You don’t have to be absent-minded or poorly-planned to make a mistake when renovating your household – this process is a complex one, especially if you have extensive work to manage. Tearing out elements of a home that was built long before you moved in may come with its own set of surprises to say the least.
However, it’s best to make certain you know what, why and how you’re going about certain efforts before you do pursue them. Anything less than that, and you run the risk of struggling to develop a consistent approach. Worst still, you may inadvertently cause damage or make your future goals less attainable, and sometimes only thanks to a minor mistake which could have been avoided.
In this post, we’ll discuss a few elements of foresight worth putting in place so as to ensure a mid to large-scale renovation doesn’t cause you too much difficulty:
Have An Architect Go Over Your Submission Plans
Even if you’ve drawn up what seems like a watertight plan, it’s still totally wise to have a qualified architect take a final look, especially if you’re submitting those documents for planning approval or the formal processes required by your local housing authority.
Such professionals are very used to catching tiny inconsistencies or technical issues that might be rejected on first glance, and while it might just feel like another step that drags things out a bit more, it can save you time later and give you some peace of mind knowing someone else with experience has looked it all over. Moreover, archiects often have a few suggestions that tighten things up just enough so you won’t run into delays down the line when it’s too late to change anything, or they might help you squeeze more into the floor plan as you extend your space.
Consult With A Plumber & Electrician
There’s a certain logic in trying to just move ahead with the big structural plans first and sorting out all the pipes and wiring as you go, but that usually ends up in a tangle, especially if the house is old or the prior work done needs to be undone.
After all, it doesn’t take much for a beam to go in the wrong spot or a new wall layout to completely block the route you needed for a drainage pipe or outlet. Getting a plumber from a reliable service such as SWAT plumbing and an electrician to walk the space, even just for a short consultation, helps avoid that the silent mess that you only discover once the walls are sealed up and it’s a much bigger job to fix.
It’s also the kind of preparation that might affect what you can actually build, as certain placements just won’t work with existing connections, and the last thing you want is to be stuck undoing perfectly good work you’ve made money to achieve.
Plan Your Site Access & Debris Disposal
Renovating homeowners will often imagine the renovation from the inside, thinking mostly about how the room will look or how things will function once complete, but getting materials in and rubbish out can sometimes become the biggest headache if it’s not thought through early.
Keep in mind that skips will be filling up faster than you expected (other neighbors might be throwing things in too), you have trouble trying to get heavy items through narrow access points, or ending up with mud all over the driveway because there was no good place to store aggregate. That can all build up and make things slower and more stressful than they need to be. For that reason, opening a gate, removing a fence, and having a clear route for drop-offs is wise. You should also have a working plan for rubbish, and enough space to store what you need without tripping over it constantly, which will help you keep some control.
Be Very Clear With Your Neighbors
You might assume everyone will just understand that construction is noisy and disruptive, but it’s enlightening how quickly that goodwill goes if people feel like they’re being kept in the dark. A little clarity upfront really does help, as just letting your neighbors know what kind of work is happening, roughly how long it’ll take, and who to speak to if there’s an issue can keep them from complaining or being nosy.
If they’re being terse or disagreeable, remember that you too are a neighbor, and implying you’ll be co-operative if they choose to renovate can help. Just having this conversation can be worthwhile. Also make sure to say the more you can renovate and improve your own house value, the better the knock-on effect to the street valuation.
With this advice, we hope you can avoid renovation mistakes before they’re made.
