6 Mistakes to avoid when refurbishing your home
Refurbishing your home can be a daunting and complex project. If your considering upgrading your interiors and making some changes to how your home looks, there’s a lot that you need to consider; from budget to colour schemes.
The main thing to keep in mind when starting a home renovation project is that there are plenty of things that can go wrong. The best way to avoid the most common mistakes is to be aware of them from the start.
Here’re some of the most common mistakes people will make when starting an interior design refurbishment project:
1. Underestimating the costs
There is a good chance that when you plan on a refurbishment of your home you won’t know how much the end price will be. You might get an approximate quote, but the end charge could be different from this – as there may be a few surprises on the way once the walls start coming down. You must try to stay aware of the likely costs right from the start of the process.
Whilst you may not know how much they are likely to be, you should always err on the side of caution as overestimating and having money left is much better than underestimating and having to stop your project as you have run out of money.
2. Underestimating the time
As well as costing money, having your home refurbished also takes time. Of course, the time will vary depending on the level of work you want to be carried out; however, you must be aware of just how long things take.
Be wary of working to a tight deadline. This can put everyone concerned under too much pressure and make the entire process much more stressful than it needs to be. If you think that your project will take a certain length of time, then add another 20% longer onto this, as this will give you some wiggle room.
3. Doing it all yourself
DIY is great fun and can help save you money, but it isn’t always the best approach. Unless you are handy with the tools and know what you are doing, then you could end up causing more harm than good. This will mean that you end up having to get a professional in to correct your mistakes.
This will not only cost you more but will take more time too. Not exactly what you wanted to achieve when you started to think about making changes to your home.
4. Hiring a rogue trader
When you hire someone to work on your home, you will trust that they will do whatever they say that they can do. However, despite your hopes, this doesn’t always work out the way you want to. There are some companies out there that are not who they say that they are.
They don’t have the right level of experience or don’t have the right knowledge. They take your money, and they don’t get the work that you want to be done. Leaving you out of pocket, angry and without the work that you want to be carried out.
This is where hiring an interior designer could also come in handy. Not only they can advise on the design and scheme for your project, but most designers will have a little black book of trusted traders that will ensure a well-done job and at a fair price.
5. Getting your friends on the case
Whilst it is great to have your friends there to help you when you’re refurbishing your home, you should only ask your friend for help if you can trust their abilities. If you think that there is a chance that they could end up messing things up or making even more work for you.
Not only is this bad news for your home renovations, but it could also be bad news for your friendship. You don’t want to fall out with your friend because you asked them to help you with any work you want to do in your home.
6. Not getting the right permissions
When refurbishing your home and if you are just planning on interior design-based changes, you will find that there are minimal permissions you will need to have work carried out in your home. That said, it is always important to check what permissions you do need.
If missing the right permission for any work that you want to be completed in your home could end up causing you a huge headache in the end. Not only can it delay the work that you want to be carried out, but you may even be asked to reverse the work that you have carried out at your own cost.
There are so many mistakes that can happen during any home renovation, refurbishment or general design overhaul. However, there are plenty of things that you can do to avoid these mistakes. Not only will it help you in the short term, but also in the long term too.
If you’re not sure that you know where to begin when refurbishing your home, you’re not alone. A good starting point is to contact an interior designer. Their experience and know-how will save you some headaches from the get-go. Also, most designers will offer a free initial consultation. This is a great way to have a quick chat and get a feel of how they can help.
When you have an expert interior designer on hand, you are taking the stress away from the design process. You are saving yourself time, making sure that you get the results that you are hoping for. Whilst you need to pay out for this service, it will help you save money and time in the long run.
Get a dream house that you can be proud of, with just a little help from the experts. Get in touch with us and learn more about our amazing bespoke interior design service and how it can help you. Looking for some inspiration? Check out our Pinterest boards.