Most homeowners search for bathroom and kitchen remodel ideas right away when renovating their homes. But learning about remodeling mistakes is just as important. After all, it’s so effortless to fall victim to tricky and expensive mistakes. So whether you want to remodel your entire home or just parts of it, you need to know what these mistakes are and how to avoid them.
Not Making a Plan
Every home remodeling project needs to start with a good plan and a realistic timeline. This way, you’ll know which ones should be worked on first and see if you’re still on schedule. Your contractor can help you put together a list of things that need to be purchased, as well as deadlines for making final decisions.
Underestimating Costs
Most remodeling jobs will take longer to finish than expected, so they’ll likely cost more. That’s why it’s a good idea to add 20% more to your total budget. Spread out your budget as much as you can. Avoid spending a considerable chunk of your budget in one place or a few items only.
Prioritizing Form over Function
Most homeowners remodel their homes to enhance their aesthetic appeal. But you need to understand that renovation is more than just beautifying your home. You should never sacrifice function over form. When planning a renovation project, carefully consider the window, door, furniture, and even outlet placement.
Not Hiring a Professional Designer
You might think that hiring a designer is just an extra cost, so you try to avoid it by doing the design yourself. But if you’re not an experienced designer or architect, you’ll likely make lots of expensive mistakes—even with the help of DIY videos on YouTube.
Hiring a professional designer from the get-go can help you avoid these extra costs because they can get things right the first time. Likewise, not all designers are the same. So when hiring one, make sure that they are a good fit for you and what you want to achieve.
Going for the Lowest Bid
This one is a common mistake among homeowners. Pinching pennies when it comes to renovating your home will get you nowhere. You can end up creating more problems than solve any. Having a good design is essential, but that means nothing if construction is substandard. You need to be willing to pay for a good contractor if you want high-quality results.
Choosing Short-lived Trendy Kitchen Designs
When renovating your kitchen, think twice before following the latest trends. Of course, a trendy kitchen is nice to have. However, if the design is too bold, it might go out of style real soon. This can significantly affect your home’s resale value. A timeless design is still the best choice if you don’t want to keep changing your kitchen’s design every time trends change.
Final Thoughts
DIY YouTube videos make home renovation look easy. But it’s not. There are many costly mistakes you can make. Hiring a professional designer, architect, and contractor from start to finish is still your best option if you want to avoid errors and stay on track.
