Renovating your home can breathe new life into your property and in turn, increase its value. However, without proper planning, renovations can become a source of stress and overspending. Here we provide homeowners with strategic advice on how to approach home renovations, including what rooms to start with, how to schedule renovations to match seasonal and family needs, and tips for saving money throughout the process.

1. Prioritising Rooms: Where to Begin

Kitchens and Bathrooms: Phase your internal renovations by necessity and complexity. Start with the rooms that are critical to the day-to-day comfort and household requirements of you and your family, and that monopolise the larger part of the renovation budget. For many, this is typically the kitchen and bathroom(s).

Kitchens and bathrooms tend to be more complex to renovate and can take longer to complete, so starting early and having these facilities finished and accessible before commencing work on other rooms is key.

Due to extra costs and complications that can arise with kitchen and bathroom renovations, it’s prudent to complete these projects first in the interest of budgeting too, in case your projected expenditure is exceeded. This means that should you overspend and need to postpone work on bedrooms and other living areas, at least you will have completed a significant piece of the project and have access to the main facilities in your home.

If your renovation includes multiple bathrooms, renovate them one at a time to ensure you always have access to essential facilities.

Living Areas: After kitchens and bathrooms, focus on living rooms, lounges and other communal spaces. These are high-traffic areas where you spend a lot of time and where cosmetic upgrades like new flooring, lighting, or built-in cabinets can make a substantial difference without requiring extensive structural work.

Bedrooms and Hallways: Last of all, work your way through bedrooms and hallways, completing one area at a time so that furniture can be moved/rotated through unaffected rooms while work is completed. Bedrooms and hallway renovations typically pose the least disruption to your daily life and are often at the lower end of the expense scale for upgrades.

2. Phasing Your Renovations

Match Renovations with Seasons: Schedule your renovations to suit seasonal conditions. For example, plan any exterior work, such as painting or roof repairs, for dryer months to avoid delays due to weather. Similarly, if you’re adding insulation or upgrading heating systems, aim to complete these projects before winter to maximise comfort and energy efficiency.

Family Scheduling: Consider your family’s schedule. If you have school-age children, it might be best to plan larger renovation tasks during the holidays when daily routines are less likely to be disrupted.

Council Regulations and Permits: Check local building codes and secure necessary permits well in advance. Renovation projects often require approval from local authorities, especially for structural changes or additions. Understanding these requirements early on can help you schedule your renovations to align with the time it takes to process these permits, ensuring that all work is compliant and can proceed on time without any hold-ups.

3. Cost-Saving Strategies

Do Some Work Yourself: While DIY isn't for everyone, taking on some of the work yourself can significantly cut costs. Simple tasks like demolition, painting, or installing fixtures can be done without professional help if you have the skills and confidence.

Reuse and Recycle: Look for opportunities to reuse materials or buy second hand. Salvaged wood, repurposed furniture, or leftover tiles can add unique charm to your space while also being eco-friendly and cost effective.

Shop Around: Get multiple quotes for any work you can't do yourself, and don’t shy away from negotiating with contractors. Also, shop around for materials and take advantage of sales or bulk-buy discounts.

Plan and Budget: Detailed planning and a well-defined budget are your best defences against overspending. Use spreadsheets to track expenses and update your budget as the project progresses. Always include a contingency of at least 10-15% for unexpected costs.

Many people end up over-spending due to one of three reasons: Insufficient planning that didn’t account for all expenses and work required for the renovation, miscommunications with their contractors and deviating from their initial budget to include more expensive fixtures or materials. Intensive planning combined with strict adherence to the prices you set out for materials and fixtures will help to ensure you don’t overspend during a renovation project.

Renovating your home is an exciting journey that can improve both the functionality and aesthetics of your living space and increase the resale value of your home. By prioritising rooms, scheduling wisely around seasons and family commitments, and cutting on costs where possible, you can ensure that your renovation enhances your home without becoming a source of major stress and financial difficulty. 

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