5 Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid

Once you have found your dream condo, you may want to customize it and make it your own.  Renovations often add to not only the ambiance and character of your condo, but also to your resale value.

Although renovations are almost always a good thing, there are some renovation mistakes that you will want to avoid.  We at Coal Harbour Real Estate would like to offer you these 5 home renovation mistakes and how to avoid them.

Cutting Corners

Any renovation project is worth doing properly.  You do not want your new bathroom to fall apart six months after it has been completed.  Unfortunately, if corners are cut, this is exactly what can happen.

You can avoid this disaster by addressing the following needs of your renovation project:

• • Do not use cheap or improper materials – the old adage of you get what you pay for applies to renovations as well.
  • Skipping steps – do all prep work and allow proper drying and curing times for materials
  • Using incorrect tools – make sure that you have the right tool for each job.

Having No Real Plan

As realtors, we have seen this common renovation mistake far too many times.  It usually starts off with a client seeing a picture of a kitchen in a magazine and instantly wanting to recreate this exact same kitchen in their home.

Unfortunately, there has been no plan, no foresight and no consideration of the true cost of the renovation.  It may be an unrealistic renovation, but the client is already planning their first party in their newly renovated kitchen.

To avoid cost overruns and disappointment on a large scale, we suggest that you talk to a wide range of contractors to see what is possible and what is unrealistic when it comes to renovating your condo.

Remember:

It is so important that you are not following trends, because they will be forever changing and you will not be able to keep up.  Instead, try to make the renovation fit with the rest of your home.  A well thought out renovation will increase your resale value, a trendy one may not.

Having an Unrealistic Timeline

When it comes to renovating your condo, patience is key.  You can talk to anyone who has renovated a room in their home and you can pretty much guarantee that it took longer than originally thought.

There can be many unforeseen circumstances that arrive once a renovation project has been undertaken.  Make sure to allow extra time for your renovations and don’t schedule any gatherings until the actual renovation has been completed.

Doing it Yourself

So many people believe that they are a jack of all trades and a renovation project is as simple as following a YouTube video – unfortunately it is not that simple. Drywall and tiling are difficult and if done improperly it can seriously affect the overall look of your renovation.

You can start the renovation and help throughout the project, but Andy and I highly recommend that you use a certified contractor to make sure that the project is done properly and is up to building specifications.

Don’t forget!

Always check with strata before undertaking any renovation to make sure that you are not going to damage your condo structurally.

Hiring the Wrong Contractor

When it comes to a renovation, it will only be as good as the contractor and materials that are used. We recommend interviewing many different contractors and getting estimates from each.

Remember:

The lowest bid may not be your best option.  Make sure to consider each estimate and contractor carefully before making your final decision.

We recommend looking at online reviews of all workers and getting a detailed contract with full costs, as well as a timeline in place before the work begins.

A newly renovated condo can be an exciting part of home ownership.  Renovations allow you to make personal touches to your home and can add to the resale value of your condo.  If you would like to see some of the newly renovated Coal Harbour condos that we have listed, please contact us at 778-788-3052.