Deciding you want to renovate your home is an exciting time. Whether you’re looking to extend the living, kitchen or bedroom spaces, renovating can add a lot of value to your home. As with any home improvement project, a renovation comes with lots of planning and hard work, but it’s a great way to put your stamp on your home.
But what exactly do you need to do and where do you start? Let’s take a look at the whole process from start to finish so you feel confident in taking your project on.
Researching existing period features
If you’ve bought a period or listed home to renovate, you may find plenty of existing features that you want to keep. Things such as fireplaces, beams and ornate plaster mouldings may be things that you find as you peal back the layers of your property. You may want to restore them or you may want to cover them up, but you should do some research into whether or not any of the features are protected or listed before you do.
Working out your costs
Costs are everything when it comes to your renovation project. Before you take on a property, if you haven’t already purchased it, you should look into what the whole job will cost you, to make sure it’s financially viable. You won’t know the full extent until you actually get into the property, but once you are, make a note of everything you think may need changing or repairing and get yourself some quotes.
Complete background checks for any restrictions
You should have been made aware of these before you purchased the property, but it’s always good to do you due diligence and double check for any restrictions. These are more likely if you are renovating a listed property or one in a conservation area. There are a number of governing bodies who are always on hand to answer questions, as well as plenty of reading material on the internet.
Conduct surveys where necessary
Whether this is a full structural survey or even a bat survey, unfortunately they are necessary for pretty much every renovation. Bats for example, love the dark, quiet nooks and crannies in old homes, especially if they’ve been left abandoned for some time. As it’s a criminal offence to harm bats or disturb them when they’re roosting, conduct a bat survey in advance.
Write down your schedule of works
This is incredibly important if you’re expecting a number of workpeople on site during your project. Be clear on all the steps you need to take during your renovation project and prioritise what you need doing first to help prevent delays.
Find reputable contractors
Reputation is everything when it comes to your contractors. Whether you hire them through word of mouth, have used them before or conducted extensive research on the internet, making sure you hire right once is vital. If possible, go and have a look at other work they’ve done in the past and speak to their previous clients.
Get the right insurance
Renovation insurance is different to your regular home and contents insurance, so make sure you look at your existing policy to see whether or not you’re covered!
Complete your major building works
Now the exciting part can begin! Once you’ve quickly let the neighbours know and made sure all of the planning is done, give the green light to the contractors. Your renovations will typically start with any groundworks, such as foundations and drainage. Follow on from that, any new or modified structures, like extension and conversions, can then be completed.
Decide on your interior features
For most people, this is the moment it feels as though it’s coming together. At this point you may want to look at things such as the style of kitchen you’d like, whether that’s a shaker style or something more modern. You may also be looking at bathroom fixtures or even which windows you’re opting for.
The finishing touches
At last! You’ve reached the finish line! This is where you can truly add your own stamp. With everything from light fittings and fixtures, decorations and photo frames, there’s plenty for you to still sink your teeth into!