20 Things To Do Before Starting Home Renovations

Renovating a home is a momentous task that takes up a lot of resources. Be prepared! Here are 20 things to keep in mind before getting down to it.

- Aric Ting

1 REALITY CHECK

Before you dive into the details, take some time to wrap your head around them. Ask yourself a few important questions. What are the reasons for the renovation? Is it worth the time and financial investment? How would your lifestyle change after the renovation? It pays to list the answers down physically or digitally to make the process less chaotic and easier for the mind to comprehend. Renovation is a significant endeavour; one that needs to be weighed for its necessity before anything is planned out.

2 GROUND ASSESSMENT

Your home may seem like a tough shelter, but it has its limitations. Before you plan out the renovation, check whether your home can actually handle the heavy remodelling, not only during the process but also in the long term. Take note of the foundation and the structural elements, and check for major cracks or faults. If remodelling work is to be done on a secondary floor, it is crucial that you work with your potential contractor to assess the load limit to not compromise the integrity of your house.

3 BUDGET

If you are fully on board with the decision to renovate, the next step is to check your finances. It is attractive to go all out for the latest and most extravagant, but not when your bank account disagrees. Come up with a reasonable figure that you are willing to pay – one that sticks to the reality of your financial situation. From there, the rule of thumb is to add 15 to 25 per cent to that budget for unexpected expenses during the process. Take note of the payment schedule; consider a respectable initial down payment, payment in part as the renovation is underway, and a final sum when the project is complete.

4 RENOVATION SCOPE