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Top 10 Biggest Mistakes When Renovating Your House

Top 10 Big Mistakes to Avoid When Renovating Your Home

You’ve told your wife that renovating your home is an investment because what you spend in building you make up for in home value. That’s not always true, especially if your renovation includes a sauna and driveway turntable so you never have to reverse out your gate. To save money, many renovators buy cheap, which ends up costing them in the long run when things break. Here are the top 10 biggest mistakes to avoid hen renovating your house.

Top 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Renovating Their House.

10. Buying Cheap Windows.

Windows are expensive, but buying them cheap makes your house look cheap. If you still want to save, put in cheaper windows in the back and sides, but make sure the front still looks presentable.

9. Ignoring Personal Safety.

Buying cheap windows is one thing, but DIY home renovations are even more expensive because of all the medical bills incurred. Protect your eyes with goggles, your ears with plugs, and get a good pair of boots.

8. Figuring the Contractor Knows What He’s Doing.

Even if you’re not doing the building yourself, do your homework. Many a job gets signed off only for the homeowner to regret it later when he realises that the taps tilt upwards. You need to know when your contractor is ripping you off as well.

7. Not Getting an Electrician.

Out of sight, out of mind is many a homeowner’s motto when it comes to wiring. Make sure it’s all up to standard and get any changes to the wiring and location of plug points approved by an electrician before you work.

6. Changing the Style.

If your home is Cape Cod styled, you’ll want your renovations to match. Changing the style half way will see your home lose value, especially in the eyes of a property evaluator and buyer.

5. Screwing the Permits.

All renovations must be done according to regulation. This means not wiring the house yourself if you are not qualified to do so. Your personal accident policy won’t cover you for making this mistake..

4. Setting a Low Budget.

Doesn’t matter what the renovation is, it’s always more expensive than you’ve planned for. So overestimate instead. Renovators hit snags when they start pulling at the thread of the home and uncovering all the anthills and asbestos.

3. Hiring an Idiot Contractor.

You’re practically living with this person for the duration of the renovation, so make sure they play nice. When checking references, don’t just look at the finished product. Ask if the guy returns phone calls.

2. Taking Shortcuts.

Renovations take a long time. Taking shortcuts backfires. Make sure you have a good plan in place and know exactly how long everything is going to take. This means factoring in delays for weather, poor workmanship, and lunchtimes.

1. Overbuilding.

Renovating a home to double it’s market value is impossible, because all the other homes in your area will be half its value. If you overbuild in your neighbourhood, all you’ll have is the scorn of your neighbours.

Sources: Nationwide

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