation projects out there because homeowners ran out of funds before the project was finished! Be realistic when you budget. An existing home is bound to come with some hidden surprises, so allowing yourself a buffer for ‘unexpected’ costs is important. Understand the costs involved in each stage of the project and allocate your funds accordingly. It’s important to spend your cash in areas that matter most. Think about what will impress your prospective buyer, should you want to sell the property. As we know, an impressive kitchen can make or break a home, but don’t get too carried away – keep your spending relevant to the value of the property.
6. Do You Need to get Approvals? Depending on the scale of works to be undertaken on your property, you many need to obtain planning permission from your local council. Approach your local council (or spend a bit of time researching online) and find out exactly what you will need to complete your project.
7. Can you Make use of the Garage or Loft? Need some extra space but don’t want the hassle and cost of a big extension? Or does your property have planning constraints? A loft or garage conversion is a great way to achieve that extra living zone without changing the physical size of the existing home, and they can often be achieved without a permit. Converting one or both of these unused areas might be enough to transform the functionality of your home – that extra bedroom, home office or playroom may be all it takes to give your family the space you need.
8. Think about Light as well as Space While more elbow room might be a high priority, bringing natural light into your home is another great way to create that illusion of extra space. Well-lit rooms often appear larger than they really are, so try and flood each area with as much sunlight as possible. Glass panels, skylights and roof windows are all great ways to make the most of nature’s gift, as well as glass panels and oversized wall windows.
Choosing a light, neutral colour palette is also important to creating that light, airy feel. Glass doors rather than solid doors between rooms help to blend living spaces and make areas feel bigger and more open.
9. Avoid Moving the Plumbing or Electrical If you’re renovating on a budget, try to make minimal changes to the existing plumbing and electrical plans. Moving plumbing to the bathroom, kitchen or laundry can add a lot to the bottom line of your project so if possible, try and plan your renovations around existing wet areas.
10. Maintain Original Character Is your home an old gem that needs a good polish? Restoring period features on your property is a very important part of renovating, albeit no job for a novice! If you are extending, it’s important to consider the street appeal of your home and enlist the help of a professional team to ensure that the new section of the home blends seamlessly with the existing building.
11. Consider Storage Is too much storage even a thing?! Ensure that you include as many storage options as possible in your home remodelling ideas – make use of every storage opportunity and talk to your builder about capitalizing on every inch of space.
12. Go Green Now is a great time to put eco-friendly systems into place in your house – this not only reduces your impact on the environment but can save you a pretty penny in ongoing running costs too! Solar energy, energy efficient windows and eco-friendly waste systems are all options you may wish to include in your renovation. Installing a good quality insulation will also go a long way towards maintaining an even temperature inside your home, all year round. Remember, buyers don’t only look at the aesthetics of the home. They’re also interested in properties that have systems in place to reduce overheads.
13. What About an Outdoor Entertaining Area? Looking at ways to enlarge your living zone? Adding a deck or outdoor living area may be the solution! Recent public lockdowns have forced many Londoners to spend more
time in their own homes than ever before, and alfresco living is becoming increasingly popular. By adding a deck or outdoor area, you can effectively create an extra living space that’s perfect for entertaining family and friends. Worried about the heat in summer and the cold during winter? An awning can provide shelter from both the rain and the sunshine. And for that extra layer of weather protection, quality PVC blinds can be used to enclose your outdoor area and create a cosy, comfortable living area, regardless of the elements outside.
14. Landscaping Creating that seamless harmony between indoor and outdoor living spaces isn’t as hard as it might seem. Landscaping plays a huge part in blending indoor and outdoor living spaces, so don’t forget to budget and spend time planning this part of your renovation.
15. Be Prepared There’s no denying it: house renovations North London come with their fair share of stresses and inconveniences. To help minimize the impact on your daily life, ensure that you understand what’s involved in each stage of your renovation or extension and prepare yourself accordingly. For example, you may wish to plan a holiday for the week that your kitchen is replaced or move into rented accommodation for the duration of the renovation if living in the home is going to be too difficult. A successful renovation project is hugely rewarding. And realizing your renovation dreams can truly become a reality! Careful planning and clever use of space are the backbones of a home that’s as functional as it is beautiful!