Renovating a home can be a stressful event in a family’s life that you can’t really avoid. There are two options: stay at home and deal with all the renovation going on, or rent a place and spend the time of your renovation out of your place, but probably in a much smaller place, which can be a stress by itself.
Hopefully, you’ll have the time to dedicate to your contractor and designer, if you hire one, because they will need you. To help you not making the same mistakes so many did before you, we compiled a list of the ones you want to avoid. Check them below:
1. Cheap material – you are spending so much that maybe saving with material will sound like a good idea. It is not. You will get what you pay for – cheap material means cheap quality and you will regret later.
2. Inaccurate measurements – make sure you’ll have a professional taking the measurements for you.
3. Skipping the prep work – organizing everything for your workers takes a long time and many wants to avoid it. You will pay later, in time and money.
4. Not having a plan – a well-set plan will save you, again, time and money. It is tempting to ‘save’ time having the entire plan in your head, but it is a time well invested if you lay out your plan with your contractor and designer way before the first drywall is knocked down.
5. Ignoring lighting – lighting will change your design and you have to anticipate it. Make sure you talk to your designer and contractor to get it properly done.
6. Choosing a trendy design – it is tempting, we know, but you will end up with a dated place faster than you would like to. Don’t forget to follow your home’s style as well.
7. Failure to anticipate chaos – it will happen. Be prepared to deal with the frustrations. ‘Everything will be ok in the end. If it’s not ok, it’s not the end.’
8. Avoiding green materials – going green is a very smart investment and your contractor can help you with that, especially if you have Cyd Fraser helping you out. Cyd is a Built Green Canada administrator and coordinator and will ensure you’ll have the best green materials for your renovation.
9. Forgetting your homework – you can have the best team working for you, but you still need to know what they are doing and decide many things on the spot. Be ready for that.
10. Hiring the wrong contractor – the contractor is the professional that will link you with the other professionals. You need to know whom you will be dealing with. Check references and request quotes. And make sure this important professional will get you all the permits you need, will organize your renovation and will make this experience as stress-free as it can be.
11. Setting an unrealistic budget – discuss the budget with your contractor and make sure you are setting up the costs properly, giving some room for surprises and being realistic about it.
12. Not set up a proper communication form – confirm the best form(s) of communication for you, being it by phone, email, texting etc. Document your conversations, because misguided direction and misunderstandings occur more frequently in dialogue. After an on site conversation, make sure to follow up with emails and sketches that clearly state your vision and ideas, and indicate the budget or approval process in this correspondence.
And have fun! As stressful as it can be, living in a nice house that reflects your style is very rewarding.
