This post is about 4 Tips for First-Time Home Renovators. You don’t have to have a degree in architectural engineering in order to renovate a home. In fact, home renovation has recently become extremely popular, with many average Americans attempting to embark on home renovation journeys without much experience or advice from professionals. Although this has worked out for some, most people that go into home renovation struggle and even quit. Do not let this stop you from attempting home renovation, however, just use others’ experiences to help you learn how and what exactly to do in order to renovate your home properly!
4 Tips for First-Time Home Renovators
Prepare
The first thing to do when getting ready to renovate your home is to prepare well for your different projects. Make sure that you do your research and that you use the right paint, buy the right flooring, or that you know what NOT to tear down in your home.
There is nothing worse than embarking on a home renovation journey and then busting a pipe, cutting your electrical, or accidentally busting down a load-bearing wall and having to call in a professional to fix your mistakes.
Research, watch videos and write down your plan for what you want to renovate. Create a timeline of projects and start small; start with painting a room or two and then move on to gutting a room or other tedious projects, especially if you do not have much experience.
Budget
An extremely important aspect of home renovation is budgeting. Far too often does a first-time home renovator go broke after not budgeting at all or budgeting poorly. When you start to plan your projects, allocate a specific budget for each room and project and follow it strictly–don’t allow yourself to splurge.
Remember, you can always start with the basics at the beginning, and then you can eventually upgrade to something more expensive once you are more experienced and confident in home renovation. Remember that the renovation is only the start of your money-spending; you still have to furnish your home and can’t afford to go all-out on the renovation without leaving any money for your furniture.
Allocate Time
Having a specific timeline is crucial to your success as a home renovator because it makes sure that you are efficient while also achieving your goals in a timely manner. When you embark on your home renovation journey, you should make a list of all of the projects that you want to complete, then analyze what order you should get the projects done, and then estimate how long you think the projects will take.
As you start out, assume that each project will take longer than expected, and if you finish early, just let yourself take a break or start your other projects sooner!
On top of this, staying on time will help you with burnout and allow you to stay motivated. Getting to move from project to project will keep you excited about your home renovation and allow you to start to enjoy new aspects of your home! Starting off with your easy projects is also helpful to let yourself feel more comfortable and accomplished while also having parts of your home that are reno-free if you ever need a break.
Ask Professionals
If you start to get overwhelmed with your renovation or find yourself struggling with a certain aspect of your home, do not be afraid to reach out to a professional in order to achieve further understanding of your subject. Even if it is just a consultation, reaching out to a professional that specializes in your needs can help you analyze what needs to be changed in your home renovation in order to be successful.
You do not always have to hire a professional, but if you have the extra funds and are feeling particularly burnt out then it may be a good idea. Regardless of your intentions with the professional, it is always a great idea to get feedback on your build and suggestions from someone whose entire career is built around their knowledge of fixing homes.
Overall, preparing and researching your home renovation is crucial to your success. You should be sure to budget and save your money in order to upgrade to higher-end products once you become more confident with your renovation.
Make sure that you allocate specific times and deadlines for each project and do your best to follow them in order to get your project done in a timely manner. Finally, do not be afraid to ask professionals to help you if you are stuck or struggling!
Renovating your home can be extremely rewarding and when done right, can result in a gorgeous interior at the fraction of the cost of professional work.