Renovating a home can be challenging, even if you’re an old hat at the game, but refurbishments are especially tricky for those fresh to the field.
Acquiring your property in more unconventional ways can also sling spanners into the works – if you bought a house unseen at auction, you could encounter snags that you might not have considered. We’ve all seen those episodes of Homes Under the Hammer!
So, if you’re a home renovation newbie, then here are 5 tips to get you started!
1. Check Restrictions Before You Begin
Period properties can be gems to get your hands on! So don’t rush to rip out that original fireplace in favour of a modern look.
Before you do anything, you need to check whether your property is listed, as it’s a criminal offence to carry out work on a listed building without permission. Get consent in writing before you make any changes – even to things you wouldn’t normally bat an eye to, like a lick of paint or replacing windows.
2. Consider Previous Owners
It’s good to keep in mind changes that might have been made by the previous owner.
Some of these you might want to keep – downstairs toilets are always useful, even if you have now lost the cupboard under the stairs!
Other alterations are not so practical.
If your property was previously home to the elderly, then additions such as stairlifts probably won’t suit the needs of young families – even the kids will eventually get bored of riding up and down their rather pitiful rollercoaster.
Experts like We Buy Any Stairlift can safely remove this feature and repurpose it for resale. Because unless you’re moving your Granny in with you, then having your own stairlift probably won’t be of great benefit!
3. Don’t Start Too Quickly
The biggest mistake many of us make when refurbishing a new home is starting right away. We all know the temptation – it’s understandable to want to make it your own! Check through the house and write down what you need to do. You might find cracks and leaks that will need sorting asap if so here are a few tips for protecting your home.
But if you plan on making this your forever home, it’s a good idea to spend some time living in the property first.
This way, you’ll get more of a feel for the place and learn what will work and what won’t.
4. Create a Schedule
Sit down with your contractor before any work begins and layout a timeline of when things need to be done.
The last thing you want is for your new sofa to delivered before the flooring has been put down in the living room. Or worse, you need to move in, and you still don’t have functioning plumbing!
5. Beware of the Typical Problems
Before purchasing a house it’s important to get a survey done. This will usually draw out the usual problems, and one of the more common challenges facing homeowners is damp.
Barrett Homes have compiled a handy guide to damp that will help you prevent it.
If you know about any issues beforehand then you can prepare yourself and budget to solve them!
Do you have renovation experience? Leave your tips in the comments below!
*This is a collaborative post