Top Tips for a Home Renovation + Each Phase Explained

Surprise surprise – planning is crucial before your renovation.

Researched, written by Amber & The Team
Updated on December 16, 2022

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Are you planning a home renovation? Whether it be one room or a full house renovation, it can be tough to know where to start or what mistakes to try and avoid. Here are some top tips for your home renovation.

Home Renovation: Planning phase

Planning is crucial before your renovation. You need to establish a timeline and a budget in order for the project to run as smoothly as possible.

First, start by determining what your budget is. Home renovations are notorious for going over budget so be realistic with what you can really afford, and with what things are actually going to cost. Gather quotes from various suppliers and tradespeople to ensure you aren’t paying more than necessary. It is worth noting that it isn’t always worth going with the lowest price, read reviews for all products and services and choose products that are going to last, and people that are going to deliver a quality service.

It is worth looking at various design options to help decide where you want to spend vs where you want to save. Look online, but also look at different options in person, for example, visit a bathroom showroom to get a real feel for what different choices are available and at what price.

Once you have decided on your budget, you now need to determine the order in which work is going to take place. It is really important to consider this thoroughly instead of diving straight in, to ensure you don’t waste any time or money re-doing work that has already been completed. Not only should you consider this for individual rooms, but you should think about the order in which you will renovate the house as a whole, especially if you plan on living at home during the renovation.

Home Renovation: Work Phase

The most important thing whilst undertaking a home renovation is to be reactive. It is likely that challenges will occur, so it is crucial that you are able to react to these in a timely manner. If you aren’t doing any of the work yourself, make sure that your contractors are able to contact you easily.

If you aren’t doing the work, but have chosen to project manage, make sure that all your separate contractors are on the same page with dates and times, etc. to ensure the order of work is followed. Open communication is vital, especially when things go wrong. If you have an issue with something, communicate this as early in the process as possible as this will make it easier to rectify.

It is almost impossible to go through a home renovation without feeling stressed or overwhelmed at some point along the way. It is highly advised to try and retain a small area of calm within your home, if possible, to retreat to during this time.

It is often easier to live elsewhere during a home renovation if you have the choice. If you are doing this, you need to not let this impact how effectively work can be carried out whilst you aren’t present. You will likely need to leave keys with trusted contractors. It will also go appreciated if you make sure the house is well stocked with tea, biscuits, and a kettle for those long working days.

Home Renovation: Post-renovation phase

With any renovation, there may be some initial snagging problems when the project is first completed. Make sure that you thoroughly identify any of these snags so that they can be dealt with.

Make sure to test everything straight away, even things you don’t intend on using yourself, such as guest bathrooms.
Post-renovation, your home is likely to need a deep clean to remove any dust and allow you to completely appreciate it and enjoy your new space.
If you have new materials in your home, such as new sideboards, make sure that you educate yourself on how they need to be cared for and cleaned properly.
If you have had positive experiences with contractors, it is nice to leave them reviews online and recommend them to family and friends.
Post-renovation, if there is anything you are unsure of, that isn’t faulty, live in the home for a while before jumping into further renovations to make sure that you aren’t rushing decisions.

Once the renovation is over, it is time for you to have fun with the décor and embrace the new home that you have built!