5 Tips for a Successful Renovation
4 May 2019
Renovating need not be the hair-pulling exercise most people describe. Here are some tips to plan and execute a successful renovation.
Contract Considerations
Be very clear about the contract with your builder. A fixed-price is generally recommended to give certainty of the final cost (although any changes you make will incur additional costs). With an hourly rate contract, costs could balloon if anything unexpected crops up.
Don’t Delay
You can’t begin without Council consent. You’ll need detailed plans plus an estimated value of the work. Lodging a complete and accurate application is vital. Council has 20 working days to process your consent but if they have a query, the clock stops until you provide the extra information.
Stay or Go?
Consider moving into a short term rental. Stay and you’ll be living in one or two rooms amongst the dust and mess, with builders arriving on site at 7am, plus the building work will take longer.
Choose Carefully
Once your renovation begins, the subcontractors will be scheduled on site in a specific order. You’ll need to make quick decisions about everything from tiles and tap ware to appliances and flooring so everything remains on schedule. Select and order everything before building kicks off to avoid delays and rushed decisions.
DIY or Project Management?
Project managing the build yourself is challenging: troubleshooting, quality checking, chasing up and rescheduling absent contractors, managing the consent process (including inspections), meeting with suppliers, following up deliveries, and gathering all the final paperwork and warranties to achieve code compliance certification. It’s wiser to have an architect or trusted builder do it for you but if you’re up for the challenge, enjoying your new home will be even more rewarding.
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