What should you consider when thinking about starting a home renovation project?

Deciding to begin a renovation on your home can be hugely exciting and once you start brainstorming ideas and finding inspiration, the possibilities can seem endless. However, there are a great deal of considerations that most people need to make before they commit to begin reno works – as property structures, planning permission requirements and budgets may all have an impact on what can be achieved.
There are many ways that you can ensure your proposed renovation project will occur without unnecessary delays or budgetary increases, and we advise trying the following.

Consulting with a Refresh Renovations Expert

The Refresh Renovations team are specialists in their field, with years of expertise and renovation experience under their belts. Each local Refresh team offer home visits free and with absolutely no obligation to make a purchase in order for homeowners to scope out their requirements and investigate into what restrictions may be in place (if any). Where the Renovations Expert isn’t able to advise on a particular aspect of a property renovation they will make contact with one of Refresh’s specialist contractors and seek more information. To book an informal chat and/or consult on your property’s potential, contact your local Refresh Renovations office.

Have a Survey Conducted

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) can carry out full property surveys for a fee. A surveyor will visit the property and document its structural integrity, external and internal condition, usage and any potential repairs that could be carried out, as well as noting all materials and glazing used in the building’s construction. This allows for homeowners to calculate what works may need completing before or during a renovation and will help them estimate the associated costs involved. Many home buyers opt to have a survey carried out on a property before they commit to buy, in order to help confirm that they will not have to spend extensive amounts of money shortly after their purchase and that any renovation work they wish to have done can actually physically take place.

Consider the Location

When buying a property there is an old saying that goes “you should look for the worst house on the best street” – and certainly for renovation purposes, that does somewhat ring true and can help buyers identify a bargain (although a consultation with a Renovation Specialist or a property survey is very much still recommended). However, when it comes to renovating a home you already own, location considerations still need to be made. Properties in an AONB (designated Area of Natural Beauty) or conservation area are likely to be subject to a great deal of restrictive rules when it comes to renovation works, and buildings holding a listed status will usually require specific permissions to be granted before work can be initiated. Even if your house doesn’t have any strict regulations governing its renovations, it’s worth considering neighbouring properties and others in the area – as any renovation work may impact on neighbours and any external changes are more likely to be accepted (by both Local Planning Authorities, LPAs, and neighbours) if they are ‘sympathetic’ to other buildings and the surrounding environment locally.

Understand the Infrastructure

One of the most common factors to a delay in renovation, refurbishment or rebuilding work is often something that’s not foreseen due to its ‘hidden’ status – and that is, the infrastructure of the property. Missing or dislodged tiles can cause leakages and damp and are not always hugely visible; single glazing is likely to result in poor insulation and energy efficiency; outdated or messy electrics may mean full re-wiring is required and unusual or old plumbing infrastructure may prove incompatible with a modern renovation. Period properties also often have historical architecture or features that are tricky to (or even impossible to!) change or renovate, so adequate amendments ro safeguarding may need to be made or added in to plans. Lots of a building’s infrastructure is either invisible to the naked eye or easily missed and yet much of can have drastic consequences to a project’s timeline or budget.

Weight up the Ups… and Downs of Extensions

When looking to extend, homeowners tend to default to the idea of an extra room or extension to a room on the ground floor of the property being built. In reality there are many more possibilities to an extension and it many even be that an extra floor can be added by building upwards rather than out; particularly if space surrounding the property is at a premium. A great indication of the potential for an upwards extension is if neighbours have done the same or have more floors already, but this isn’t to say that permission wouldn’t be granted if the home was to become the tallest on the street. Building up is often overlooked as an option but a Renovations Expert will be able to provide advice on the possibility of such an extension.

Don’t forget Costs!

Renovating and remodelling is usually done simply to improve a living space for those within it, but budgeting decisions should be made with an ROI (Return on Investment) in mind. Certain renovations are more likely to add value to a property than others, but even if the homeowner isn’t looking to sell any time soon, being smart with the fees incurred is critical. There may be little point in dropping thousands of pounds to renovate a room you barely spend any time in or in extending a home that won’t be futureproofed to include adequate accessibility methods. Working with a Specialist in the renovations field can help ensure that the finished works are not just delivered on time and to budget, but that they remain great value for many years to come.
Refresh Renovations are always happy to chat reno potential and discuss the possibilities and potential in a property… just give us a call!
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