14 Home Renovation Mistakes You Must Avoid

If you want to transform a worn, tired property into a beautiful home you’re proud to call your own, you might need to invest both time and money into a refurbishment. Unfortunately, many homeowners can make some big gaffes that can make their dream a living nightmare. To ensure you don’t follow in their footsteps, here are 14 home renovation mistakes you must avoid.

1. Buying Cheap Materials

While you might want to stick to a home renovation budget, you should not compromise on quality to refurbish a property. You get what you pay for, so if you buy cheap materials then you can expect a poor end-result. If you can’t afford to buy higher quality materials, wait until you can.

2. Setting an Unrealistic Budget

It’s common for homeowners to underestimate the cost of a large-scale home renovation project. For instance, they might not realize how expensive labor or materials might be, or they might not budget for unexpected issues. Unfortunately, this could lead to you pausing the renovation project until you have topped your funds. So, set a realistic, flexible budget to ensure you can complete the renovation with ease.

3. Not Measuring Twice

Even a half an inch difference can make a big difference to a home renovation. Measure everything twice, such as the dimensions of a room, sofa, window, or kitchen. If your dimensions are wrong, you will not be able to achieve your desired design and impact.

4. Gutting the Whole Property

A home renovation project doesn’t mean gutting every inch of the property, which could waste your time and money. It’s vital you carefully review the building to identify what does or doesn’t need changing, as you might be able to work with some of the areas within the property. If you don’t start off with a carefully thought out plan, you could make some big mistakes that may make you feel overwhelmed with the project.

5. Not Hiring a Professional

Don’t start hammering away at your walls or pulling out toilets and basins. It’s important to receive professional advice, as you could hit a pipe or electrical line within the property. If you plan to renovate a bathroom or kitchen, never attempt to remove or install pipes by yourself if you have little or zero professional experience. Instead, hire a professional plumbers Denver service to effectively transform your bathroom.

6. Failing to Update an Electrical System

Many renovators forget about the electrics during the refurbishment process or choose to ignore it because it can be costly. Yet you must walk through the property with a qualified electrician to ensure everything meets health and safety standards. If it does, you can then focus on installing more two or three-prong outlets to modernize your home.

7. Ignoring the Importance of Lighting

One big mistake homeowners can make when attempting a home renovation project is ignoring the importance of lighting. Carefully consider the three main varieties of lighting: natural lighting, accent lighting, and general lighting. You need a combination of all three to create a beautiful design, which can create the perfect ambiance within the property.

8. Not Considering Onsite Safety

Personal safety is paramount from start to finish on a home renovation project. Never compromise on your health and safety to make alterations to a property. For example, you should always wear a hard hat, as well as goggles to protect your eyes, ear protection for excessive noise, and gloves to protect your hands from nails and splinters. A good set of boots with a steel toe will also serve you well, as they will protect your feet from falling objects or sharp items, such as rogue nails. Also, keep a fully-stocked first aid kit on site should you experience an accident or injury.

9. Following Home Design Trends

Trendy does not mean modern. Don’t fall in love with the latest style fads when redesigning your home, as trendy simply means short term. You will want to create a property that will stand the test of time, so avoid the latest, hottest items or designs to create a property you’ll love with each passing decade.

10. Incorrectly Storing Materials

Incorrectly storing tools and materials can cost you both time and money. If you want to ensure the longevity of every item, you must store all items in a cool, dry place inside the property, so they’ll work just as well as the first time when you pick them up.

11. Selecting the Wrong Windows

Windows can be rather expensive, so you will not want to make a bad choice. You also should never skimp on quality to boost your budget, as the low quality will negatively impact both your exterior and interior. So, carefully think about the best windows for your home to ensure they stand out for the right reasons.

12. Contrasting the Home’s Style

If you want to create an effortless and beautiful home, you must consider the home’s style. For example, you would want to create an interior design that would complement a traditionally-designed Spanish home, which will ooze style and authenticity. Renovate the home while highlighting the property’s original design.

13. Working without a Permit

It doesn’t matter if you own the property or not, you must obtain a work permit to make significant changes to the building. If you don’t, you could be ordered to restore the property to its original design, which could mean knocking down walls or removing extensions. Always secure a work permit before you make any big changes.

14. Not Considering the Neighborhood

Do your homework on the average value of properties across your neighborhood. For instance, if most properties have a market value of $100,000 and you spend an additional $100,000 on a renovation project, you’ll own a $200,000 property in a $100,000 neighborhood, which could make it difficult to sell your home, or it could reduce its market value. So, you may need to reduce your property’s price to sell your home in the future.