Renovating the home is something that most homeowners think about every few years, and if your home has seen better days and it is time to call in the local builder, here are a few tips to help ensure a successful project.
- Define the Scope of the Project – This is an important first step, and one that might be influenced by your budget, which should be adequate for your intentions. It might be a bathroom and kitchen renovation and a loft conversion, for example, or you would like to add some living space, and by calculating a budget, the builder has something to work with. If the project involves several rooms, the builder would work one room at a time, which is the best way to go about things from the homeowner’s perspective.
- Watch Out for Asbestos – Home that were built pre-1980 could very well contain asbestos, and if you even suspect there is asbestos present, call in an asbestos removal expert, who will test for the presence of this harmful substance. Asbestos is not dangerous if left untouched, but when renovating, if you were to remove a sheet of material that contained asbestos, this would send tiny slivers of the material into the air, and when inhaled, serious complications can follow. The asbestos removal company have both the know-how and the equipment to safely remove all forms of asbestos from your home.
- Use Eco-friendly Materials – When renovating, try to use composites where possible and if you are going to use timber, make sure that is comes from a sustainable source. We should all do what we can to reduce our carbon footprint and when renovating the home, you should always think ‘green’. Composite materials are light, very strong and generally are maintenance free, which is something to consider when designing a new build.
- Choosing the Right Builder – Some builders are more comfortable with new builds than renovation work, so it is important to choose a builder who specialises in renovations. A renovations builder is used to working around the occupants of a home, in order to cause the minimum of disruption to normal family life. Any good builder would be happy to furnish you with some client reviews and this is one very good indication of the level of service you can expect.
- Working to Budget – Most renovation builders are happy to work to the client’s budget, as long as it is reasonable and it doesn’t compromise on quality. Materials and labour are very expensive today and if your budget does not stretch as far as it should, either take out a home improvement loan or reduce the scope of the work.
The spring and summer are the best times to carry out a home renovation, yet it can be done at any time, although in the winter it will be less convenient. Once you have made an agreement with the builder, double check that nothing is overlooked and clarify that the quote is, in fact, all inclusive.
