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It can be exciting when undertaking a significant DIY renovation project in your home, but there are many things to do and consider before you start. Taking time to plan the task correctly will help ensure you do a fantastic job and are 100% satisfied with the results.
Whether you are experienced at DIY or a novice, the process is the same, and the more work you put into the planning and preparation of your project, the easier it will be to ensure you do a fantastic job.
Below are some things you must do before undertaking your renovation project, which can help you plan your venture and turn your house into a loving home.
What's Inside
Define Your Goals
Your priority you have before you undertake your home renovation project is to define your goals and know what you want to achieve. You may want to change the layout of your downstairs, make your home look more presentable, or install a new kitchen.
Whatever you want to do in your home, clearly defining your goals will make the task much easier and allow you to create a road map of the work you must complete.
Set a Suitable Budget
The next step is to determine how much you can afford to spend on your project and set a suitable budget to cover the work you will do. It is common with building and renovation projects for unexpected circumstances to arise, requiring additional funds to rectify.
As such, ensure a contingency is available to cover these unforeseen circumstances and ensure they do not derail your home renovation project.
Create Detailed Plans
You will also need to have detailed plans of the work you are carrying out, and if making structural changes to your property, you may need to have these approved before starting. You will need to have architectural plans drawn for the work and apply for planning permission if altering the footprint of your home and building an extension.
Once you have taken care of the paperwork, if needed, you can start moving on to getting everything ready to begin your DIY project.
Create Stages for Your Project
You can start breaking up the job into different stages, making it easier to ensure you have everything you need to complete your project. Doing this will also make it less daunting for you and help make the project seem much more achievable.
You can list all the tools, equipment, and materials you will require for your home renovation, allowing you to create a shopping list of everything you need before you start shopping for supplies.
Making a Shopping List
You want to use a spreadsheet to help you make your shopping list, making it easier to compare suppliers for the things you need, such as rendering tools. List each item you need in a separate tab on your spreadsheet, and work through each stage of your project so you include everything in your list.
Once you have finished compiling your shopping list, you can start looking for the best prices for everything you must buy.
Shopping for Supplies
You can now start looking online for suppliers of everything you will need, and you will often get the best price from online retailers rather than a brick-and-mortar store. However, you do need to compare lots of retailers, as you will find the price of the products you want to buy can vary quite drastically.
You also want to look at the delivery charges each one has, which can significantly increase the cost of what you buy when using multiple suppliers.
List the top three or four suppliers for each product in your spreadsheet, including website details, unit price, lead time, delivery charges, and any discount available. You must do this for each item on your shopping list, and once complete, you can see the best option for each item.
It is sometimes better to pay a little more per unit for what you are buying so you can get multiple items from one supplier, reducing the delivery charges and helping you to stay on budget. Once you have everything you need, you can start preparing yourself for the project and ensure you have the required skills you will need.
Brushing up on Your Skills
If you will be doing work that you have no previous experience doing, brushing up on your DIY skills and watching tutorial videos is an excellent idea before you get underway. You can use platforms and websites like YouTube, where many videos are available to teach you DIY tips and tricks from professionals.
It will give you the confidence to ensure you do a fantastic job on your home renovation. Once you are happy and confident, you can start your project, and ensure you take your time and do not rush. With patience, hard work, and newly acquired skills, you can ensure your house looks amazing and transforms into a beautiful family home.
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