Renovating your home is no mean feat. Whether you've just moved into your humble abode or whether you fancy organising a much-needed home spruce, redecorating and remodelling a house can be exciting… but it can also be daunting! To help you on your way, our editors have compiled a how-to guiide of tips and tricks to ensure you're ready for the task and prepared for anything!

The List

It might be tempting to make decisions as you go along, but make a pact with yourself not to do anything you haven't thought long and hard about. Whether you're creating additional rooms or simply installing new appliances, make a list of what you want and need to do and prioritise from there. As you're planning, keep an eye out for inspiration. Knowing as much as possible about what you want will enable you to communicate your vision for the finished look to your builder or contractor.

The Budget

Another peril of not properly planning your renovation is the likelihood of going over budget, and nobody wants that! As with anything, there will be unexpected expenses here and there, so give yourself a bit of wiggle room (we recommend at least 10%) when deciding on the figure of your budget. Having a budget can also help you decide on which projects to prioritise, which to handle yourself or which to pass onto your builder or contractor.

Tip!
When deciding how much to spend on materials, consider long-term maintenance and repair expenses. It might be cheaper in the long term to pay that little bit more upfront!

The Timeframe 

To stay on track, plan out your renovation from start to finish and include all projects (regardless of their scale) in your timeline. Take into account the time of year as well—roofing and outdoor work for example, should be carried out during the warmer months to deter any potential damages from harsh winter weather.

 Living Arrangements

When planning your renovation, consider whether it is realistic for you to continue to live at home while the works take place. Smaller projects are usually fine to live around, but larger projects may well mean having to find temporary accommodation. If this is the case, be sure to factor in any additional costs that may arise as a result of this.Organisation is key. Once you have a schedule in place

Tip!
Organisation is key. Once you have a schedule in place, begin the process of finding storage space for furniture and schedule a rubbish removal or a temporary skip to dump any leftovers after the demolition.

Builder Hire

It might be tempting to handle the work all yourself (after all, you deserve the credit, right?), but realistically a professional can help you complete your plans more effectively and efficiently. As well as managing the overall renovation (they'll be keeping an eye on your timeframe and budget), a buillder or contractor make the entire process as stress-free as possible for you.

Project Management

Once you have a builder contractor, schedule some time to discuss with him/her which projects should be prioritised. If multiple rooms are getting the same paint job or floor installation, we recommend doing it all at once. However, if you're looking at renovating an essential area (the bathroom or kitchen, for example), it's better to concentrate on that room first so that once it's done, it's ready to use again.

Independent Work

On a tight budget? Take into account everything that needs to be done and assess whether it's realistic to assign one of the smaller tasks to yourself—this could be anything from adding new light fixtures to painting a few walls. For the more complex jobs, it's best to leave that with a professional builder or contractor.

Tip!
Keep in touch with your builder as much as possible and maintain a strong relationship. As soon as you have concerns, issues or encouragement, make sure to voice them—this will help get your renovation off to a great success!