Home renovation projects can be a bit stressful – especially if you are operating under a tight budget or have time constraints. Renovating your home is akin to making an investment. If you are able to navigate your project smoothly, you’ll likely be adding value to your property’s resale or rental value. However, if you mess it up in one way or another, you’ll probably be required to spend a lot more money to get it fixed. Therefore, whether you are going the DIY route or have hired a professional to undertake your project, there are a few home renovation mistakes that you need to avoid at all costs.
Common Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid
Since prevention is always better than cure, here are some of the most common home renovation mistakes that you must keep from making unless you want all your efforts to go to waste.
- Underestimating the cost
- Not hiring a good contractor
- Rushing into the project
- Poor finishing
- Not utilizing unused spaces
- Ignoring the entrance of your home
Let’s take a further look at each of these home renovation mistakes and discuss tips on how you can avoid making them.
Underestimating the cost
Underestimating the cost of a project is one of the most important things to avoid during home renovation.
It is pertinent to remember that home remodelling and renovation projects always end up costing more than what you might have expected. Therefore, as a general rule of thumb, factor in an additional 20% of the total cost while building your budget. This money can then be used to deal with any surprises you might face along the way.
Moreover, depending on your renovation project, you might want to buy the building materials all at once, since the rising prices can affect the cost and disturb your entire budget.
If you want your finished product to reflect all the money and hard work you’ve put into it, it’s imperative that you plan accordingly and wisely. In case you’re working with a contractor, ask them to breakdown all the relevant costs and expenditures so you would know how much you can spend during each phase of your home renovation project.
Not hiring a good contractor
If you are planning to undertake a project that involves dealing with plumbing, electrical wires or gas pipes, you are strongly advised to hire a professional instead. However, a lot of people don’t realize that hiring a bad contractor is one of the most common remodelling mistakes to avoid.
If it’s a relatively small project, you may consult your local carpenter, electrician or plumber. But if it’s a big project that requires a team of professionals, then you should consider hiring a proper contractor. The easiest way to go about this is to ask your friends and family members to suggest someone. In case that doesn’t work, you can also look for such companies online.
Regardless of how you find a contractor, do not make a formal agreement with them without asking for a list of references and photos of their previous renovation projects. Moreover, you can also request their references to send over pictures of your potential contractor’s past work. This will help you determine if they are the right fit your home renovation project.
Rushing into the project
Whether you are going for a DIY home improvement project or have hired a team, it is never a good idea to rush into a job without knowing of its pitfalls.
Therefore, before you initiate your renovation plans, take some time to assess your property, carefully plan your budget, do some market research, and if possible, consult a few different renovators for an estimate.
Rushing into the job is one of the worst home renovation mistakes you can make. Do not embark on a project without working out all its kinks. You must have a timeline and a clear picture of what you want your end product to look like before you decided to bust some doors and delve into the project.
Poor finishing
There’s nothing worse than investing thousands of rupees (probably even more) and hours of hard work into a home renovation project only to end up with something that is not even pleasing to the eye.
This usually happens when a homeowner underestimates the cost of their remodelling project or makes some costly last-minute changes to their plans. Due to insufficient budget or lack of time, your end product may have poor finishing in the form of ill-fitting fixtures or a poor paint job among others.
Apart from working within your budget, you also need to keep a strict check on the progress of the project to ensure your contractor isn’t cutting any corners. After all, bad finishes and poor construction can also downright dangerous and may even threaten the integrity of your structure. Not to mention, these common home renovating mistakes can bring down the value of your property in the ever-competitive real estate market.
Not utilizing unused spaces
If you have any unused or empty corners in your home, utilize them during your home renovation project. Not squeezing every last drop out of your floor plan is yet another common home renovation mistake to avoid.
This needs to be done during the initial planning stages of a home renovation project.
In case you are remodelling your open kitchen, see if you can expand the area by adding in an island bench. Or, if there’s some empty space under your stairs, consider turning it into a cosy reading nook with a comfy bench and a bookshelf. Similarly, if you have a vacant basement, you can always turn it into a functional space. You can also check out the pros and cons of having a basement to figure out if it’s the right choice for your property.
Ignoring the entrance of your home
Last but not least, a lot of people ignore the entrance of their homes while renovating their kitchens, bathrooms and other spaces. It is also one of the most common DIY home renovation mistakes to avoid.
Regardless of whether you live in an apartment or a house, its driveway, lawn and entrance are the first things that a person sees within the first minute or so of visiting your place. If you want to set a good impression on your friends and family, make sure your home renovation plans include upgrading your front door and entry hallway as well.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to take a look at our detailed guide on common kitchen layout mistakes. Furthermore, you can read through the tips to avoid common bathroom design mistakes before undertaking your next home improvement project.
To learn more about DIY home renovation projects, stay connected to Zameen Blog – the top lifestyle and real estate blog in Pakistan. For questions and queries on how to avoid home renovation mistakes, get in touch with us by sending an email at blog@zameen.com. Also, please subscribe to our newsletter on the right to receive the latest updates about tourism, home décor and property market trends in the country.
