It is inevitable: homes tend to suffer various types of wear and tear. As much as we want to postpone, we end up reaching the day when it is necessary to literally get down to work. But before doing construction work at home, there are several elements to analyze to guarantee the quality of the result and savings.
The reasons for doing construction work at home can be several. From wanting to increase the value of the house for subsequent sublease, rental or sale, to simply wishing to correct construction or finishing errors and signs of use, or even because we feel tired of the interior design of the house and we want to change.
Before starting the actual works, there are many decisions to be made, ideally with professional help. The key to success is in a good plan, always considering the budget you have available and knowing, in advance, that there are always (always!) Unforeseen events when building works.
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Unless the works are urgent, so that everything runs as smoothly as possible, the time gap between the desire to do works at home and the day they start should represent weeks or even months.
Planning to do works at home can be a complex process, especially with regard to financial management. So, you should think about how much you will spend and which professionals you trust will do the works. Also remember that you may encounter problems in the course of them, which can lead to more expenses. So, we share 11 aspects that you should take into account before doing construction work at home.
1 – Check the general condition of the house and make a list of needs
The first thing to do before doing property renovation north london is to look at the house and check the general condition of things. Don’t be too hasty: if the condition of the kitchen floor is a cause for alarm, it should not influence your ability to look at everything else and make a general diagnosis. Analyze each element separately.
The floor:
Diagnose the floor condition of all rooms in the house. Will it be necessary to remove what is and put a new floor or a part of it? Or will it be enough to fix what has gone bad? There may be only a wear and tear of the wood due to use – in this case it may only be a case for sanding and varnishing the floor. When the floor is tiled, it is common for one or the other block to be broken and can be replaced.
The roof:
The problems of an aged roof can be of many types, and if it is only aesthetic there is an easy way to solve it – to build a false roof over the real roof. False ceilings are useful for lowering the right foot of a house and hiding the structure of the upper floor. They also offer greater reinforcement in terms of insulation. Consider the advantages of placing a false ceiling for the purposes of energy efficiency or controlling the degree of humidity.
Another frequent problem is the presence, after some time, of cracks in the ceiling. In some cases, they may be easy to disguise, but often it may be necessary to repaint the ceiling. In any case, cracks are not usually an indicator that there is a serious problem with the house – however, they give an aged look to the rooms, and the aesthetic aspect may be sufficient for a new painting.
How’s the kitchen?
Renovating the kitchen is the dream of many people. It is one of the rooms in the house that is most subject to wear and tear since we use it to cook daily. In addition, kitchen equipment is constantly evolving, and half a dozen years may be enough to start to realize how old-fashioned your kitchen has become.
If you conclude that you need to renovate the kitchen, a good saving measure is not to change the location of the sink, since renovating the plumbing has higher costs.
2 – Ask for quotes
One recommendation is to ask for quotes from several different north london building contractor. Another recommendation is to establish a ceiling for the maximum you want to spend. This way you avoid surprises, and the budget that the contractor gives you already takes into account what is possible to do with the money you have available to spend.
Finally, it is advisable for budgets to be broken down – do not be shy or forget to ask for details. If you need to, don’t neglect to ask for a credit to cover part or all of the works at home.
3 – Try to predict future problems and think of all possible solutions
It is necessary to make a careful analysis to understand which interventions are right for the problems that the house presents. It is not just a matter of solving momentary problems. Assess whether you may have problems in the near future that can be resolved at this point in the works. Thus, he realizes what is possible to avoid now or bridge, so that the works to be carried out last for many years.
4 – Calculate the duration of the works
Planning ahead allows you to carefully consider what you want to do, make the right decisions, choose and discuss budgets, or even take advantage of business opportunities, such as promotions and special discounts on materials.
It is also important to plan the time before doing construction work at home. It is essential that, together with a professional, estimate the estimated time of the work. This can help you, for example, if you have to leave the house during construction and have to find a temporary place to stay.
5 – A professional for each specialty?
Depending on what you want, it may be a good idea to hire specialists in each area of intervention. An architect if you intend to make more profound changes and ensure that the contractor ensures the subcontracting of specialists in plumbing, painting, among other areas.
6 – Make an estimate of the time you plan to live in the house
The type of home works to be carried out can be dictated by the time you will be living in it. That is, if you plan to leave the house within two years, the degree of depth required will be different than if you are planning to stay in the house for a few tens of years.
As a result, the finishes can also be different, because if you stay in the house for a long time or even for the rest of your life, it will always be a good idea to invest in durable and non-” trend” materials, while remaining timeless.
7 – Take family planning into account
Having a baby can be the reason that unlocks the decision-making to launch yourself towards some works at home. After all, you will want to have the house as well as possible to receive the new member of the family.
If you are going to have a baby, you can think of accommodating one of the rooms in the house to receive it. On the other hand, it is certain that you will need space to store clothes, toys, etc.
Finally, try never to neglect a fundamental aspect: your baby’s safety. Having a home adapted for him to move around with less risk of getting hurt is important, and this can mean, for example, building protective barriers at home, such as on balconies or on stairs.
8 – Search for promotions, campaigns and opportunities
Sometimes it is enough to take a look at building materials stores, including on the internet, to take advantage of discounts and promotions that are constantly taking place in this sector.
9 – Check, if possible with the assistance of a professional, the status of the plumbing
Did you know that house plumbing must be replaced every 25 years? If you renovate the bathroom, don’t close your eyes to the state of the pipes – take advantage and replace them. This aspect is a “must” – it is almost mandatory to do it when doing structural works in the house, especially if the plumbing is still in metal, which inevitably gets rust after a few years. Plumbing problems can bring serious problems to the home, and greatly increase losses.
10 – Choose the best time of the year to do works in the house
In any part of the globe, the best time of doing construction work at home works at home is in the summer, as the materials dry more easily. It is true that a certain type of works is not compromised if it is carried out in times of rain, but the works in the house that include the outside benefit from the good weather. If the works are confined to the interior of the house, in principle there will be no major problems, provided that at the time of the works at home the degree of humidity present is not out of the ordinary, or that the temperature is not too low.
11 – Inform the neighbors
Not all people give importance to this aspect, but it may be prudent to inform your neighbours to avoid headaches. Inform your neighbours of your plans – this gesture can save you trouble.
Imagine that who lives in the house next to yours works at night, and needs to sleep during part of the day. This may lead you to pull from your common sense, and suspend the works – at least the noisiest – during your neighbour’s siesta time. Diplomacy is not always enough in these cases, but it can go a long way in preventing or solving problems.
Now that you know the steps to take, go ahead! Good luck… and get to work!
Also Read: https://www.recablog.com/what-you-need-to-know-if-you-move-from-house-to-apartment/
