My top 5 renovating tips & advice you may not have heard!
Paddo Pool Terrace - Luigi Rosselli Architects
The building process if often a little mis-understood. Below I have outlined 5 things you need to know before you get started!
1. Lock in the best builder that you can – even if this requires patience.
A busy builder is busy for a reason. Be wary of the one who is cheap & available right away. A builder can make or break a project & it’s so important to take the time to secure the right one. You are looking for someone who is honest & transparent, you need a builder who is a perfectionist – this should be a non-negotiable. Builders are the ones managing all the trades & quality checking their work. If a builder is in a rush paying little attention to details & finishing, this will reflect in the quality of the finished product. Remember, a good build or renovation takes time. You need to trust the process and have faith in who you have hired, a good builder will have your best interests at heart.
2. Be realistic with your budget.
Unfortunately, these days nothing is cheap and the price of construction has inflated by a massive 60% over the past 2 years. However, a good builder is not afraid to be transparent about costs and will help you to find ways to bring the build cost down. If you have no room to move in your budget, I would recommend holding off & saving a little bit more for that rainy day. Unforeseen issues almost always pop up.
3. Don’t expect everything to go according to plan.
The process of renovating is not always a pretty one & expecting a project to come to fruition without any hiccups along the way is a little naive. Especially if you are renovating an older home, who knows what might issues might arise when you knock down that back wall? There is always a solution for every issue that might arise, so be realistic & patient and you will get the result you are after!
4 . Hire a designer from the start.
You’re about to invest a hell of alot of money, so you need to ensure you are investing it as effectively possible. The interiors are the space in which we live, so these spaces need to be carefully planned a beautifully executed. Too often, interiors are an afterthought, so if you having been toying up with the idea of hiring a designer, do it before it is too late!
5. Get your builder to set-up a timeline.
Ask your builder to put together a list of items that need to be purchased & deadlines for making these decisions. Materials & fixtures have lead times and if you are forced to make a selection based on stock, you will end up sacrificing on look & quality and as consequence the outcome. Project delays are super frustrating & costly. I would strongly recommend to have all the ducks in a row before starting. You can also use this project timeline to understand the process & manage expectations, whilst it also helps to keep the builder accountable as well.