There are many home remodeling mistakes to avoid. With 30 years in the remodeling industry, I can tell you from experience that mistakes are common, just hopefully not as costly. Many homeowners are ripped off when they face any unexpected things when remodeling their homes. Here are the top four mistakes to avoid to get the most out of your home remodel.
Using Cheap and Low-Quality Materials
First, use quality materials. It’s common to skimp a bit on the budget during a remodeling project, especially towards the end. Cheap finishes, such as plumbing fixtures, are something to avoid. Even if these fixtures look good, the last thing you need after all your hard work is to have a malfunctioning water source. The flooring may even look as excellent as its twin. However, 99.9 percent of the time the cheap stuff will quickly indicate wind wear to the point of needing to be replaced too soon. This will cost you in the long run.
Not Fixing Any Issues Right Away
Second, if you encounter problems during your remodel that can take months to a year to fix, don’t do it. Go ahead and fix them while you still have walls and floors, then it will be cheaper to get them done now than to wait. If you have faulty plumbing or electrical, you certainly don’t need a simple preventable problem to turn into something more than it could have been. The damage they can cause can be enormous.
Using Carpets
The third mistake to avoid is the use of carpets. Carpets are not only very dirty, but they need constant maintenance to maintain the warranty. If the renovation is in a condo, the carpet will need to be changed more frequently than other floor coverings, which will be more expensive in the long run.
Underestimating the Home Renovation Cost and Time
The fourth thing to avoid is underestimating the cost of renovations. Remodels are complicated because you can’t see how everything looks until the submittal process is complete. And, of course, you come up with things you never thought of at the beginning of the decorating process. New paint and other new things suddenly make it necessary to replace items that were previously considered reusable.
In the budgeting and preparation phase of your renovation, try to allow for 20% more than the budget you are guaranteed. Whether it’s a simple renovation or a fantasy, you tend to be a little surprised with everything that “could” be replaced. The next step is to improve your time. After all the hard work and preparation, you need to rush into action.