It’s no secret that renovation projects are a lot of hard work, not to mention extremely daunting and stressful – so stressful in fact, a good percentage of couples have admitted to considering divorce midst reno’s (fact!)
But the truth is, renovating can be extremely rewarding and the journey itself can lead to some beautiful results that you are proud of, ultimately adding value to your home and lifestyle.
It’s no secret we love renovating (duh!) But even more so, we love being a part of our clients journey when creating their dream home! Unlike some reality TV shows let on, a renovation doesn’t happen overnight, nor are you guaranteed to have everything go to plan, meaning… mistakes will happen and the inevitable will pop up.
Even as experienced designers and serial renovators we are not immune! But in saying that, with our years of experience, comes wisdom! So today on the blog we are sharing some of that wisdom with you all… so whether you’re a seasoned renovator or about to embark on your very first reno, read on as we share our list of the top 5 renovation mistakes your should avoid;
1. Poor Planning
Organisation is KEY to the success of any project, especially when it comes to renovating. Overlook this planning phase and you are guaranteed to set yourself up for failure and be frustrated with the entire process. Planning helps reduce the aftermath of frustration, regrets and will save your back pocket!
Planning isn’t just needed for the renovation itself, it really starts right back at the beginning of the design phase. Ensuring your project is fully designed, specified and priced BEFORE you start swinging the hammer will save you so much heart ache (& money) down the track.
Sure a lot of the hard work can be done at the beginning, but it doesn’t stop there. Ensuring your renovation remains on budget and is executed to a high standard requires a hell of a lot of planning – ensuring materials and product is on site when it needs to be, scheduling out trades and contractors, checking and monitoring the quality of their work and just balancing the all the little changes and unforeseen that occur along is a full time job!
2. Unrealistic Expectations
There are two expectations that we see all too often fall by the wayside – budget and timeframe!
Setting an unrealistic budget will only leave you thoroughly disappointed. Do your research and reach out to professionals for advice (even if you have to pay for it), it’s important to understand the value of labour, materials and time involved in a renovation project, it all adds up – but that’s not the say it isn’t worth the money.
Another unrealistic expectation we see all the time is with timelines! Starting a renovation too soon, or simply not allowing enough time for the works to occur will only cause stress, mistakes and in further disruptions. Ensure you allow time for those unforeseen changes and never rush the job. It is a lesson in patience, but an important one as it will be truly worth it at the end!
3. Following trends
With the internet and social media at the centre of our daily lives it’s easy to pin and click your way into work shared by various designers making it virtually impossible to ignore all the latest trends.
Whilst we too love the changing landscape of design and appreciate all the platforms we have these days for discovering new creatives… following and mimicking trends or directly copying something you see online is dangerous and certainly not a healthy design practice!
Design trends come and they go and unlike an item of clothing they can be expensive to change not to mention the sustainability guilt! Sure, it’s ok to draw inspiration from trends (we do too) …. but don’t let them sway you too far! Remember your home is a representation of YOU and that’s what makes a house a home. SO rather than focus on copying an exact look you see in a magazine, on Instagram or Pinterest, try to focus on the existing elements of your home that you love, the surrounding environment of your home and simply what makes you happy! This way you will find your home thrives for decades down the track… rather than just next season!
4. Not engaging a professional designer
Many people choose to ‘go it alone’ when it comes to their renovation journey. Sometimes it’s due to budget, or in ability to let go of control!
Either way, this shouldn’t deter you from engaging professional a professional designer when it comes to planning the design and build of your renovation project. (some how link other article here) Yes, for sure, there are additional costs associated with engaging professional but I guarantee you – hiring the right team will ultimately save your thousands in avoidable, often costly mistakes, check out our blog where we share our top 10 reasons why you should hire an interior designers. This is where good research comes into play, nothing is more important than engaging the right professionals that you can connect with and ultimately work with. We find transparency goes a long way and is a key part of our own projects when it comes to client relationships and expectations. So for us, communication is paramount.
5. DIY Style
We often see home renovations being done DIY style, and yeah I’m sure it can be done but it’s until you see the quality of work done by a professional that you’ll understand why spending that bit extra can save you big time. It may be budget or access to trades that makes you choose this route, I highly recommend doing your research and even reaching out to a professional for advice before even getting started. Another major risk in DIY is your work must comply with all building codes relevant to that job, all the work you do to your home must be bound by these codes that are frequently updated so unless you are constantly up to date with all the building codes (AKA a professional) I strongly suggest putting the tools down. Remember, any mistakes or damage caused down the track will and only will fall back on you – there’s no such thing as warranty for DIY!
