Not a lot of people get a chance to improve their property. So when the opportunity comes, you must not waste it by committing serious and costly mistakes.

Don’t underestimate the project. You can afford to go shopping without a list, but don’t do the same thing when renovating your property. Every task must be listed down along with estimates so that everything will be accounted for. You should also set a realistic timeframe with room for adjustments, just in case the project will run longer than expected.

Don’t start the work without knowing exactly what you want done. Two main factors could leave serious repercussions during renovations: (1) not knowing what to improve and (2) improving too much. In both cases, you could end up wasting time and money, and your house could look worse than before. To this end, follow Step 1 and be very detailed about everything.

I want…

• Glass display cabinets.
• Garden sheds that are small enough to fit the lawn, but sturdy enough.
• Carpet for the living room and bedroom, laminate for the hallway and mosaic tiles for the bathroom.
• Energy-efficient windows all over the house.
• Rattan furniture for my patio.
• Don’t pass on hiring contractors. Sure, some tasks are easy and cheap enough, but the wrong move will cost you time and money. If you’re not confident about your handyman skills, you should leave the work to professionals then.

What’s great about hiring trades people is that quality work is guaranteed, especially if you hire from a reputable company.

Don’t ignore the small details. What happens when you don’t turn water off when the kitchen and bathroom is renovated? Pipes can burst that can lead to flooding. What happens when the work is carried out from the top to bottom? New floors can be stained with paint or scuffed when a hammer drops while the ceiling is fixed. What happens if you don’t cover furniture items while interior makeover is underway? They can get dusty or, worse, ruined beyond repair.

As you can see, such tiny details can lead to big and expensive problems. This is why you shouldn’t ignore any of them.

Don’t upgrade inconsistently. To get more returns on your home improvement project, you should upgrade evenly. Don’t focus all your attention on the kitchen and then leave the rest of the house untouched. If you made drastic changes, the cooking area can look like a part of a quilt that has been patched up. It may stand out, but for the wrong reasons.

Don’t start work without acquiring permits. No matter how small the job is, you must check if building permits are required. Even if a project finishes without you being apprehended, appraisers and lenders will leave out the unauthorised addition or upgrade when evaluating your home’s value. In the end, the changes you made amount to nothing.

By avoiding these mistakes, home renovation will go with as little hitch as possible.