Renovating your home is never easy. Unless you are only working on a small room or just a few features in one area. Renovation can be demanding, tiresome and more importantly, costly. Most homeowners overshoot their budget even before they are close to completing their renovation. Fortunately, there are ways to stop going over budget. Here are some practical tips you should always bear in mind while planning a renovation project.
• Have the whole plan laid out before you commit to anything. Do not think of a budget, do not get anything sanctioned by the local authorities and do not hire anyone or even get a quote. Be certain what you wish to do, how large or small the scope of the project will be and whether you would do it yourself. Hiring a professional is more desirable but many budgets don’t allow that luxury. Regardless of what your preferences are, jot down the details of what you are trying to accomplish.
• Back calculations are unwise, it doesn’t pay off when you try to accommodate something in your budget or when you try to comply with your budget despite changing your objectives. When you know the plan, get a realistic quote and decide on a budget simultaneously. Don’t overestimate and don’t underestimate. It is a great thing to save some money at the end of the day but never a good thing to be squeezed for money while the renovation is on.
• The primary reasons why renovation costs overshoot the budget include poor scheduling, changes in the plan, hiring inefficient experts or those who are not the best experts in the game, trying to do too much in too little time or with too few resources and not sticking to the plan you had laid out at the outset.Do not let your creativity drive you to impractical plans. Do not get carried away by finishes or laminates, special fixtures or extraordinary attributes that will not serve much purpose in the end but will exponentially increase your budget. Have a practical renovation plan, go for a pragmatic schedule and hire the best in the business but not the costliest professionals.
Finally, do not embark on any renovation project when you are not at your financial best. You wouldn’t be able to withstand the shock of a skyrocketing cost in such a scenario.
