3 Steps to Success in Home Renovation

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Ad {collbaorative} No matter what sort of budget you have available, when it comes to renovating your home, costs can quickly spiral out of control. Often on starting building works, unexpected problems can be encountered that raise the project cost. Or quite often, you'll decide in the moment not to economise on things and end up blowing the budget. Whether you're planning a full Grand Designs style project or simply giving your garden a bit of a makeover, if you don't watch the budget carefully it can quickly get left behind. However, with some careful planning, it is possible to create the home of your dreams and not get sunk into debt.

Set Your Budget

You'd be amazed how many people go into a project with only a hazy idea of what the budget is and this is a recipe for disaster. Whether you have a few hundred to spend on freshening up one room, or you're going big and splashing tens of thousands, you need to know exactly what you have to spend. Start with a fixed amount in mind and let that guide the choices you have to make in terms of design. It's a much better option than falling in love with some home inspiration boards on Pinterest only to find you won't be able to afford that option without racking up huge amounts of debt. Your budget gives you a framework to contain and channel your ideas so that you get something you won't come to regret in the future. Use a home renovation budget planner tool to get started and think through all the costs that you may encounter along the way. From flooring to cabinet hardware, countertops, appliances, contractor costs and more, list it all out. Having a budget allows you to compare costs and make adjustments- in some areas you may decide to compromise and find a more cost effective option, others it may be worth going all out - but if you don't have a categorised budget then it it's hard to really make choices. With money arrangements in place, you can gather inspiration for your project.  Remember to factor in some contingency money to cover unexpected expenses - this should be from 10 to 20 per cent of the total.

Take It Slow

Try not to rush into anything when it comes to projects around the home. It's often a good idea to wait and save up rather than relying on a loan to pay for your works, as this can both save a lot of wasted money in interest payments and give you much-needed breathing space to sense-check your decisions before carrying anything out. Making many great, cohesive design decisions at once can be hard, and often you get the feel and flow of a space much better once you've lived in it for a while.

Get Inspired

With money arrangements in place, you can gather inspiration for your project. Say you're planning a garden makeover. It would be a great idea to curate a Pinterest board full of garden design ideas that speak to you, visit public gardens to see ideas which could be translated to your own outdoor space, and go to sites like https://www.bellplantation.co.uk/ to see what you could do with the right materials.