The summer months are winging their way ever closer, at long last spelling an end to the long, cold, and dreary days of the winter period. Summer is a season for activity and progress, especially so when it comes to the improvement of one’s home; in recent years, interest in outdoor-related renovations has increased by 60% amongst homeowners.
If you’re intending to capitalize on the sunshine to improve your home, you may be wondering where to start. The following tips can help you define your aims, and consolidate your ideas into a cohesive renovation plan.
Planning
Every successful home renovation project begins with a plan. You may already have a vague idea of the kinds of changes you’d like to make to your home for the summer, but now is the time to focus on exactly what you’d like done. You might be after a simple re-decoration of your living room to suit the brighter days; alternatively, you might be looking at gutting your kitchen or bathroom and starting from scratch. Either way, you will need to consider the timescale for your renovation work, and your budget – accounting for potential labor costs, and the relatively inflated price of materials due to shortages the previous year.
Equipment
Another thing you should account for within your project budget is the acquisition of tools. We’ll be discussing the merits of DIY versus hiring professional contractors shortly, but even if you are intending to go down the contractor route, having the right tools to hand can make all the difference. Choose your tools carefully for the tasks at hand. For example, if you’re building stud walls, be sure to purchase a set of Milwaukee drills for working with wood – or, for bathroom or backsplash tiling, a set of miter saws and jigs can come in handy.
DIY or Contractor?
At this point, you may be wondering to what extent you could carry out the renovations by yourself. Depending on the kinds of projects your renovation plans include, DIY can be a great way to achieve quality results without breaking the bank. However, some tasks are best left to professionals – especially those requiring structural work or industry expertise.
Ultimately, there is no single answer as to how much you should lean on professional contractors; each home renovation is different, with different budgetary concerns and levels of expertise required to achieve desired results. If you do decide to hire a contractor, you should not hire a team ‘cold’. That is, you should only hire professionals with a proven track record or a positive review from someone you trust.
When to Renovate
Lastly, your general timescale for completion of renovation work will need to be planned around a number of factors, from contractor schedules to your availability and even the weather itself. Your renovations might include plans to build a conservatory, for which warmer and dryer weather can make things significantly easier. You will also need to plan for alternative accommodation, in the event that renovations require access to sleeping spaces.
