When a home extension runs into trouble or has run over budget, it is because the homeowners have made some common mistakes. So here are the 10 extension or renovation mistakes to avoid.
When a home extension runs into trouble or has run over budget, it is because the homeowners have made some common mistakes. So here are the 10 extension or renovation mistakes to avoid.
Doing a house extension, a bathroom renovation or a kitchen renovation is a big decision. Making sure you avoid some or all of these mistakes will save you time and probably lots of money as well.
#1 Rushing the Design
You have decided to extend, refurbish or renovate and want to get started on it straight away. That is great to have that enthusiasm but rushing the design can cause untold problems during the build and in future years when you discover that you haven’t future-proofed your home for a growing family.
#2 Stick to your plans
The biggest mistake anybody can make is changing the plans once the project has started. It can add huge cost and huge stress to your life hence why we put not rushing the design as the number one mistake.
If you change the plans, you change the cost and the duration of the project and they are two of the biggest considerations in any renovation.
#3 Remember the Irish weather
We can’t have a conversation in Cork without talking about the Irish weather and it is the same for building conversations. If you are doing a lot of outside work on your extension or renovation then you have to consider the Irish weather. If you are currently living in the house, avoid renovations that could leave your home vulnerable to the worst of the winter weather.
#4 Do your homework on your builder
Making sure you have the right builder is hugely important. Don’t be afraid to ask for other clients’ names. Always ask for recommendations from other people as well. Remember this is your hard-earned cash going into your project and you want to make sure that the builder is trustworthy, and will complete the project on time and within the agreed budget.
You also need to ensure that the contractor is insured to carry out the work and what kind of warranties they offer. It is always a good idea to ask previous clients if they have been happy with the work carried out and the contractor.
#5 Get your builder’s work schedule
The work must cause the least disruption to your family life. If walls need to be demolished, it needs to be scheduled when you or your children or not in the house. If floors are being screeded best not to have children or pets around when that happens. If your builder hasn’t given you even a rough schedule of work, then consider another builder.
#6 Consider more storage
You can never have too much storage space! You can however leave yourself short of it if you don’t plan storage space properly. Make sure to ask your builder or architect to add plenty of storage space.
#7 Build within your budget
If you agree on a budget with your builder, then stick to it and get the builder to stick to it. The devil is in the detail when it comes to budgets and plans and again it goes back to mistake number one. Don’t rush into the plan. There are nearly always going to be unforeseen problems so make sure that your budget is slightly less than your bank balance so you can cover any contingency costs.
