Renovating a property is an exciting time and marks a new phase in the enjoyment of your home. A new bathroom, or an extension to add living space or even a total internal refit, all of these will revitalise your home, but living in the property while it is being renovated can be stressful and put a lot of extra pressure on you on top of you. In this article we will take a look at some great hints and tips on how you can make your renovation less stressful.
Research your builder
Probably one of the biggest frustrations is an unreliable builder or a poor quality builder. You need to be really sure that your builder will turn up when they say they will, is able to carry out the work to the correct standard and will come within budget and the project timeframe. Look up builders with an on-line presence and read reviews, ask friends and family for recommendations, ask the builder to show you examples of their work and even talk to previous customers. Make sure the builder can give you fully costed quotes and a proper project plan with proper assurances on timings and resources. As part of the project plant, the builder should generate a full program of works, this should cover things like when and for how long services like water, gas or electricity will be turned off, what the arrangements are for skips and waste disposal, any disruption to neighbours, parking arrangements and even what part of the house will be off-limits and for how long. Another part of this is to fully agree what fixtures and fittings you need, where you need them, and what on-the-spot decisions your builder can make and what they need to come to you for. Agree as much as possible beforehand. If your builder needs to come to you for every decision then the project will stall eventually and your stress levels will go through the roof.
Having a good builder who is reliable and able to work to a good standard and having a full program and scope of works will make your renovation project run much more smoothly.
Set your budget
Budget over runs are one of the biggest stresses in a renovation. You need to set your budget properly with a sensible contingency. Discuss this with your builder whilst setting the scope of works and agreeing the project program and your fixtures and fittings. Make sure your builder understands your budget and that they set a price to suit. No matter how well you plan, that contingency will almost certainly be needed.
Schedule to suit you
Your builder might well be restricted on time and might only be able to start or work during a specific period, but it makes sense to schedule the work around what works best for you. Take into consideration things like children’s exams, your workload and projects at work. Is it better to schedule over the summer holidays when you might be away for a period of time?
Just move out
If it is an option and your budget and logistics allow, just move out for the period of the work. We know this isn’t always possible, but it will make life so much easier. You can settle into a routine wherever you are and pop over to your home when you need to check on progress without living with the disruption.
Have a clear out
If you can’t move out, to give everyone space, have a really good clear out. Is there any furniture that you can do without for the renovation period? Can you box up your ornaments? It makes sense not only from the space point of view, but there is also less chance of damage.
Stick to your routine
It is hard to not feel totally discombobulated during all the work and this can upset your routine, but the more you stick to your normal routine, be that eating, exercising, and sleeping the better you will feel.
Communication
Of everything, this is perhaps the most important. Communicate with your builder, with your project manager if you have one, with your neighbours, your boss and even the school if you have children. Have regular contact with the builder and have a proper reviews, if the timeline is slipping understand why and how it can be mitigated. Don’t stop communicating and then there will be no surprises or misunderstandings down the line.
Carrying out a renovation is an exciting new chapter for you and your home, but it is not stress free, getting the right builder to work with you will be key in the process. We hope these tips prove helpful and we hope that you will have a stress free renovation and be enjoying your “new” home in no time.
