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Bathroom Renovations

Renovating Tips – Why Having a Plan Will Save You Time and Money

We went into our renovation like most people having an idea of what we wanted to achieve, but lacking any real plan at the start. This ended up costing us both time and certainly money. Leaving things to the last minute, especially when it comes time for tradespeople, will always increase the cost.
I recommend writing down what you want to achieve to start with, “a new kitchen”, “a new bathroom”, “changing a bedroom into a study” etc. From this you can start to plan what needs to be done. You can write down what you can do and what you will need a tradesman to do. I would never recommend trying electrical work by yourself, leave this to the experts. Once you have this information you can start to get quotes from the tradesman and I always recommend getting at least 3-5 quotes for each job. If you can get a recommendation from someone you know about a tradesman they used who was good and reliable, sometimes it’s worth spending a little extra. As with anything you quite often get what you pay for. Another good tip here is to ask about a “cash” price (no tax), most tradesman are happy to do this and it will save you money.
Once you have selected your tradesman and decided what you can do, create a timeline. Keep in mind doing things yourself will often take longer than you think. Book your tradesman for the required dates and if anything occurs to change your timeline make sure you tell your tradesman straight away. Given enough time they are usually happy enough to fit you in at a later date. But remember try to stick to your time line, don’t try to take on extra projects or increase your initial plans half way through. This will lead to delays and will end up costing you time and inevitably more money.
Part of your plan also needs to include buying your materials, which you should do before you start your reno. Doing your research here will also save you a lot of money. You would be surprised the price difference between stores. I would recommend wholesale/warehouse outlets. You can get want you want at discount prices. These stores don’t have expensive showrooms, so you don’t pay expensive prices. Another good place to pick up bulk items such as timber, tiles, bathroom and kitchen fittings etc is auctions. There are some really good bargains to be had here. Check you local paper, they usually have the items listed so you can see what’s on offer before you go. You can also check out the prices before you go.
Another good tip is to do your research. Use the internet and get some Do It Yourself (DIY) books. I have a whole pile of books from which I get information from. Having a book at your finger tips is often faster than trawling the internet trying to find answers to your questions. Books also have great step by step diagrams and tricks to help you along the way. A good collection of books is a handy man’s or woman’s best friend.
So now your armed with your plan, you have your tradesman booked, your materials purchased, a few good books to use for guidance. Remember to try and stick to your plan, things will always come up to throw a spanner in the works, just update your plan to reflect the changes. Plans are not set in stone. They are a live document and can be changed and updated as needed.

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Remodeling Contractors

Renovating Your Home – How To Avoid Common Mistakes

Home renovation comes to our lives like falling in love, getting married, having children. It’s something you can’t avoid. Maybe something you can put off, but sooner or later you’ll have to deal with it, and you better be prepared. Simply put, home renovation is no walk in the park. It’s a lot of work, and can be extremely satisfying when done right.
You have to put into consideration there’s about a million things that can go wrong during renovation. You can’t account for them all, but at least you can minimize mistakes.
Here’s a few examples of common renovation mistakes:
1. Safety is not top priority
Safety first. It’s something every safety engineer working in construction can’t stress enough. Sometimes the workers become too engrossed in their work they forget that safety should first and foremost be top priority. There’s nothing more important that ensuring the safety of the people working in your renovation.
Look at it this way. If you get seriously hurt, it’s going to set back your time table even more so than if you’d taken the time to do things safely, with the proper safety equipment.
2. Not planning the renovation in advance
You don’t underestimate home renovation. Never. It requires a tremendous amount of effort, resources and time, especially since as long as the renovation is on-going you’ll be living in an unfinished house. Some first-time homeowners don’t plan their renovation schedule. As a result, they end up spending more time and resources than they had to if only they’d planned it in advance.
You can look up home renovation tip videos online if you don’t know where to start. The internet is right at your fingertips. Use it to your advantage.
3. Not making the most of the home renovation process
This is why you must plan out your renovation project in advance. For instance, if you’re looking to install a new drywall, why not install it while the walls are open during renovation? Why not take advantage of the situation instead of patching up the wall, tearing it down again to install the drywall, and then putting it back up together. It’s a waste of time and money.
4. Getting just one estimate
Have you ever heard those rumors about always getting three estimates when it comes to renovation projects? Guess what: it’s true. Never settle for less, because you never know when you might be able to score a better deal with a much more capable contractor.
Remember the magic number – always get three estimates.
5. Relying too much on yourself
There’s a reason why some people are called “professionals” – they’re good at what they do, and they can work more efficiently than anybody without the same title.
It’s okay to do things yourself from time to time. But when it comes to renovation, sometimes it’s best to just leave it in the hands of someone who knows what he’s doing. He’ll do a better job, that’s for sure, and you’ll end up getting the better for it.
Home renovation is something you want to get right the first time. So follow these home renovation tips and avoid falling into the same pitfalls that had plagued many other families before.