If your home has seen better days, but you don’t want to move, a home renovation can be a great way to refresh your environment and make it feel like the perfect home it was when you first moved in. There are two main reasons why homes need renovation: aesthetics and comfort, and structural improvement or repairs. Unfortunately, depending on the size of the project, home improvements can run into the thousands, or even tens of thousands, of dollars.
Given the expense involved, you may decide to do your home renovation yourself rather than bringing in a contractor. You’re not alone – a 2018 study showed that some 35% of people who want to renovate would rather do the entire thing themselves. It gives you increased control over the result and saves you thousands in contractor fees. Who wouldn’t? That’s before we even mention the bragging rights.
But then, as with most significant decisions, there are some things you should consider before taking the plunge and renovating your own home.
Can you do it?
If you have a friend who remodeled their entire house in the amount of time it took you to assemble a flat-pack bookshelf, that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do the same thing just as quickly. Behind closed doors, a home renovation can be incredibly stressful and intimidating. Take some time to think about whether or not you can do what you need, or if it’s worth investing in an expert.
Spend ample time to look around the online DIY community. Ask other DIYers about how they started and completed their home-renovation projects. Do plenty of research. Read detailed guides, like this basement remodel guide, featuring pieces of practical advice from experts.
It’s vital to understand the scale of a DIY home-renovation project before starting one. If you don’t prepare yourself and adjust your expectations, you can easily get overwhelmed and stop in the middle, wasting a lot of time, money, and energy as a result.
Take the time
Be realistic about how much time it will take to do your renovation to the standard that will make your home comfortable. This is such an important step, especially if you don’t have experience in doing similar projects that you can use to make an estimation. It’s not like what it looks on TV. You can’t do a home renovation in a few days. It will disrupt your everyday life. If you’re not prepared to spend every day for months working on your home, bring in a contractor.
Stick to your plan
Decide what you’re going to do and stick to that plan. It can be tempting, especially if a home renovation is going well, to start adding things on and giving yourself more and more work to do. However, this isn’t a road to paradise; it’s a road to confusion. Add things on, and you’ll throw out your time frame, budget, materials, and everything. Finish what you started first, and then think about additional work you might want to do.
Invest in tools and materials
Don’t cut corners. Invest in the best materials and tools you can afford. It will increase your budget, but quality materials last longer. Buy cheap, and you might find yourself buying twice. You should also go as high-end as you can on shower heads, faucets, and other fixtures and fittings.
Don’t scrimp on your door locks, either. Use bump keys to test the existing locks. It’s good if they still do their job; otherwise, you will need to find replacements to secure your property better.
Getting the right tools to do the job is also essential. If you’re buying your own tools, visit Riffle NW for more information on Porter Cables.
Happy Reading!
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