Creating a plan to get MORE from your renovation

HOME RENOVATION TRUTHS

Delighted to be a recently interviewed by estate agent, Clare Connolly of Clare Connolly Estates for her “All Under One Roof” monthly video series. During this interview, we discussed various topics surrounding trends and patterns emerging since Covid-19 and also shared some tips on how to plan a renovation.

Here is the link to our video interview.

Let’s face it, embarking on a home renovation project can be daunting and it can be tricky to know where to even begin this process.

The harsh reality is that renovations can be stressful and that they can cause a certain level of upheaval to your normal day-to-day routine and lifestyle. In our opinion, renovations require a certain amount of gusto and energy to drive them forward but the ultimate reward is the finished space(s) - for you and your family to relish and enjoy for many years.

There can be so much to think about, and plan and it can often feel overwhelming and understandably tempting to put off for another day.

From our experience, we know that with any renovation, with careful planning and working with great people, that there is no reason why your renovation should not run smoothly. Ideally, you should achieve the end result that you were dreaming of, with minimum stress and enjoy the process.

Our top 10 tips - How to plan your renovation

1. All hands-on deck

Get everyone in the home involved with your renovation plan.  It is okay to dream, so get each family member to create a wish list for the areas of the home or garden that they would like to improve. Consider how you currently use your home and what changes might help improve it’s funtion and your quality of life.

What will help with this is asking what is perhaps not working well in the existing home or garden.  For example, it may be your utility space or lack of same that is driving you crazy.  Ask if there is anything in the home that you love or that works well as this should be noted and factored into the overall scheme of things.

2. The brief

Compare and cross check these wish lists and then compile them into one master document - “the brief”, taking everything into account and evaluating all - with as much detail as possible. Documenting these aspects on a room by room basis and under the headings of exterior front, side and rear may prove helpful.

3. Budget wisdom

Next is the reality check!  What is your home renovation BUDGET? How much have you available in savings to allocate to your renovation project or how much can you afford to finance? Financing can take time, so ideally start this process as early as you can.  Every project will require some form of a contingency (5%-10%), so ensure that you have factored this aspect into your budget?

If you are struggling to understand what your budget might achieve – you may require some help at this stage. This is totally understandable as it can be extremely difficult for homeowners to know how much is a renovation going to cost?.

4. Priorities matter

The next step is to prioritise each of the wish list items based on your budget.  You could colour code these areas for example high priority (in red), medium (in blue) and low (in yellow).  To effectively prioritise it is most important that you have a good understanding of the actual renovation process – so the order in which each stage should be tackled and when.

Whist online platforms can provide us with an abundance of information in this regard, it will prove difficult to come up with this exact information, specific to your home, so if you are grappling with this area - you should reach out to a professional. 

5. Energy focused

With any renovation you should be mindful and aim at making your home more sustainable, so basically improving the energy efficiency of your home (by lowering your energy bills, making your home more cosy and comfortable and by reducing your harmful greenhouse gas emissions). Attic insulation, wall insulation and window and door upgrades being the key areas of focus. 

6. Future planning

You should consider future-proofing your home depending on what stage of life you and your family are at. For example, planning a separate space for teenagers (a snug) or a larger bathroom or a more accessible downstairs bedroom with en-suite or functional home office. You might find one of our previous blogs featured on RTE useful https://www.placelift.ie/blog/2017/8/16/future-proofing-your-home-to-suit-your-life-stages

7. Inspirational fun

Without a doubt this can be the most exciting part of the process. What’s not to love about gatering jaw-droppingly gorgeous images and hoping that your home will resemble these at the end of the renovation process. Gathering inspirational images or creating mood boards or Pinterest boards of what you are hoping your dream space will look like is always useful at the start of the renoation process and your brief.

8. Logical timing

Think about when you would like to renovate (it may depend on the builder’s schedule, but you may be able to plan for a more suitable time of year, it allows).  Also consider if you will need to vacate your home for the renovation and what might be the alternative accommodation and cost of same (as will need to be included in your budget)..

9. Planning matters

If you think you may require planning permission, it is always best to discuss this with a qualified professional and consider checking in with your local authority.

10. More haste, less speed

A renovation should never be rushed. By taking your time and putting the effort into the planning process will most certainly pay off in the long run - you will not regret it!

The focus always should be on balancing your needs, wants and your budget - which is no mean feat!

THE MAIN FOCUS IS BALANCING YOUR NEEDS, WANTS AND YOUR BUDGET

When planning, you will probably progress so far and then possibly hit a wall. You may require some help and advice from a professional to help you through to the next stage(s). If you find that you are struggling, please reach out for a chat with us and we will do our best to help you with the planning of your home renovation - just get in touch via our contact form.