How to start a home reno

Wondering how to start a home reno? The thought of renovating your house can be overwhelming – especially if it’s your first time! It’s no secret that home renovations can be hard work, and with so many options, it can be tough to know where to start.

But, with some careful planning, you can create a beautiful living space that you and your family will love. Here are our tips on how to start a home reno and hopefully avoid any little surprises along the way.

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Have a plan

If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you will have probably already heard me say this: but planning really is everything.

If you’re a complete beginner, it’s a good idea to start researching the type of renovation you want to achieve. The more you understand about a project, the better placed you will be to make important decisions.

And, getting crystal clear on your vision for what you want to achieve and how you plan to achieve it early on will help you stay the course and avoid any second-guessing down the track.

Our advice? Write it all down – the more detail, the better! It may sound simple, but to us, putting it all down on paper is the best way to organise our thoughts and bring them together. It also helps us to get a realistic idea of costs, timeframes and how much work will be involved.

Personally, I’m happy with a simple Word doc but there are a range of digital (or paper) renovation planners. Or, if Excel’s your jam, go for gold. Find a system you can stick to and remember – there’s no such thing as overplanning when it comes to a renovation!

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Create a budget

Ahh, the budget. The things we could achieve if we didn’t need one of these! Like most, we don’t have an unlimited amount of cash to spend on renovating. So, sticking to a budget has always been super important.

If you’ve ever tried a Google search for ‘how much does a kitchen / bathroom / laundry renovation cost’, you’ve probably come away feeling more uncertain than you did before. Projects like these can all vary greatly in cost depending on several factors, including what kind of materials you’re using, what trades you need, whether you require permits and how much you can do yourself.

So, for the most realistic estimate, it’s best to do the legwork and add it all up yourself. Start collecting quotes from any trades you will need, as well as quotes for materials. (Some trades can help you gain access discounted supplier rates – so be sure to ask about this!)

You’ll also want to include fittings and fixtures, permits, tools, plus the cost of demolition and rubbish removal. It’s so easy to overspend on a renovation, so if you are firm on your budget, make sure to stick to it. All those little extra expenses can add up quickly.

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Timing is everything

Whether your renovation is big or small, it’s important to create a realistic timeline of when you plan to complete each component. There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in a half-renovated space while you wait for works to be completed!

Having a timeline and a clear sequence of works will help you plan and book your trades ahead of time so you can avoid any unnecessary waiting around. It also helps to keep you accountable, so you can sure the project won’t drag on for longer than it needs to.

If you aren’t sure how long a particular task will take or which order things need to be completed, talk to your trades or ask friends or family members who have completed similar projects.

As DIY enthusiasts, we do as much of our own renovation work as possible – but we also work full time. This can make it difficult to complete larger projects in one hit, so we often plan out our renovation timelines in stages, like demo / build / decorate.

For us, this makes things a lot more manageable – but it also helps to keep us sane knowing that there is an end in sight.

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Rip the band-aid off

If renovating your home is something you’ve been dreaming of, now is the time to dive in. Even if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush, learning a new skill can be so rewarding – and there is an endless pool of free online resources and tutorials that can be super helpful.

While things like plumbing, electrical and any major structural changes should be completed by a licensed professional, you might be surprised at what you can achieve on your own.

Don’t forget to enjoy the process and take plenty of before, during and after snaps so you can compare your work and appreciate how far you have come. Although there may be some stressful times, the results will be well worth your efforts. Good luck and happy renovating!