Where To Start Updating Your Home?
Buying a house that’s in need of some renovation can be a fantastic way to save on your asking price, and to put your own personalised stamp on the property. But if you invest in something that’s in need of serious attention, then the task can often feel overwhelming. On the other hand, you might have been living in a property for years, and have now decided that it’s due some major changes.
Renovation is something that millions of homeowners have at some point dealt with, and in the process they’ve learned some key lessons that you’ll want to bear in mind as you set about your own renovation.
Keep it Liveable
It may be that you’d like to rip everything out, including central heating and wiring, and start from scratch. For most homeowners, this option isn’t entirely viable. Living on a building site for a week can be a nuisance; living on one for months and years simply isn’t viable. Make sure that you’ve always got a basic standard of living, and that toilets, showers, and boilers work.
Start from a Strong Base
On the other hand, if you know that the utilities are in need of fundamental attention, then it’s worth sorting them out before you start putting down carpets or painting walls. If you know that the house will need to be rewired at some point in the next decade, then you might simply bite the bullet and invest. Similarly, any weaknesses in insulation and airtightness should be addressed, and any replacement boilers should be installed as soon as possible. The sooner these things are installed, the sooner they’ll be able to pay for themselves.
Compose a list
Once you’ve gotten an idea of what changes you’d like to make, it can be useful to go through each room in turn and make a list of those changes and what they’ll cost to implement. This will help you to make budgeting decisions. The order in which your work is carried out will depend on your priorities. If you don’t have a functioning kitchen, then it makes sense to move that to the top of your list. On the other hand, you might think about practical considerations. If you’re thinking of installing nice new flooring in the hallway, then it makes sense to do it after you’re renovated every other room in the house – that way you’ll avoid having dozens of tradespeople trampling across something you’d prefer to keep in pristine condition.
