Many people dream of buying a house and doing it up. But, unless you know what you're doing, understanding the processes involved and the challenges that may arise can be tricky.
As exciting as a house renovation project may be, you need to follow a number of procedures to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Here's a house renovation checklist that all renovators should follow.
Restrictions
Before you get carried away with design ideas for your house renovation project, find out if there are any restrictions in place that could impact on what changes you can or can't make to your property. For example, if your dwelling is listed, or you live in a conservation area, restrictions are likely to apply.
Generate Ideas
Think about what you want from your renovation. Gather ideas and inspiration and try to be as specific as possible. Create a mood board, for example, covering aspects such as style, colour, materials and features you would like to incorporate in your renovation. Not all of your ideas may be feasible, but this acts as a good starting point.
Define Your Budget
Your house renovation will largely be determined by how much you've got to spend, so calculate this at the outset. It's easy to go over budget on a house renovation project so make sure to research how much materials, building work and regulation fees will cost. It's also worth factoring into your budget any unexpected costs that may crop up, such as undetected damp or rot. Rewiring and upgrading of utilities could also be necessary, further adding to the bill.
Call In The Experts
Even if you possess some DIY knowledge, it’s safer to call in the experts when it comes to a house renovation. You'll probably get the job done faster by professionals, and they'll be able to identify any problems or factors that you might not have considered.
Draft in an architectural design expert who'll be able to translate your ideas into reality by drawing plans and coming up with feasible solutions. Once the designs are approved, get quotes from respected contractors and decide who is right for the job. Discuss work timescales and payment schedules.
Planning Permission
Depending on the nature of your renovation project, you might need to seek planning permission from your local authority before building work can commence. It may take several weeks to obtain approval, so the sooner you apply, the better.
Insurance
Make sure you take out adequate insurance during the renovation work, including public liability insurance. If you don't stay at the dwelling during the work, you should also consider having unoccupied home insurance.
Once the renovation work is finished and everything has been tidied up, you can enjoy your new space!
