How To Plan Home Renovations
Top Six Tips On How To Plan Home Renovations With A Building Company
artur84
When it comes to adding value to your home, home improvements are the way to do it. Whether major or minor, these improvements can cover a wide range of different aspects to your home. For example, you can improve your home by taking on projects on your own, such as painting walls, laying new carpets, replacing and installing windows or putting down brand new tiles on the floor of the bathroom. But the most valuable way to improve your home is through major projects, some of which may require professional help. For example, if you desire to add an extension to your home, unless you are knowledgeable about structural building, you will likely require the services of a home renovations building company.
However, even this is not a simple task as organisation and planning must go into the process of working with a building company. So here are six top tips to work with a home renovations building company.
1. Before you hire a building company there are preliminary steps you should take. One of them is to assess the value of your house.
Ask yourself these questions: What is your home worth? What value are you seeking? What home improvements can you do that will increase the value of your home to the value you desire?
To determine the value of your home, you’ll need to hire a professional home inspector. This is a person who is qualified to check your home, assess what you have and come up with a determination. Alternatively, the Auckland City Council has recently published the rateable valuations for all properties in the region so you can get an indication here. But be clear that rateable value is not the same a market value.
2. After you’ve had your home inspected, and you know what value your home is and what value you are hoping to achieve, you will need to determine your budget. You may want to completely overhaul your kitchen, for example. But kitchen renovations can be expensive depending on what you want. Also, you might need to arrange finance especially for a bigger project so talk to your bank about a possible increase in your mortgage.
Are you able to go top-of-the-line and hire a building company for all of your needs? In this case you will pay for not only supplies but also labour. Or, are there projects that you will need to do yourself?
3. Another preliminary step you must take is to determine how long you plan to live in your home. A major home improvement will increase the value of your home, but is it worth it to spend the money if you are not going to be living in the house for long?
What are your goals? Are you improving the home solely for resale value? If so, are all of the improvements you want for your home necessary to sell the home?
4. If you have decided to take on major projects or if the building company will do them for you, chances are you will need the necessary permits. If you want to build a garage or build an addition bedroom, for examples, chances are a permit is needed. Be warned that this can take several weeks to gain approval.
On the other hand, if you are simply painting the interior or the exterior, or replacing a door, or something similarly minor, you may not need a permit.
Do your homework, and if you are approaching a major renovation that requires a building company, be wary of any contractor who tells you a permit is not needed. Educate yourself on this step. And also note that any reputable Auckland home renovations builder will not proceed unless you do have the Building Consent signed off by the Council.
5. If you choose to go with a home renovations building company, it is extremely important that you are working with a reputable company that is following safety procedures and is licensed. It is never a good idea to skip these factors to save money or some other short cut.
A reputable professional builder will follow safety precautions and prevent problems and possible lawsuits. Often you get what you pay for with building contractors. Therefore, choose a building company based on reviews, recommendations, and personal interaction rather than how much the building company charges.
6. In addition, if you choose to work with a home renovations building company, they must be experienced and organised. After you have indicated what projects you want to be done, the company should have a detailed schedule on getting them accomplished. There are far too many stories of renovations projects that go way beyond the agreed completion date. Get assurances from your building contractor that they will finish as promised.
The company should never hang around longer than they should. Companies that fail to complete projects as agreed upon are probably not professional companies.
Plan effectively, do your homework, particularly your preliminary steps, to be prepared for home improvement projects. Work only with the most professional, licensed and qualified building companies. This is how you spend only what is needed and get your jobs done efficiently.
One home renovations building company in Auckland is Repair and Restore. They have a great reputation for the work they do plus they guarantee to stick to the agreed time plan.
Repair and Restore Ltd
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