Renovating your home is a huge project no matter how you look at it. With the proper amount of careful planning, though, even the most extensive remodels don’t need to be stressful. Here are five of the best tips to help you plan your home renovation project:
- Financial Planning Comes First
Renovating your home is rarely cheap, which is why the best first step when planning any remodel is to figure out how much it’ll cost and how you’ll pay for it. If you find yourself strapped for cash, you might consider taking out a bank or credit union home equity loan, which is a type of second mortgage where you borrow against your property’s value over the amount of your outstanding first mortgage. Home equity loans are easy to get approved and can get you a large sum of cash quickly, but be sure to make payments on time so you aren’t swamped by interest fees. And whether you take out a loan or not, it’s important to create a budget before you start renovating and stick to it throughout the process.
- Declutter
Your remodel can easily get bogged down if the area being renovated is full of furniture, electronics or junk, so you’ll want to declutter before starting the process. The best way to do this is to temporarily move furniture into other rooms and box up any smaller items. If you’re renovating your entire home, however, you may need to rent a storage unit until the remodel is complete.
- Create a Relaxation Space
Renovations are a lot less stressful if you have a space to relax while construction is in progress. The best way to create this space is to move comfortable furniture and frequently-used electronics into a room that isn’t being renovated. This is particularly important if you have kids who are likely to get stressed out by the interruption of their usual schedules.
- Know Your Limits
Do-it-yourself might be a legitimate option for smaller-scale projects, but it’s important to avoid pushing your limits when renovating your home. Attempting projects that you don’t have the strength or the knowledge to complete can result in both personal injury as well as damage to your home, so don’t be afraid to leave everything to professionals if you’re on the fence.
- Clean Up Every Day
It’s tempting to push back clean-up after a stressful day of renovations, but leaving debris in the renovation space will only slow the process down. Whether you’re doing a DIY renovation or relying on professionals, it’s important to make sure everything is cleaned up at the end of each day. If you’ve hired contractors, they may handle the clean-up for you, but it’s never a bad idea to offer your own help.
If you follow these five tips when planning your home renovation project, you’ll put yourself in the best position for a stress-free remodel. Planning ahead is so important during renovations because failing to prepare can get you into financial trouble or put you at risk of damaging your home, so no matter how large or small the project may be, never skimp on the planning phase. Even if this means you spend months finalizing your plans before construction begins, your future self is sure to thank you.
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