House Renovations

So, you are thinking of renovating. It may be to increase the value of the house, to improve the functionality of your space, or it could be needing a refresh/update. Whether it is your basement, kitchen, your home office, or rec room – renovations can be stressful.

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“Where do I start? There are just so many things to consider!”

“Is this a load-bearing wall? How do I make sure that it’s not?”

“How do I make sure all this mechanical equipment is hidden and yet accessible?” If I close it up, do I still have enough space for a rec room?

“What do I need or want in this space?”

These are just a few things to ask yourself before you begin tearing down walls or bringing a contractor into the picture.

Mistake No. 1: Not Having A Budget

The first cardinal rule to renovation is to set a budget for yourself and tell both Interior Designer and General Contractor (G.C.) what your budget is. This helps guide the project and set some restrictions during the planning stages.

Make sure to obtain pricing from your general contractor once a floor plan has been generated and materials have been finalized. This will help put cost into perspective for you. If that number is too high, this will give you the opportunity to edit your project to a budget you feel more comfortable with.

If your contractor provides you a construction cost before plans are finalized – RUN. Assumptions in any kind of renovation only lead to a disastrous ending. Read: $$$$$$

Remember to set aside approximately 10% of your total budget for the unexpected site conditions. Renovation is not a predictable business – anything can happen! Plus, it NEVER hurts to put away some “extra” money.

Mistake No. 2: Setting An Unrealistic Budget

So you have a budget – great! But you want to spend a total of $5,000 for a full overhaul of your 1000 square feet basement – not great.

Set a realistic budget to avoid any kind of disappointment. If you are not sure how much things cost – speak to a professional. An experienced Interior Designer should be able to tell you if your budget is unrealistic and help you create realistic goals.

Mistake No. 3: Poor Planning

The more you plan, the less will go wrong. Measuring the space accurately will help give you a detailed plan — and a detailed plan will help anticipate any future issues to keep things going as smoothly as possible.

Get a project schedule from your G.C. This should show, on paper, how your renovation is going to play out before it begins. Set out a very specific agreement with your contractor before the work begins and get everything in writing.

An Interior Designer can help you with an accurate floor plan and a functional layout that works for your family. You want to make sure your rec room can fit the furniture and amount of people you need. Let’s be honest – nobody wants to do a crab walk.

The Worst Floor Plan Ever (via Imgur)

Mistake No. 4: Ignoring Lighting

It is easy to forget about your lighting in the planning stages. A good lighting plan can really define the design and can play with the overall ambiance of the house. Nothing worse than splurging on renovation and have areas that are too dark, grim, or sterile.

Sales Pitch: Great For Anyone Who Loves To Cook In The Dark! (via Pinterest)

Mistake No. 5: Not Planning For the (Near) Future

Your main priority when it comes to planning for a renovation is to plan for the ‘now’. Plan for a change that would be more functional for you today.

Your second priority is to plan for the near future. Tell your interior designer what the “near future” looks like for you. That way they can plan for flexibility, adaptability, or a change that does not burn a hole in your pocket in the future.

Mistake No. 6: Not Hiring A General Contractor (G.C.)

“Do we absolutely need a General Contractor?” The answer is: yes, it is absolutely recommended.

G.C. can make sure your project runs smoothly. They communicate with trades in ways you may never think of. They obtain better pricing for materials, finishes, trades. They can foresee a problem and find a solution before the problem arises. They save you most of the stress and in return, you have more time for wine o’clock – BONUS!

If you are the handy type who is always up for a challenge – proceed with caution. Those endless home depot runs and YouTube video tutorials may get a little bit tiring and costly.

Mistake No. 7: Making A Structural Change Without An Expert’s Opinion

If you are renovating an older home, you might be tempted to make major structural changes.

Opening your space up by taking down a wall or two can work wonders for your home makeover, but you should always get an expert’s advice before proceeding. A quick, cheap reno can turn into a major headache if a load-bearing wall is torn down without any proper planning.

Rule No. 1 when it comes to structural elements: DO NOT CUT BEAMS OR REMOVE TELEPOSTS (well, unless you are ready to fork out some $$)

Honey, good news – I opened up our kitchen wall! (via reddit)

Mistake No. 8: Ignoring Issues

The main reason why you should always include a minimum 10% contingency in your budget – you never know what you will find hidden behind the walls, floors, and ceiling (unless you have x-ray vision).

When renovating, especially an older home, there is a good chance that you will find something you were not expecting. It can be tempting to ignore the problem as they are often expensive to fix and come as an unwelcome surprise. However, dealing with them during renovations (when walls are still opened and bare) will save you a lot of money in the long run.

As a leading writer once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”.

Make a list of needs and wants. Have a floor plan ready before you tear down walls – an Interior Designer (not to be confused with an Interior Decorator) can make sure adjacency, sightline, furniture, and circulation are all thought through before walls are being erected. If you are not the handy type – hire a G.C. There is nothing worse than forking out money to fix a brand new construction.

About Company

Meet the Interior Designers within SOOKA Design. We are honest, collaborative, and creative problem-solvers. Professional and Certified Interior Designers based in Winnipeg – designing to your needs and working with your aesthetic goal. We are your result-oriented designers who get things done for you – no bullsh*t involved. Want to see if we would make a great fit? Get in touch with us for a meet + greet where we get to know each other. The first meeting is always free!

We are the Winnipeg Interior Designers you can trust. Honest, creative problem-solvers and collaborative. We listen to your needs and get things done. Serving Winnipeg and beyond. Designing for Small Businesses (offices, retail, restaurants) and Residential.

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