They say moving house is the most stressful thing you can do. Well a top-to-bottom home renovation can’t be too far behind! But with a bit of planning and some considered decision-making, you can avoid tearing your hair out while you’re tearing walls down.
There’s no escaping the fact that there’ll be hurdles to overcome while your home gets the facelift it deserves. But a renovation isn’t a race; it’s more of an obstacle course designed to test your sanity.
Stay put or move out?
Say you decide to move out prior to the process – consider your options carefully. Even the offer from your future parents-in-law. Staying with family rent-free while saving money is tempting, but a six-month stint in your other-half’s old bedroom could become more traumatic than the reno itself!
Perhaps in-laws aren’t an option. Consider renting a place close to your home on a short-let basis. There are loads of properties available at great rates on Airbnb nowadays, and you can negotiate even better deals for stays longer than a couple of weeks.
Drop down the dust sheets
If you can’t face the prospect of moving out, then you will find yourself waging a daily war on dust. Prepare your home as best you can for the impending renovation process. If you don’t fancy a regular session of lugging your furniture from room to room, it might make sense to rent some storage and keep things well out of harm’s reach.
Dust gets everywhere and there is no escaping it. But you can minimise it’s impact by taping down dust-sheets, and sealing doorways and staircases with polythene sheeting where you can. If possible ask you tradie to do any sanding outside, preferably downwind of your house.
Choose the right tradie
When it comes to selecting your tradie, don’t rush into the process. Doing some groundwork in the short-term will certainly pay-off in the long-term. Reputation, reviews and references carry a lot of weight in this industry, and remember – prevention is better than cure. And certainly a lot cheaper.
Going with the bargain-basement quote can be tempting but are you risking a major headache if you discover that corners have been cut down the line?
Communicate with your tradie
Before work gets under way you’ll want to build a good rapport with your tradie. Of course he or she will be determined to do the best possible job, but good lines of communication are vital to ensure that you’re both singing from the same hymn sheet.
Even if you’ve planned down to the smallest details, you can’t guarantee things won’t go without a hitch. If you have an issue with any work throughout the process, be sure to air your thoughts straight away. Don’t let your concerns fester. The sooner you can work any problems out, the better for all concerned.
A certain level of flexibility on both sides is key. Your builder will expect you to change your mind once or twice on certain issues but just make sure they are kept fully in the loop with any alterations to the plan.
Remember, these things take time
If the renovation looks like it’s going to take longer than originally planned, try not to panic. Sure it’s not ideal but good things come to those who wait.
A tradie takes pride in his work and if that means the job taking extra couple of days then so be it. You could even use it as an opportunity for a romantic getaway before returning, de-stressed, to your brand-new home.
–Owen Fulda is a content marketer at hipages.com.au, Australia’s number one site to hire tradies and the perfect place to get quotes for your home renovation.
