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This is a collaborative post.
Many people are keen to get stuck into home renovations, but it’s important to make necessary preparations first so that your renovation is a success. Here are just several steps to take before remodelling your home.
Settle on your budget
Planning renovations without a budget can be dangerous as you’re likely to splash out on things you can’t reasonably afford, potentially getting you in a lot of debt. Establish a budget before making any plans. Renovations can often cost thousands, but if you’re only looking to repaint the walls and make a few minor improvements, you may be able to do it a lot cheaper. On top of coming up with your budget, decide how you will acquire the necessary funds – will you take out a loan or will you save up the money?
Do your research
Doing lots of research will help you to choose the best improvements for your home. Use the internet to shop around for materials, appliances and contractors. As well as comparing prices, make sure to read reviews. It may also benefit you to visit a store with a kitchen showroom to help visualise certain materials and appliances in your home, as well as getting extra inspiration. Home stores could also be worth visiting for talking to professionals and getting their opinion. It could also be worth researching into the value that your improvements may bring to your home if you’re a homeowner – a home valuation could be worth undertaking.
Measure up
Before you start ordering any fixtures or furniture, make sure that you measure up your home. This will ensure that everything fits the dimensions of your home correctly. It could also be worth measuring up corridors and doorways to check that you can manoeuvre fixtures and furniture into your home – flat-pack options may be needed if access is a little too tight.
Consider hiring a designer/architect
A professional interior designer or architect will be able to help plan out your renovation. They may be able to ensure that your renovation meets building regulations as well as helping you to work within a budget. They may also be able to offer tips of features they think might work well, as well as covering areas you may not have considered such as lighting. Shop around to find the best designer near you.
Get planning permission
If you plan to extend your home outwards in any way, you may need to apply for planning permission. Going ahead without planning permission could be risky as you local planning committee could order than the extension is removed if they feel that it isn’t appropriate. Permitted planning rights exist to ensure that other people’s privacy or rights aren’t infringed, as well a protecting local nature or preserving old buildings – they can vary from area to area, which is why it’s always worth checking with your local planning committee.
Tell the neighbours
It may be considerate to tell your neighbours of any renovation plans. If you plan to build an extension, it’s possible that neighbours may object if they feel it invades their privacy or blocks out sunlight/views. You may also want to warn your neighbours about the noise so that they’re less likely to complain.
Move belongings
Certain belongings may need to be moved prior to renovating. If you’re renovating a kitchen, this could be a big job as you may have to move out all your cooking utensils and food. If you haven’t got much space to put all these belongings, consider whether it’s worth renting storage for the duration of the renovation. If items aren’t an obstacle and you just want to protect them from paint and dust, you may not need to move them and may be able to get away with simply covering them up.