by: Richard Bourne
There are many sad cases of home renovations not going as planned - often going way over budget or schedule, or unforseen complications popping up unexpectedly and ruining even up to years of work.
Most of these situations would never have gone so awry with some careful planning and early decision making sooner in the renovation process. Below are a few issues that it is vital to think about before you begin your home renovation.
10 Things to Think About BEFORE Beginning Work
Prepare a budget
Be aware of council regulations
Find a tradesperson
Know your start and completion dates
Selecting Products
Prepare plans
Purchasing products
What should I purchase myself?
What services are available to my property?
What sort of hot water unit do I need?
Prepare a budget
Before you start shopping for your new bathroom or
kitchen you must know your spending limits. Whether you are getting
a loan or paying cash, you need to work out how much your project is
going to cost. Some businesses also offer finance solutions for approved
customers.
Be aware of council regulations
Find out all the information you can
before you arrange tradesperson. If your home is heritage listed you
will need to meet strict council regulations. Many renovations must
be approved by the council before work can commence. Contact your local
council for more details.
Finding a tradesperson
Speak with family and friends who have done
renovations or built a home. It is important to find a tradesperson
that you can communicate with. Make sure you understand everything
they are telling you. Book a tradesperson well ahead of time, as they
can be booked for months in advance. Ensure that your tradesperson
is licensed. Your product warranties are only valid if installed by
a licensed tradesperson. In Australia, Trades@call provide
professional, reliable tradespeople for most jobs, and all workmanship
is guaranteed.
Know your start and completion dates
Communicate with your tradesperson
and come to an agreement of realistic start and completion dates for
your project. If you have a specific date that the job must be finished
by, for example you have relatives coming to stay, let your tradesperson
know. Keep in mind that unexpected problems can hold up your project,
no matter how well you have planned it.
Selecting Products
It may take a few shopping trips for you to decide
on the products that give you the look you desire and are also practical
for your needs. Browse through a print or online catalogue. Once you
have decided on a style (modern, heritage or easy living) this will
narrow down your product choices. Be aware of any size restrictions
of the room. Print out or write down product specifications and measure
up your bathroom. You may use the online bathroom planner at the Bourne
Bathroom and Kitchen Centre website to layout the products you have
chosen.
Talk to your tradesperson about your choices. If the tradesperson tells you that a product you have chosen is unsuitable, find out why. It may just be that extra work is required that they don't want to do. Remember, it is your home and you need to be satisfied once the job is complete.
Prepare plans
It is important that you draw up plans of your bathroom
or kitchen. Discuss the plans with your tradesperson. Let him know
what sort of products you would like, so he will know what work needs
to be done. For example if you have chosen an inwall cistern, the tradesperson
will need to know so he can set up the plumbing correctly before the
tiling is done. It is best to have specifications of all of the products
you have chosen so the tradesperson knows exactly what work is required.
Purchasing products
When selecting products, find out how long it will
take for delivery. Some goods such as tapware and toilets will be in
stock, while others such as spas and vanity units are custom made and
can take up to 1 month to order in. Often these custom made products
are non-refundable so confirm your product choices with your tradesperson
before ordering. Find out from your tradesperson which products they
will required first. Generally, the first products needed are the shower
base, bath or spa and mixers if they are being installed on the wall.
As an owner builder, what should I purchase myself?
If you are owner
building, make sure you purchase all of the main products for your
bathroom, kitchen and laundry. This will ensure that you make all of
the decisions and achieve the result you want. There will be things
you will not think about when placing an order, such as different handle
types on a vanity unit, the pump position of your spa, that you will
need to decide on. It is important to make these decisions yourself
as they will affect the overall result of your project. Smaller fittings
for plumbing can be purchased by your tradesperson.
What services are available to my property?
It is important to know
whether you need gas or electric appliances (hot water unit, cooking
appliances). If you live further out from the city, you may need LPG
appliances. If you currently have electric appliances and you want
to change to gas, speak with your tradesperson to determine if this
is going to be cost effective and worthwhile in the long run. If you
are building a new home, decide on the appliances you want before building
begins, as the plumbing will need to be roughed in based on your product
selection.
What sort of Hot Water Unit do I need?
There is a wide range of hot
water units available and it can be quite daunting to try and choose
one. If you are replacing an existing unit your choices can be limited,
so speak with your tradesperson. The instantaneous hot water units
are popular at the moment, but they use a larger gas line than the
standard storage units. This can mean major plumbing changes which
can be quite costly, though in the long run the instantaneous systems
are cost efficient. See the Bourne Hot Water Selection Guide for more
detail.
Many of these points seem somewhat obvious, but the problem arises when you start taking things for granted. When you don't make sure that all your bases are covered, you may find that you have invested a lot of time, effort and money in a home renovation that you may end up unhappy with.
About The Author
Richard Bourne is owner and manager of Bourne Bathroom and Kitchen Centres. Bourne Bathroom and Kitchen Centres (www.bournebathrooms.com.au) offer the largest range of bathroom, kitchen and plumbing supplies in Melbourne. Bourne's exhaustive selection of home renovation supplies and great after sales service have helped thousands of people to buy "beautiful products at beautiful prices" since 1992. nathan@technologymatters.com.au
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