Author: Brian January 21, 2016

Guest Post by Hubert Dwight

Although upgrading is a great way to increase the value of your property, by nature it is an area that can bring many trials and tribulations.

If you’re planning to improve your home on a budget, you need to be careful of the common hurdles that affect many home owners.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has predicted we’ll spend around $30 billion upgrading our homes this year, with most jobs being valued under $10,000.

Avoid wasting your money by checking out 8 most common renovation blunders and how you can avoid them.

Not having a realistic budget

Underestimating the cost of your renovations has become a cliche for a reason – it happens to just about everybody!

Although you want to make sure you choose good quality options for your home renovation, if you commit to some thorough research, you should be able to find them at a reasonable price.

Also add twenty percent to any cost computations you make to avoid running out of money and not being able to finish.

Choosing contractors based on price

If you don’t choose your contractors and machinery operators, such as crane hire companies (for things like swimming pool installations) based on skill rather than price, you can run into problems.

Make sure you choose a reliable and reputable contractor, and obtain accurate quotes.

Communicate openly and effectively, and make sure your renovation goals are clear.

Choosing trendy over timeless

Just like anything, homes and interiors are subject to trends. Avoid being sucked into these progressions by choosing classic over current.

That way, your home’s style will be relevant in years to come, and you won’t be left with an eyesore!

Skimping on things you can’t see

Just because an aspect of the home may be hidden, doesn’t mean you should cut corners with it.

In order to decrease your future costs, it is important to build a good quality home that you can rely on. You don’t want to have to repair your recently renovated home!

Cheap fixtures

No matter what particular aspect of the home you’re renovating, it’s important to remember that inexpensive is good; cheap isn’t.

Although it might be tempting to resort to installing budget fittings and fixtures, resist this urge.

Low quality materials will undoubtedly wear out faster, and will cost you more money in the long run.

Ignoring the outdoors

Although you may want to concentrate on the inside of your home, don’t neglect what can be done to increase the value of the outdoor area as well.

Simple improvements can be made outside the home to transform the aesthetics.

The current trend is for outdoor entertaining, so try to create a usable alfresco space.

Illegal building

When renovating, there is often an extensive application process to go through before your plans can be approved.

This is particularly important if you are in a heritage zone, as they have far stricter regulations than for a regular home.

If you ignore the law, you will get caught, and can face up to $30,000 in damages to make your extensions and renovations comply with regulations.

Trying to do everything yourself

If you’re going to try and DIY, be sure to set yourself realistic, prioritised tasks.

You won’t be able to do everything at once, so set yourself a specific order of jobs and how long it will take you to complete each one.

If you’re feeling out of your depth, make sure you call a professional.

Renovating your home can be a complex and dangerous process, so make sure you enlist the appropriate help where needed.

So what are you waiting for? With these handy guidelines, you can be well on your way to achieving the dream home you’ve always wanted. Get the pen and paper out, it’s time to start planning!