The 10 Commandments of House Renovation That Work

Anyone who has successfully completed a house renovation will tell you that there are things they wish they knew beforehand, things they could or should have prepared for.

Often, through overwhelming excitement, we end up approaching creative projects in haste. It’s natural, but luckily, we’ve done renovated over 100 homes, so we’ve put together a guide of sorts.

Now, whether this house renovation is for you to live in and enjoy, or to sell on and make a profit, there are 10 things that you simply cannot overlook, 10 commandants you need to swear by when attempting a home renovation.

Set a budget

Before you even think about what you want to do with the place, you need to set a budget. As we’ve said before, think about how much you’ve got to work with and then add 20% on top of that for any miscalculations, mistakes or unanticipated add-ons.

Focus on the exterior first

One thing you simply cannot overlook is the exterior. Before even considering the inside, you’ve got to make the outside shine. One of the simplest ways of doing this is a fresh lick of paint on the outer walls, door and garage. It’ll probably be the most effective, yet cheapest part of the entire renovation.

Freshen up the flower beds with new plants and try strategically placing a few pot plants around the vicinity.

Another effective trick is to place solar powered garden lamps along walkways or in the flowerbeds. It’ll make the property pop. If there’s a lawn, make sure it healthy and green.

Beautify the entryway

For any home, be it a flat or house, one of the most important parts is the entryway, and if you’re selling, this is the first impression potential buyers get.

Depending on the space available, the first thing you should do is purchase a sizable mirror. It will make the entrance look bigger and will give it a classy touch. Try and do it up as best you can, focusing on complimentary colours and ornamentation.

Immaculate flooring

You can do a house up all you like, but if the flooring is in poor condition, it’ll be difficult to for people to see the rest of its beauty, especially if you’re flipping it.

For the main living areas, our advice is to go with tiling or, if your budget allows, wooden flooring.

Not only do these options last a lifetime, but they look beautiful and are much easier to maintain and clean than carpets.

Renovate the kitchen

The kitchen is often the most complicated and expensive part of any home renovation.  It’s easy to overspend here because of granite countertops, appliances and of course, the cabinets.

Wood and granite are more expensive than you’d expect, but luckily, there are cheaper similar options. Also, instead of replacing wood, why not refurbish and re-varnish? Great tip, right?

Find out everything you need to know about kitchen remodelling in our guide, “8 Vital Tips for Kitchen Renovation”. Be sure to follow each and every step, and you’ll be just fine.

Go for neutral colours

When it comes to repainting the walls or retiling the floors, you need to understand that these are the biggest, most open spaces in the house.  

It’s imperative to use neutral tones for this, as lighter, more earthly colours make a space not only appear bigger but also gives off a calming, inviting energy.

Stay away from bold colours, unless used as a feature, in which case be mindful of matching the furniture and flooring to the colour of the wall.

Subtle bathroom changes

Our advice here is to stick with the original layout, reworking it as opposed to reconstructing it. Bathrooms are finicky because of plumbing. Sometimes you may hit a pipe when drilling through a wall or replacing the toilet. It can get messy and pricy.

The easiest way to go about it is to replace things like taps, shower heads, shower curtains and vanity cupboards. Subtle small changes like that, a fresh coat of paint and you’ll have the bathroom looking fresh and functional in no time.

Storage

People need space, as in storage space. If there aren’t enough cupboards in the house, you can purchase freestanding cabinets from any furniture store.

If you are working with quite a sizable, multi-bedroom property but it is lacking in cupboard space, why not knock down a wall and create a walk-in cupboard/dressing room for the master bedroom?

Light it up

Once you’ve revamped the exterior and interior of your house, we recommend assessing the windows.

Light creates the illusion of more space, so if there is some budget left over, be sure to make the widows bigger.

If there are French doors leading out to the garden or patio, rather replace them with full glass sliding doors. You want the place to appear bright and open as opposed to dark and gloomy.

Décor is everything

If you’re renovating a house for the purpose of selling it on for a profit, then make sure the décor is up-to-scratch.

Get an interior designer in to apply their artful touch, or if your budget is tight, we recommend hiring a home stager, they will decorate your house for viewing days and have a real talent for making a home truly glow.

For all your home renovation needs, get in touch with us today.