Planning a Home Renovation or DIY Project? The Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start

Renovation

The dark nights are starting to get darker earlier and more people tend to stay in at this time of year. I’m not sure whether it is because of the cooler weather or because they are busy planning renovations to their home! From smaller projects like replacing doors and getting new windows. To larger things like knocking down walls or building and extension. But before you start to do any kind of major renovations, there are some questions that you need to ask.

Do you need permission?

For a lot of us, building an extension will need some planning permission. So it is a good idea to have some plans drawn up. Then as soon as you can, you need to think about checking that out. It might be local councils or property chains that you need to check with. So don’t start anything until you know if you can go ahead. It would be a nightmare to start building only to be told that you can’t carry on.

Do you need help?

One of the next questions to ask yourself is if you need help. If it is a larger scale renovation, then the chances are that you might. You might need to recruit an architect and a builder to design the plans. Then a team that will do the work, unless you will do it yourselves. You might need a plumber or plumbing team to come in when it comes to heating solutions. It is skilled work and harder to just do yourself. You might want to do the painting and decorating yourself. If not, that is another person to research into. Make sure you check reviews, for sure. Going on personal recommendations is a fantastic idea too. So if any friends have had some work done recently, check who they employed and if they were pleased with the work.

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How will you be financing it?

If it is a smaller renovation or just a bit of DIY, you might have the money saved up to pay for it. If you don’t, then looking at a budget or ways to finance it is key. Will you be borrowing money, or putting together a savings plan? There are several low interest loans that you could take out. But look at what money you have spare each month. You don’t want to get into debt, just to have a conservatory, for example. If you are homeowners, then you could always remortgage your home, to free up some cash. Releasing equity from your home is a fairly safe way to borrow. You just need to remember that long term, it will probably lead to paying more interest.

What is the time frame?

Are you looking to get a quick room painted over a weekend? If it is a bigger project, how long do you envision it will take? If you are doing a lot of the work yourself, it is so important to have a time frame. Otherwise, things just get in the way and it could take a long time. Having a plan and sticking to it, is the key to getting projects finished on time, as well as within budget.

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