Advertisement
Do you have a dream home? Most people do. Unfortunately, most people do not have a dream budget or an endless amount of time to work on home renovations. Updating your home can make it more livable and add thousands of dollars to its market value.
There are quite a few problems that can arise when you makeover your home. If you follow these five basic tips, you can avoid common home remodeling pitfalls.
1. Make a Practical Affordable Plan
When you plan your home makeover, you will want to decide how much you can spend. Remember that in many cases, revisions to a home are more expensive than originally anticipated. You will rarely hear someone tell you that their home renovations came in under budget.
Remember to separate your wants from your needs. If there is a part of your house that is so dilapidated that someone could be injured, it is urgent that you reconstruct that part of the house. It is much more important than beautifying a part of the house that you find unattractive.
2. Research Contractors
The internet is filled with stories of horrible contractors who have taken advantage of their clients. Remember to ask for references and check Angie’s List for reviews. You can also make sure a contractor’s license is up to date by checking with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Be sure to ask a potential contracting company if they will use subcontractors and what kind of training the workers have had.
3. Take Inconvenience Into Consideration
Remember to think about how long the renovations will take and how they will affect your life. Will you be able to live in the house, or will you have to find temporary accommodations? If you do not have a relative or friend you can stay with, you will have to think about the cost of temporary housing.
4. Remember to take Quality into Consideration
There are certain appliances that justify spending a little extra money. A stainless steel refrigerator with an ice depressor on the door may increase the value of your home. A high-quality fridge may be more energy-efficient and save money in the long run.
If you are renovating a property to sell it, remember to research what additions will actually increase the value of the home. There are some improvements like stone showers and energy-efficient windows that may be well worth the investment and other merely decorative improvements that are not.
5. Think About Small Renovations That You can do Yourself
You definitely want to get a professional contractor to handle any major renovations to your home. However, you can save money by making small improvements yourself. You can handle the job of painting the interior. You can add a small vegetable garden, plant a few flowers, or put in a dog run on your own. You can also refinish wood furniture and add accents and decorations on your own.
You can turn a room into a home gym by just adding a few pieces of exercise equipment. This will save you money on a health club and add value to the house.
Your home should be your sanctuary. It should also be an investment in your future. With a little bit of research and planning, your home renovation can get done in a timely fashion without sending you to the poor house.