6 home remodelling tips to keep you on time and under budget

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Taking on a remodelling or renovation project is a massive task and one that is fraught with issues, the most pertinent of which is usually the associated cost! Ask any professional builder and they'll tell you that the biggest bugbear of clients is when a project runs over the expected timeframe and costs significantly more money, so wouldn't it be handy to know how you can prevent these things happening? We've taken a look at the most common causes of delays and unexpected expense during renovation projects and have put together this handy article for you, so if you're on the precipice of beginning a new undertaking, read on and make sure you account for all these potential problems!

1. Don't underestimate a small extension.

A small home extension can end up being just as costly as a larger one, once machinery hire, design and materials are taken into account, so don't go thinking that a modest kitchen extension will cost you a lot less than a drastically bigger project! If you are considering something small in the hope of saving some money, but you know that you might need to further extend later, wouldn't it be better to simply save up for longer and get it all done in one hit?

2. Don't rush the planning stage.

Whatever you do, don't try to push the planning stage to be completed before time, as this will only ever lead to construction issues. Save yourself time and headaches by being really thorough when designing everything and if you can, agree a fixed price with your architect, so you don't try to save an hour or two here and there!

3. Understand the necessary permits.

Before you start a remodelling project, you'll need to check all the zoning and construction regulations in your neighbourhood, especially if you know that you'll need large vehicles to have unrestricted access. It's never worth risking a project before you check the permits, as undoing all your hard work will be costly and a waste of time!

4. Resist the urge to totally change your home.

If you start out with modest remodelling plans that quickly start to get out of hand, it might be better to simply consider a different house! Remember that you'll need to be able to recoup the cost of building works in the saleable price of your property and if you know you won't be able to, a different house might be the way to go!

5. Don't have unrealistic timeframes.

Remodelling is ALWAYS a slow process, so don't try rush it. If you attempt to place stringent timeframes on your construction team, you'll probably risk the good relationship you have or worse still, have to compromise on the finished standards! Ask your builders for a reasonable guestimation of how long they'll need and build in a contingency of a few extra weeks, to avoid disappointment.

6. Maintain good relations with your construction team.

Always try to maintain an open and honest relationship with your design and construction teams, so that if anything unexpected crops up, everybody knows where they stand and can come to an agreement as to how to solve the issue. If you're unapproachable and hard to work for, your project will feel never-ending, for everyone involved!

For more construction advice, take a look at this Ideabook: Buying vs Building: A comprehensive house guide.

Are you feeling ready to take on a renovation now?

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