Want to renovate and enjoy the process – the secret is in the upfront planning. If you are planning a renovation, here are our top 5 tips to help you enjoy the journey.
GET CLEAR ON YOUR GOALS
When we start thinking about renovating our homes, we are usually working towards a “wishlist”, often inspired by online scrolling, a magazine, favourite holiday or home show. It’s rare, at this stage, to be thinking of constraints like budget and priorities. I would suggest noting down your wish list, then work through “A day in the life in your household” What are the priority areas? What improvements will enhance your lifestyle?
FIND YOUR “A” TEAM:
The usual starting place for people is to engage with an architect, builder or draftsperson. I would recommend taking the time to meet face to face to see if you are the right fit and understand if they will be able to help you meet your design goals. Referrals are usually a good way to do this for building however if you are starting fresh, try asking for recommendations on a local social media group. Key questions to ask when engaging your “A” team
- How many jobs do you work on at once?
- How will you be communicating throughout the renovation
- Insurances and licensing
- Ask about viewing past projects and talking to previous clients
Often this team of people are part of your life for 12- 24 months so you want to ensure you have an open and honest working relationship with clear expectations and boundaries on both sides.
MAKE YOUR SELECTIONS EARLY
I have heard it too many times before, “We’ll just workout the selections along the way.” The more time you invest in doing the work upfront, the more likely you are to meet your budget and timeline while also having a good renovation experience. If you struggle to visualise how the selections will come together, this is where an interior designer can really help. From turning your goals into a visual concept and then working through each area with you. Joinery design, material and colour selections, even thinking about the skirting, architraves, door handles. With 200+ decisions to make on a full home renovation –decision fatigue is real, With an interior designer on your side you can avoid making any costly or permanent mistakes.
MOVE OUT
If you are doing a larger renovation, consider making room in your budget for a temporary move to another location. This allows the construction team full access to your home, and they can focus on getting the job done and scheduling trades more dynamically. Often when clients stay in the home, the builder will need to be sensitive to the clients’ movements which can minimise their workdays. Clients have also reported back that it can be stressful having people in their space all the time can often be frustrating no matter how good the relationship.
REGULAR CHECKINS
Communication is Key! When you first sign up your team, decide on the best way to communicate with them and a regular check in time, it may be a weekly site meeting or a fortnightly email for general updates and decisions. Whatever you decide on, stick to it so you can minimise issues, manage risks and check progress in the right direction. We recommend a fortnightly email update to keep everything in writing, Calls followed by an email for any urgent issues and a monthly review of budget and timeline for a longer-term project.
In summary, it’s important to remember that the average person probably renovates 2-3 times over their lifetime and often with long breaks in-between. This is where working with an interior designer can save you money and time. Having access our knowledge, expertise and connection to our supplier network can really set you up for success. If you need advice about an up-and-coming renovation/ build, contact us here
