Let’s face it, doing up your property is never going to be an easy job. Not only does it take a lot of time, money and resources, but even deciding what you want to do with the different spaces can be a minefield. If you are currently in the throes of a renovation or just considering one for your home soon, there are many tips and tricks you can use that can help make it that bit easier and also a little more economical too. In this article we have put together some of our top bits of advice to help you out. Keep reading to find out more.
Have a budget in mind that you want to spend – the more detailed the better!
When it comes to doing up your property, there is no way of avoiding the costs that come with it. Unfortunately, every aspect of doing up your home is costly, from the flooring to the walls and even accessorising it once the decorating aspect is done. In order to avoid yourself going way over budget, it’s a good idea to have in mind a total you want to spend. You should write down all the things that need doing and how much you think you will need to shell out on this, from the carpets to the light fittings. It’s then good to have a reserve budget as things will always crop up along the way that you might not have expected to have to pay for. By having this extra bit you won’t be left cut short and can instead carry on with your project as expected. You should keep a spreadsheet of costs updated as you purchase items so you know if you have overspent or underspent in certain areas and if there are ways that you can transfer money to different areas. It will basically give you a clear overview and help you stay on track for the entirety of the project.
Live in your house for a while before making any big decisions
Making decisions based on purely a design point of view is good, but you should also live in a place first to see how you use a space. You might think you want the fridge in a certain place in your kitchen for example, but after living there and using it, you find it works much better somewhere else. Doing this means you don’t shell out on the renovations only to find out the actual usage of the space in question isn’t very practical. By using the space even for a couple of weeks, it can make a big difference to how much you get done.
Think of longevity
When you are making changes and renovations to a property, while you want it to look on-trend, you don’t want to focus too much on what is in style right now. Trends that come on suddenly tend to go as quickly as they come and you don’t want to be left with an interior that looks dated after just a couple of years. Instead, think of the longevity of the space and how you can make it versatile. Consider what you like personally as opposed to what is currently ‘in’ and factor this into your design decisions.
Don’t neglect the exterior of your property
The exterior of your property is just as important as the interior so make sure you don’t neglect it. If the area is paved and you want it to be luscious and green, buy grass seed in bulk and get it planted sooner rather than later. Get plants and shrubs to turn it into a beautiful space and add areas where you can relax, do BBQs and just enjoy the space. You can also paint the outside of your home and give your windows and doors a freshen up too. This will make such a big difference to the property.
See what things you can get for free
When looking to save money, keep in mind that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Scour places such as notice boards and social media to see if anyone is giving away items that you can use in your renovations, or that you can do up and give a new lease of life. Not only does this save money, but it is also better for the environment. You could find things such as second-hand palettes going free from local garden centres that can be used to make garden furniture or planters for example.
See how much you can do yourself
One of the biggest expenses when you are doing up a property is the tradespeople you pay to fit and install things. While there are certain areas you might need a professional to do, such as fitting a carpet or plastering a ceiling, you should also see if there are things you can do yourself. For example, painting a wall or putting wallpaper up is a skill that can be self-taught and you can save yourself a fair bit of money by doing it this way. You can also get friends and family members to help out and see what pool of skills you can get together between them.
These are just a few tips for doing up your property that should help you make a success of it. Whether you’re deciding to do this in order to sell it in the future, or so you can live in it yourself, the fundamentals are the same and you want it to be a success. It might be that you’re wanting to live in it for the short term and then sell it on in the future and want a good foundation for both living and selling. No matter the reason, following the above tips are sure to help you both now and in years to come. What are some top tips you have for doing up a property? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.
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