Rethinking Renovation - 5 Handy Hints For the DIY Denizen

Renovating your property yourself is not only immensely satisfying, it can add a great amount of value to your home.

You can transform any space into your dream home, you’re limited only by your imagination and budget. Things may arise that detract you from your vision, but here are a few handy hints to help you overcome those. Overhauling your home can make your dreams come true or be your worst nightmare, here are some tips to navigate the unexpected to achieve the best result.

Do as much as you can yourself

Whatever you can physically (& and legally) do yourself, do it. Most of the cost of renovation is eaten up in large labour jobs. Source equipment from a company like Specialised Force and try to land free labour from people who owe you favours.

If you need to hire a professional for some jobs check out Airtasker, you can get someone qualified to do specialised jobs and pay a cheap hourly rate. Be aware that if issues arise and your timeline changes other workers may not be available straight away and you may be at the mercy of their schedule. Whenever you hire someone, even if it's someone you know, cover yourself by making sure you have a watertight contract.

Legalities

Inform yourself of all council permits/laws required whenever undertaking major work.

Ensure any skilled labour is carried out by qualified workers. If you don’t and something goes wrong in future you may not be covered by insurance.

Make sure anything like owner builder permits are granted before you begin. You don't want to be caught out by these things later on after work is completed. It can be extremely costly and inconvenient to have to redo work later on.

Planning

Plan every detail to death before you start any significant renovation.

Mistakes and changes pretty much come stock standard with construction, but stamp out as many of these as possible with a bit of forward thinking.

Organise all your jobs in logical sequence but be flexible enough to navigate around these if things change.

Thoroughly plan your spend in detail before you start, then leave some extra money aside. Work out if the money you spend on your improvements is a wise investment to avoid overcapitalising on your property.

Expect unexpected jobs to arise

Anticipate that you'll come across unforeseen jobs; termite treatment, dampness, mould, leaks, things that aren’t up to a legal standard, and more. These will add time and money onto your renovation but above all stress, which can hinder your enthusiasm and become a major road block.

Plans may need to change due to unpredicted circumstances, be resilient and try not to become disheartened when these issues arise, as they probably will!

Leave room to move

Factor budget blowouts and time extensions into your plans. You don’t want to be halfway through a project and run out of money if changes arise.

Don't organise anything for awhile after your renovation, because chances are it'll take longer than expected and you don't want to be pressured or rushed when renovating. Very rarely do renovations go to schedule. If you're forced to rush through things because you're held back by time constraints, you won't achieve your best potential result. 

Renovating can be tough but it's also rewarding, what you put into it you'll get back tenfold.

Keep these hints in mind and above all else keep your enthusiasm, which is you're driving force.

By improving your home you'll be delighted with the end results for many years to come, and reap the financial and personal rewards. If done correctly renovating can become addictive, be warned!