People renovate their homes for various reasons. Sometimes, it’s because things have simply passed their due date and sometimes, there are serious construction issues that rise to the surface and require your immediate attention. Another reason can be that your property no longer matches your needs. Whatever the reason is, remodeling can be overwhelming. It can drain you financially, emotionally and physically, and it becomes even worse if you don’t avoid mistakes that could have been prevented. If you want to successfully finish your renovation here are some things you should certainly not do.
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Designing the rooms piecemeal
Renovating one room at a time may sound reasonable from a financial standpoint, but as for the function and aesthetics it is far from being the best option. Such move usually results in design incoherency and overall patchy look of your home. If you have no other choice but to renovate your home piecemeal, then at least make sure that you plan out the appearance of all the rooms to create a more consistent design, and stick to this plan the next time you decide to renovate.
Copying ideas from magazines
Using Pinterest and interior décor magazines to get an idea of how your home could or should look like can be good, but translating the look from a web page directly to your home without any changes can result in an aesthetic and functional disaster. Your room probably doesn’t have the same square footage, window size and other elements the room on the photo does, so instead of copying, try stealing only certain elements from it and complementing them with some other elements.
Putting all your faith in tiny samples
Choosing colors and materials by looking at tiny square samples is something interior designers have been doing for years. However, they have the experience which enables them to imagine how those tiny samples will look like when the entire room is covered in them. You, on the other hand, probably don’t have such intuition, so even if some sample grabs your attention, you should still consult a professional to see how it would fit into your interior.
Being slave to trends
Pantone’s Greenery is this year’s hit color, but last year those were Rose Quartz and Serenity. The next year, it will be something else. Following the trends blindly is a luxury which only extremely wealthy people can afford, since it requires overhauling the entire house every year. So, unless you are planning on making renovating your home a habit, stick to a classic style and neutral colors and honor the current trends through accessories.
Lowballing the budget
Determining the budget is the first thing you should do before you start with the renovation. If you know the approximate figure you have at your disposal, you will also have a more or less clear image of which projects to take on and to what extent. A common mistake people often make when renovating is putting aside the exact amount of money they’ve calculated they need for renovation. However, remodeling is unpredictable and there are millions of problems that can come up and demand more money. That’s why it is always best to have additional 15% of the calculated sum put aside, just in case.
Hiring the cheapest contractors
Cheap doesn’t always mean “the best deal”, just as expensive doesn’t necessarily mean “job well done”. If successful renovation is your primary concern, the price contractors are asking shouldn’t be among your top priorities. Contractors should be chosen based on their previous experiences and recommendations.
Not planning the cleanup afterwards
When remodeling is over, people often rush into their houses and try to get back to their normal lives. Still, there is just one “little” thing. Keep in mind that your house will be entirely covered in trash and debris, which will make normal functioning rather difficult. Removing this waste can take up even more of your time and it can be physically exhausting. That’s why it is prudent to hire a company that offers construction waste removal service and will clean up your property.
If you avoid these common mistakes, your renovation will run much more smoothly and you will be more satisfied with final results.
