Common Mistakes People Make When Renovating Their Home

Author: 5150 Renovations | | Categories: Basement Finishing , Basement Remodelling , Bathroom Remodelling , Bathroom Renovation , General Contracting , General Contractor , Home Remodelling , Home Renovation , Home Renovator , Kitchen Remodelling , Kitchen Renovation

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More often than not, when people consider a home renovation project, pricing is typically the deciding factor for most decisions. Some of the questions that run through their minds are: “How can I renovate my place without spending too much?” or “Will an inexpensive contractor meet all my requirements?” and “Can I renovate my entire home within a specific budget?”

Unfortunately, when people base every decision solely on cost, they may skip out on crucial elements involved in a home renovation project. Instead of reaping the benefits of a low priced service, they may have to pay for the consequences in the long run. 

To help you steer clear of cost-related blunders and other avoidable errors, 5150 Renovations has put together a list of the most common mistakes people make when renovating their home.

1. Choosing the wrong general contractor.
Take your time to select the right contractor for your needs. Look for someone with an excellent track record and stellar reviews. They should also be highly referred and punctual during meetings. Choosing a contractor who doesn’t possess these qualities will inherently cause you problems, frustration, inevitable delays, and disappointments.

2. Cutting corners to save a few dollars.
Home renovations shouldn’t be considered as quick fixes. Home renovations are opportunities to upgrade, update, or remodel your much-loved home. Cutting corners or using inferior materials or finishings can result in a home renovation nightmare. And, dissatisfaction with the finished product will leave you feeling as if you wasted your valuable time and money.

3. Selecting the lowest quote.
Going with the cheapest contractor usually means you get what you pay for. Although, what’s worse is when a contractor provides you with a low price for the expected scope of work but unnoticeably excludes the costly details. You don’t want to hear, “Well, that wasn’t included” or “I can do that, but there’s an extra cost for that.” However, if you go for the lowest quote, you will be forced to pay for non-included “extras” at a very high rate, which is essentially you being held hostage by your contractor. For this reason, make sure your renovation quote specifies in detail what’s included and what’s not.

4. Setting an unrealistic budget.
Before you commence a renovation, make sure to do your homework. Look into actual costs of materials, labor, and the current rates for the work involved in home improvement projects. Bathrooms specifically tend to surprise homeowners with the actual costs for renovating. If you’re looking at renovating the entire house, you’ll need to consider elements like drywall, taping, electricals, plumbing, tiling, painting, and sometimes carpentry. At the same time, you’ll need to expect the unexpected as you never know what horrors you’ll find behind old walls.

5. Not setting your priorities straight.
You may want to renovate your whole house, but that may not fit within your budget. Often, a homeowner will say they’d like to renovate the kitchen, and then maybe the ensuite, and then perhaps redo the floors, and also finish the basement. Be certain about what you need renovation for and realistic about the work you want quotes for. Receiving a quote that includes all of the above can be incredibly deflating and may seem impossible to complete within your existing budget. So, be realistic and plan your renovations in stages. Do not attempt to bite off more than you can chew.

6. Rushing the renovation.
Planning, scheduling, constructing, and finishing a large scale project takes time. Rushing things can lead to errors and may force your contractor to leave out time-consuming elements that you may have wanted in your new home. For this very reason, it is vital to let your contractor do their job without rushing. Make sure to honor their projected completion date and also factor in additional time for unexpected events and unavoidable delays.

To avoid falling prey to these and other renovation mistakes, reach out to the experts at 5150 Renovations. As experienced home renovation contractors in Maple, Ontario, we can handle your renovation and guide you through the process. We have over twelve years of experience in our field and offer a variety of redesign options to our clients.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about renovating your home, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.

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