Renovate For A New Floor Plan
When people get bored with the layout of their home they have two main options. They can move house or they can re-design their home and renovate it to accommodate the changes they want. This article is about developing a new design and renovating your home to provide you with the extra space or rooms you want to see in your house.
House designer and builder- image stockimages
Some people will be brave and decide to carry out the renovation work themselves. This works for people who have a lot of spare time, loads of energy and to be frank have a very thick skin as the project will undoubtedly cause a lot of domestic strife. Major renovations are a lot of work and the amount of time and patience required should not be under-estimated.
People who go the self-build renovation route often want to do it because they think it will be cheaper. However, while it generally does cost less in financial outlay, there is the cost of their personal time to take into account. They might also need to have a bigger budget than they anticipate as cost over-runs on your own building plan can be quite high.
If you are keen to at least start down that path, here are few tips to get you going.
Sketch a floor plan
Before you can start building you will need to have professionally created scale drawings of the proposed new house. However, you will have lots of ideas in the first place so sketch out a few of the key things you want to have in your renovated home.
Testimonial video for Auckland renovation builder
Once you have some clear ideas which are agreed by the family then you can go to see an architect or house designer. They will draw up the floor plans you need so you can go to the Council to start the Building Consent process.
Extra features for the house renovation
While the plans are being drawn up or approved, you can start to think about some of the other elements. For example, if you are having a kitchen renovation as part of your building project, you might want to start looking at appliances, cupboards and finishes. Similarly, if you are having anew bathroom or bedroom, you can follow the same approach.
You might also want to think about the external features. For example will you want outdoor rooms which are becoming popular? Maybe an area for a spa pool outside? It is as well to start thinking of these now before the project gets too far down the track and will cause unnecessary re-work.
Be realistic about your building abilities
Now is the time to be honest with yourself and your family. A major renovation is a huge undertaking, one which many people try and plenty give up on. They run out of energy, time or money; sometimes a combination of all of those factors. Renovating a house these days is much more complex than your father may have done. There are much more strict building code requirements, new environmental materials, building techniques and appliances you can consider. But these require specialist skills; not just a hammer and a power saw.
If you are still not sure, then take a look at some TV renovation programmes and look at the massive problems they all run into.
Look for a house renovation company
Auckland home renovations
– image istock
If you do decide to go the professional path, then now is the time to start looking for a house renovations company. It will not come as a surprise to learn that there are hundreds of house building firms in Auckland. Your task is to find one that is reliable and will be able to complete your home renovation on time and within budget.
Start by asking around among work colleagues, friends and people at your sports club. You might get some horror stories but you might also get highly recommended builder such as Repair and Restore. A quick look at their website shows they have some very impressive testimonials from very happy customers.
If you have a plan for home renovating, they might be a good place to start. Visit their website for a start.