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10 Tips To Help You Survive A Home Renovation

There are a lot of good reasons to renovate a house. Maybe you’re in the market to flip a property and make a good profit, or maybe you want to add value to your own home. A home renovation also gives you what you really want from your property, which can be perfect for your forever home. 

With so much home renovation inspiration out there, it’s easy to see why so many people are interested in a home renovation. But make no mistake – a home renovation is a lot of hard work. There’ll be tears, tantrums, and times you want to tear your hair out. The end result is worth it, but you need to make it to that final stage first.

Consider this your home renovation survival guide! Here are 10 tips to help you make it through.

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

1. Have a firm idea of what you want to do

When it comes to your renovation, it’s important to have a firm idea of what you want. While you might change some small details here and there, you don’t want to begin the work and suddenly decide you want to drastically alter your plans.

Confirm the plans with your contractors and keep mood boards to help you keep your vision in mind. Whenever you’re feeling unsure about something, you can look back at it to remind you of what you really want.

2. Even when you think you have a but if budget, add a little more

When they say that remodeling a home is expensive, they weren’t joking. Remodeling comes at a significant cost between the materials and the contractors and everything else in between. Spend time focusing on nailing your home renovation budget, ensuring no stone is left unturned. And then, when you think you’ve finally nailed it, add some more to it – just in case! You never know what emergencies you’ll have to deal with, so consider putting another 10-20% aside to help you out if you need it. If you don’t, you’ll have a nice little bonus at the end!

3. Don’t take on major works yourself

A lot of people try to save money on a renovation by doing a lot of the work themselves. That’s great if you’ve got the skills and some friends in the trade. But when you’re new to renovations and have little DIY experience, you’ll want to bring in the professionals – especially for the major works. Don’t attempt big jobs yourself, you may end up paying twice and extending your schedule due to mistakes that could have been avoided.

4. Make sure you’ve got insurance

Insurance is vital for making sure you’re covered if something goes drastically wrong, and that includes after the renovations are complete. There are insurance products you can buy to cover your renovation, which can give you peace of mind that you’ll be protected if something goes wrong. Any type of insurance claim can be complicated, but insurance claim attorneys are there to help make it easier. Don’t leave your property unprotected – get insured!

5. Always make sure a part of your home is liveable…

A home renovation can feel like you’re living in a dump. It’s very hard to focus on the ‘after’ when you’re very much living in the during. It helps to make one part of your home liveable throughout the renovation. If you’ve got somewhere you can eat, relax and sleep you’ll be doing ok. Your living area may need to shift around the property as different work is taking place, but if you can try to maintain some consistency, you’ll save your sanity.

6. …Or find somewhere else to stay

A complete home renovation can be a lot of work to deal with. There’ll be a lot of noise and a lot of mess, and your circumstances could mean that living in your home during your renovation is impossible. If you can find an affordable rental or even stay with family and friends, it might make the process a lot more bearable for you.

7. When it gets stressful, take a time out

There will be times when your renovation is more than you can handle. And that’s ok! Everyone goes through a period where they feel like they’re losing their mind.

When your renovation gets stressful, make sure you take some time out. There are a lot of great ways to relieve stress that will make you feel a little better. Even removing yourself from the situation physically can help, and it might give you the space to think about what’s been troubling you so that you can find a solution.

There are a lot of people going through renovation stress like you, so why not look online for some support? Facebook groups are great for this.

8. Learn to make peace with the mess

The sooner you accept that a home renovation is going to be messy, the better. You’ll need to learn to make peace with the mess if you’re going to survive. Cleaning up where possible will make things a little easier as you go on, but it’s likely to be a lot easier to clean up once each room is complete.

9. Keep reminding yourself of the end result

It’s easy to lose sight of why you’re doing what you’re doing. But when things get difficult, you need to remember what the end result is going to be. A renovation will breathe new life into your home, and it’s something to be excited about. Surround yourself with inspiration to keep your eye on the prize. 

10. Remember that you’re in it together 

Relationships can be strained during a renovation. It’s normal – people take their stress out on each other. But remember, you’re going to need each other to make it through. Find ways to resolve your arguments and move on. It will feel like an even longer process if you’re constantly angry with each other. Remember to take some time out together too – a renovation can be all-consuming but real life is still out there for you to enjoy.

Home renovations are tough. There’ll be a lot of ups and downs, but it will be worth it. When things get really tough, just remember – you can do this!

Karla Urwitz
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5 thoughts on “10 Tips To Help You Survive A Home Renovation

  1. Making a house for ourselves is a good thing and by this, we can make a design which is beneficial for us when we start living. The tips and ideas u shared is great Thank you for these amazing ideas.

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