At Build Blue we are Renovation specialists. We’ve helped transform hundreds of homes all over Sydney and the Sutherland Shire. Renovating a home is a usually a big undertaking and even if you have experienced a renovation before there will always be something new that comes up that did not happen the first time. Here at Blue Build we have put together a list of things you should do during a house renovation to ease the stress and make the process run more smoothly.
When you you remodel your home, you should be prepared as best possible before you start. Below is a list of things that you can do to help the process of renovating run more smoothly and ease your stress.
Things To do:
Keep to your plan and organise
Set a budget and Track your expenses
Keep your receipts
Hire the right team
Follow the remodel steps
Stay positive
Things To Do During A Home Renovation – There are a variety of things that you will be doing most days during a house renovation. It’s important to be able to prioritise and focus on the important things that can help to have an impact on how smoothly the renovation goes.
Stick To Your Plan & Organise – During the house renovation it’s important that you stick to your plan and stay organised. Before it begins you should set a goal for the renovation, for example, increasing the houses value or turning it into your dream home. Staying organised is a vital part of the whole renovation process, even more so if you are living in the home during the remodel. Here are a few tips to help you keep on top of everything and stay organised:
– Get ready for new living arrangements, whether you plan to live within the home during the renovation or if you are moving into a hotel, staying with friends or family.
– Pack up your valuable items.
– Ensure you clean and organise while you pack up.
– Prepare for the dust by removing any rugs, curtains and covering up furniture.
– Communicate regularly with the contractors that you hire.
– Have a specific place for important documents that you want to keep, like contracts, construction agreements, receipts, samples, lien document, notes and reminders and schedules and plans.
Set Your Budget – When you are renovating your home, it can be hard to not dream too big and want to splurge. You should remember to be realistic and sensible with yourself about what you can afford and the cost of items you will need. Make sure you have some extra money reserved for any unexpected as you don’t want to exceed your spend limit and then hit a snag that requires additional funding. It’s ideal to anticipate spending an extra 20% on any surprises that may come up.
When your re setting your remodel budget here are a few things to do:
1. Go to department stores and showrooms to look at the prices of items. This will allow you to get a feel for what your expenses may be. Try to select items that will fit adequately into your budget but also resemble to style you are looking for.
2. Understand that what you may see on TV is not a fair judgement of how much the remodel will cost.
3. Before you start your renovation, reach out to contractors to get an estimate on what specific projects will cost.
4. If you have spent more in one area of your house you should try to save on another.
Renovation expenses tend to add up quite quickly, therefore you shook always write all the expenses down and keep all receipts. During each step of the remodelling process, ensure that you keep your “check book” balanced and are paying attentional to where you are at with your budget. This is important so that you prevent potential overspending. It will also show you where any extra money spent went too.
You can add to your budget by selling any older items in your Sydney home that you will be taking out during the renovation and replacing. This could be a bathroom vanity that is still in good condition but does not suite the style of the new home. Rather than putting it in the council clean up or taking it to the tip you can sell them online and earn some extra money towards your budget.
Keep Your Receipts – Another important thing to do when renovating and keeping within a budget is to hang on to your receipts. These receipts can be handy in two ways:
1. When renovating you can often end up buying items that you don’t end up using. By keeping your receipts you can then return these items for a full refund without any hassle.
2. Receipts obviously are a great way to help you keep track of where your money is going.
Hire The Right Team – No matter whether you’re adding an extension, going up a level or if your bathroom or kitchen needs an update, Blue Build can help with all your renovating requirements. Whether your after a modern feel or a classic design our work is of the highest standards. We aim for quality in every aspect of our building and keep the client involved every step of the way.
Follow The Renovation Steps – When you are remodelling your house or even just one room there are steps you can follow to help the renovation stay organised.
1. Demo. This means remove everything you need taken out from the house or room and then clean the space thoroughly to prepare for the following steps.
2. Repair The Exterior. Before you start anything inside the home remember to focus on the outside. Ensure that the roof is in good condition, the foundation is fixed and that the windows are functional. Once these outside items are prepared the inside will run a whole lot smoother!
3. Replace old Plumbing. If your renovation space has old plumbing make sure to tackle this before you begin anything else.
4. Replace HVAC, Electrical and Lighting. Ensure that the HVAC system in the house runs efficiently and effectively. Then replace any electrical or light fixtures. However, there are some light fixtures that you will need to wait to hang until the drywall is up and painting is completed.
5. Add Drywall. If there are any demoed walls, you will need to get the drywall up, get it mudded and primed before painting.
6. Paint. Next you can paint the ceilings, walls, doors, trim, baseboards and anything else that needs painting. By adding a fresh coat of paint you will get a fresher, newer and cleaner look.
7. Install flooring and baseboards. There are some trim and baseboards that you will want to paint and install before the floor, depending on what type of flooring it will be. For example, you will paint and install the baseboards before you lay carpet down, however, if you are installing hard wood flooring, you will install and paint the baseboards after the flooring is put down.
8. Install cabinets, vanities. Toilets, tubs, doors, shelves, etc. Depending on what space you are working in, you will now add in pieces of furniture that are secured in place. For example, in the kitchen you would now install the cabinets.
9. Install countertops. Once your cabinets and vanities have been installed you can next install the countertops.
10. Wall features. Now you can hang your wall features and assemble any back splashes.
11. Install appliances and hardware. Now is the time to install any appliances you need like fridges, dishwashing machines, dryers etc.
12. Clean. Once everything has been installed, now is the perfect time to give your home a thorough clean eliminating any saw use or dirt that may have settled.
13. Bring in furniture and personal belongings. You can now decorate and style your renovated home using your furniture and persona belongings.
Stay Positive – Sometimes renovating is both physically and mentally draining, this is why Blue Build are here to help! At Blue Build we can help with all your renovating requirements. Whether your after a modern feel or a classic design our work is of the highest standards. No job is too big or too small, give us a call us for an obligation free site assessment!
Build Build are a Sutherland Shire based Building company that services all of Sydney with our premium building services. We specialise in new homes and custom home build solutions. In addition to this, we are also experts in Home Renovations and extensions of all kinds. If you want to learn more about us or get in touch we’d love to hear from you! You can contact us on 0421 475 592 or alternatively email us by clicking here and filling out a contact form.