So you finally got tired of the look and feel of your house, but instead of going on the market to buy a new home, you want to save money and rather give your home a facelift; upgrade it to modern standards. That’s a very great idea. If it’s your first time, you might be too excited about it and make some costly mistakes. Here are a few tips to renovating your home without the mistakes:

1. Good preparation

   Proper renovation takes preparation: a whole lot of it. You should draw up a detailed plan indicating what supplies and services are required, how much they will cost and time frames for completing each different aspect. This will keep you on budget and keep you on time as well. If you’re working with a contractor, be sure to agree on the specifics of the renovation before the work begins, and as always, get everything in writing. A good preparation means you should be able to track your renovation on paper and see details of how it will progress even before the work begins.

2. Acknowledge issues as they come up

   Not every eventuality is likely to be covered in your plan, no matter how diligent you are in drawing it up. During renovation or remodelling, you have to tear down in order to rebuild. When you break down walls or remove old flooring to replace, there’s a good chance you’re going to create problems or discover some problems you were unaware of or were not expecting, especially in an older home. Faults in your plumbing and electrical issues need to be dealt with before you seal up the walls and floors again. They might be unforeseen expenses, but as with any construction project, that is not so out of place. However, that extra cost is sure to save you tons of money in the long run.

3. Priority: Buying before planning

   Never ever start the renovation or remodelling process by buying materials before drawing up your plan regarding it. No matter how tempting the circumstances, refrain from buying appliances and materials until your renovation is planned out and all measurements have been taken. Time-bound sales deals can be tempting, but that great deal on that brand new 4-burner oven with automatic fire-extinguishing technology isn’t going to save you any money if you only have room for your older, much smaller oven. If you don’t plan first, you might find yourself with items you know are useful but which, together, make your home look worse than before. Something as little as a different-coloured kitchen cabinet could upset the entire look and feel of that part of the house when you’re done. Make sure you plan first and buy materials next according to the plan.

4. Cutting corners

   

   Do not cut corners. Similar to ignoring issues, cutting corners on materials or finishes or using inferior products is only going to cause you tremendous headache in the future. It’s always better to tough it out and dip deep into your savings so you can afford do it right the first time. That will save you from having to go back to renovate your renovation. Hire competent people to do the job, buy quality materials and take the time to complete all the necessary steps according to standard practices. Also, ensure that for electrical and plumbing jobs, you only hire people who follow the standards of the Electricity Company (ECG) and Water Company (GWCL) respectively.

5. Know when not to DIY

   As a home owner it is natural for you to love your home and want to be involved in all aspects of its remodelling, but it stops being cute very fast when you try to perform some renovation tasks you are inadequately skilled for. You might be highly skilled in DIY projects like assembling furniture, your second baby’s crib, fixing your exercise bike’s chain, etc., but there comes a time in the renovation process, when it’s best to step aside and let the professionals do the breaking down and reassembling. Complicated tile work, cabinet installations, plumbing and carpentry projects are beyond the capability of most home owners (no matter how confident they are in their abilities) and can greatly reduce the value of your home if performed incorrectly. If you really must be involved, restrict it to supervising and instructing the workmen on exactly how you want it done – it’s the most fun part, when done right!