When it comes to renovating your house, many people choose to start in the fall. This is when the kids are heading back to school, and it’s also the perfect time to begin preparing for the upcoming holiday season, when family and friends will be visiting. To help you avoid common pitfalls during your renovation, here is a list of the top 10 mistakes to steer clear of.
1. Purchasing Cheap Materials For Renovating Your House
While it’s tempting to buy less expensive materials when budgeting for a renovation, you should be cautious about cutting costs too much. Choosing cheaper alternatives or cutting corners may save money upfront but can have long-term consequences.
Reducing costs on key materials can impact the overall quality and longevity of your design. For instance, skimping on high-end elements like marble tiles, built-in cabinetry, or kitchen backsplashes could result in costly repairs or replacements down the road. It’s important to invest in durable materials, especially for features that need to stand the test of time, such as hardwood flooring and solid cabinet construction.
2. Renovating Your House: Neglecting the Natural Style of Your House
When renovating, it’s important to respect the natural architecture of your home. While you can incorporate your personal style, drastic changes that don’t blend with the home’s original character can look out of place.
For example, turning a Southern Plantation-style home into a modern New York City penthouse might be a challenge. Instead, hire an interior designer who can help blend your desired design elements with the existing style of the house, creating a cohesive and visually appealing result.
3. Renovating Your House: Failing to Measure Twice
Whether you’re ordering new hardwood flooring or painting a wall, always measure twice. This is crucial when buying custom products or materials with minimum order requirements.
Double-checking measurements helps prevent costly mistakes and unnecessary setup fees. If you’re purchasing flooring, don’t forget to account for a cutting allowance, which is typically 10%, depending on the material and its quality.
4. Renovating Your House: Inappropriate Space Planning
Space planning plays a crucial role in home renovation, as it helps layout your furniture and define your rooms. This way, you can fully utilize your new space. You might keep it simple by defining the location and size of your billiard table or kitchen island, or you can make it more dramatic by planning a complete layout for an open floor plan.
5. Renovating Your House: Attempting to Do Everything DIY
Undoubtedly, some tasks can be accomplished by DIY enthusiasts, such as light wood staining, moving furniture, hanging wallpaper, or painting walls. These can help save money and reduce the overall renovation budget.
However, some projects are better left to professionals. Critical tasks like roofing, plumbing, electrical work, and structural changes can be dangerous if not done correctly. If these tasks are mishandled, they could lead to more costly problems down the road.
6. Renovating Your House: Be Timeless Rather Than Just Trendy
Many homeowners prefer trendy home décor because it looks nice at the moment—think mint green appliances, entryway chalkboards, or shag carpet. However, you should ask yourself if these elements will stand the test of time and remain stylish in the future.
While wall colors and furniture can follow trends, larger elements like hard surfaces, non-painted walls, kitchen cabinets, and wood floors should be selected with longevity in mind, ensuring they remain in style for years to come.
7. Not Using Green Products
In the past, green building products were expensive, which led many homeowners to avoid them. However, today, green products are available at a wide range of price points. Using green building products is an excellent way to reduce your eco-footprint while minimizing the costs of running your home.
For example, water preservation and collection systems can help reduce water usage. To cut electricity costs, consider harnessing solar energy through solar panels. Depending on your location, eco-friendly insulation can even help keep your home warmer or cooler.
8. Anticipating That Everything Will Go Smoothly
When planning your home renovation, the best thing you can do for yourself is to assume it won’t go as smoothly or easily as expected. In fact, some people end up planning until the last day when the project is finally over, including other elements related to the project. Planning for the worst while hoping for the best can reduce your stress and make your home renovation more fun and enjoyable.
9. Choosing Incorrect Architectural Elements
Floors, doors, and windows are generally the most popular architectural elements for home renovations. Keep in mind that these are difficult to replace down the road, so it’s wise to invest in quality.
When selecting windows, choose high-quality styles that suit both the interior and exterior of your house. They should be accessible, functional, and work well with natural lighting. Thanks to modern technology, efficient, high-quality windows are now available.
For doors, opt for something that’s not only stylish but functional as well. Choose a door that is wide enough to accommodate traffic, especially if it’s for the main entry. Like windows, ensure the doors are sturdy and efficient. When choosing flooring, consider the environment it will be exposed to and where it will be installed.
10. Underestimating Your Budget
There’s a specific equation you should follow to ensure you set the right budget for your home renovation. Two factors are crucial. First, consider the space you’re remodeling. Invest in renovations that add value to your home, but don’t spend so much that it’s out of sync with the value of your neighborhood.
You can get help from your builder or designer when setting your budget. Be sure to include essential elements that bring more value to your space. For example, selecting the right wood floors and cabinets offers more long-term value than the sink and cabinet hardware, which can be easily updated later on.
Oak Creek Builders can help with your home renovation. In addition to renovations, we also offer construction framing, pre-construction consulting, and new construction. Let us help you accomplish your dreams. Contact us at 903-271-9058 or email us at emily@ocbtexas.com.
