Tips for Renovating Your House
They say that if a home is in good condition, remodelling only needs to be done every 15 to 20 years. Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons for homeowners to make renovations and alterations to their homes.
One report by Money.co.uk regarding UK renovations estimated that the average homeowner will spend about £1,473 on their homes this year. This figure covers furnishings, DIY projects, and renovations including remodelling.
If this number is correct then UK homeowners are spending somewhere in the region of £21.5 billion in 2022 on improving the appearance and comfort of their homes.
If you are one of the many people looking to make some form of renovation soon, then you may want to carry on reading for some useful tips, and some pointers surrounding remodelling work.
What are the typical reasons for carrying out renovations?
There are numerous reasons and motivations for renovating a home. Some are mainly for aesthetic purposes, while others that involve repairs are more of a necessity.
These are probably the most normal causes for home renovations:
- To help facilitate a house sale
- To raise the value of a home
- To make a home more comfortable
- To modernize
- To improve safety
- To improve energy efficiency
- For sheer enjoyment
Undertaking work on a garden can be done to improve the appearance, raise the home’s value, or just make the area more enjoyable. Other tasks such as seeing to cracked foundations may be the result of a need to make the home safer.
Trying to help sell a home faster is a common reason for carrying out certain remodelling jobs. That is when it is important to understand when it’s worth spending extra on renovations to see a higher ROI, and when to be careful.
Tips for renovating your home
Understanding your real motivation for making renovations will help when it comes to budgeting and carrying out the actual work. If you are looking to sell your home then you will need to know what areas are important to buyers. Yet, if you plan to stay in your home for many years, then your own needs should come first.
Here are some tips to help when it comes to making home renovations.
Make sure you stick to your current architecture
Adding extensions to a home can cause a clash when the architecture differs. Even simpler remodelling tasks such as new doors or windows can cause unsightly contrasts if the colour and style don’t match the home.
Incidentally, window renovation can improve kerb appeal, and gives one of the best ROIs when it comes to remodelling work. New windows that improve energy efficiency are rated as highly desirable by up to 56% of house buyers. They will also see a return of around 68% on any investment.
Budget effectively
Before committing to any renovations, work out a realistic budget, and allow for unforeseen problems. The HomeOwners Alliance suggests that whatever your tradesman quotes you, add another 10% for unexpected additional costs.
Do your research and ask for references
You may be completely qualified and able to carry out your own renovations – more on this below – but for the majority of homeowners, hiring professionals is the usual way to go.
Choosing the right company can make for a pleasant renovation experience, and results that you can enjoy for years. Choose wrong, however, and you could be stuck with problems that go on for months, and could even hinder a house sale.
Take the time to request references, and if they aren’t forthcoming, move on to another firm. Search on Google for local businesses, and reviews also.
Choose renovations that will increase the value of your home
If your aim is to help sell your home quicker, or to add value, then make sure you understand the ROI of your choices. Some of the simplest remodelling jobs can produce the highest returns, while bigger renovations will see lower percentages.
The cost vs value of different renovations can be seen on the US website Remodeling. While the prices are in dollars, the ROIs are what you can expect in the UK too.
What renovations will bring the biggest returns? Well, it may be surprising, but the biggest returns can be seen on simple jobs such as garage door replacements. The reason why is due to first impressions. Kerb appeal can increase the selling price of a home by 7%.
Check for certification and insurance
Even if you get the best references you could hope for, there are still a couple of other things worth checking up on. First, make sure the services you are hiring are fully insured, and second, see if they are accredited by a national body such as FENSA.
Be careful with your colour choices
Unless you are planning to stay in your home for many years to come, it is worth considering how future potential buyers may view your decor. There is the impact of colour on a kitchen for instance, and how it can affect the warmth and aesthetic appeal of this important room. Neutral colours are best if you are planning to sell soon.
Make your home more energy efficient
One excellent reason to carry out renovations is to make a home more energy efficient. An EPC rating is given to new homes in the UK, most of which should be rated as highly energy efficient. However, older homes can need improvements.
Installing new windows, tankless water heaters, and extra insulation can help, as can solar panels. These improvements will save you money on utility bills, and help to attract buyers when it is time to sell.
DIY if you can, but hire professionals if you can’t
Small renovations can often be handled without the need for professional services. If you are experienced that is. The global DIY home improvement market is expected to grow until 2027 at a CAGR of 4.5%. Covid saw a huge increase in home remodeling and DIY, which led to a global value of £590billion.
Those aged 35 to 54 are far more likely to invest in home renovation, with those of younger age groups more often choosing to hire professional services to carry out any remodeling work.
Carry out work for you
Often it can seem that renovations are made purely to fix foundations or to push the value of a home up. But, if you are staying in your home then choose renovations that will bring you joy.
Landscaping a garden can mean many hours of pleasure outside in your own private area. A simple patio or covered decking can transform a garden. And, not surprisingly perhaps, will still help to increase the value of your home.
Summary
Planning ahead when carrying out renovations is also an important tip. You should expect some disruption and mess during remodelling activities, and also possible extensions on the time needed to complete.
However, when the right renovations for you and your home are chosen, and the work carried out by professional tradesmen, you should be able to look forward to plenty of time enjoying your new comforts. From a new kitchen to a modern bathroom, to beautiful window and door replacements, remodelling can transform a home, and yes, it can add value too.
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