Home improvement and renovation is really a big task to perform, others may call it as a task that needs enough money and time to consume so that their desired output would be better. Lack of systematic planning and proper inventory of materials that is needed in order to complete the task is the most obvious of all. Also, lack of time budgeting or management can lead to unwanted extra expenditures both for the materials needed and for the labour force. Here are some guidelines that may help home owners minimize their cost expenditures and maximize their potentials in achieving their dream home improvement and renovation plan.
Setting up specific goals and trying to conceptualize and visualize a map of your renovation and improvement plan may help you achieve your goals in the most economic and prompt ways. Maybe asking some of these questions may help you almost or halfway of your desired output.
a.) When conducting a home renovation and improvement plan what do you want to achieve?
From this question be specific of what to improve or renovate is it only specific part of the house or including the entire house itself. You should also learn to distinguish and prioritize the most needed materials from the others. This includes your needs- the very basic materials that involve in improvement and renovation and your wants- also known as the materials needed for further beautification or the so called accessories. You should have a separate proper list of all the materials that will be involved. If you want beautification then so is it. If you want to improve or increase your space then follow it. Never intersect or criss-cross your other plans from the basic ones. Be open-minded but try and be clear-minded as possible.
b.) I have so many ideas but does it fit to my budget?
This is the time where you consult a building expert or consultant regarding your visions and expectations about your plans before any drawings and building plans are to be created. This can help avoid too much expenses and the mistake of paying too much for unnecessary things in the future. This will cause a sudden drift of budget that will focus or concentrate on the other part of the plan, which may cause shortage and loss on other important aspect. This is the cause why most home owners never achieve the intended outcome of their plans.
c.) Which is preferable a draftsman or an architect?
Be informed that the two jobs have their own distinction and both should be considered in a case to case basis. Draftsman is only needed when small or straight-forward services or minor renovations or improvements are involved. Architect is needed when a huge renovation or improvement is involved and it needs to be specific. Distinction between the two should be emphasized because each of them has its own cost. Architects are more expensive than draftsman because they are specially trained in design with much skills and expertise on specific fields. This is the reason why most home owners spend the wrong budget on the wrong person to be needed.
d.) Do I need both plans and permits?
Registered building supervisors are the ones who can give overviews and discussions about these matters. Sometimes matters like this even before building plans are produced cannot be answered. Experts about these matters can be consulted and verified so that all processes will be in smooth condition.
e.) Does home renovation and improvement a good investment and can it add a good value to my house?
Property values are determined by many factors and because home improvement is a different story from the others, a property expert is the best person to be consulted regarding these matters.
f.) Where do I go for my fitting materials and fixtures?
This question can be addressed to the joint group ventures of most developers and home planners wherein they can gave you some of their suppliers trusted names when it comes to home renovation and improvement. You can also consult some of the offices around your location so that they can look for one and arrange some recommendation. Canvassing of some other materials that can be bought in cheaper prices compared to the existing ones would be better, but be sure it passed the building requirements of the building experts.
g.) Where do I go to obtain permits and how long do I wait for it?
If the building proposal you’re going to make might cause impact to other home owners or neighbours and it surrounding community, planning permits should be acquired. A detailed submission of papers that contains technical drawings and an expert knowledge of Town Planning Act are needed. A Town Planning Consultant may be hired, for doing it yourself is not advisable when it comes to this matter. For “fast track” services it would take a few weeks and for “dispute permits” may require some more months in order to process. When a case for example that VCAT (Victorian Administrative and Civil Tribunal) is involved, the delay can be as long as an excess of 1 year. Building permits are created to maintain minimum building requirements or standards and so that it can help protect consumers from low class or sub quality builders. Since this process are now usually privatised, a local Building Surveyor who will be in charge of the said approval that will eventually issue the permit is now accessible and this type of service only takes a few usual weeks or even lesser.
h.) What items should I prepare before looking for a builder?
+Complete drawing set with specifications, which also includes all finishes and other special requirements
+Planning Permit (sometimes optional) and an accomplished the Building Permit application
+Approved proper finance
+Provisions for cost overruns or changes to your budget
+The insurance company must know you’re under home renovation project
+Alternative place to stay in case a renovation-free space is needed during the building works.
Home renovation and improvement is indeed a very laborious work to do especially if you are still new to a certain place. But if you’re equipped with important ideas and you planned out everything before starting, there is no need to worry about. By making these simple questions as your guide in making home renovation and improvement, you can save time, extra unwanted expenses and you can also save your precious efforts. Its not how much you’ve spent for your home renovation and improvement projects that makes the output very great, but its how much time you’ve spend planning and preparing for the things needed in it.