There are many considerations when renovating your home. To avoid stressful situations, ensure you research and be patient. Here are 5 important things to consider before renovating your home!

1. Keep in mind the reason for renovating – When renovating it can be tricky to focus on the main reason for your renovation as the other aspects may distract you. Whether your reason be because you’re accommodating a larger space for the family, increasing the market value, or simply wanting to change the look, when discussing with a construction company you should always express your main goal to the architect and construction company to ensure your needs are being met. A JVB Construction customer stated “We have achieved the space that we wanted for the family that we know is going to be fit for purpose as our children get older and our lifestyle changes.”
2. Plan your budget (with a contingency) – Ensure you have the correct financial advice and knowledge before signing up to everything as not everything goes directly to plan therefore you may underestimate your finances. Doing your research and having some figures from a few companies will help understand the rough estimated price you will be looking at. Have an experienced builder that can help you identify potential risks to ensure you have the right budget and contingency in place.
3. Don’t settle for the cheapest quote (Look at company finished projects/ reviews) – It’s really important when choosing your construction company to not settle for the cheapest quote. Again, looking at reviews and doing your research will help you find the most efficient builder at a reasonable price. When choosing your construction company, ensure you look at previously completed properties, and when possible check reviews to ensure you would be happy with the finished product.
4. Find a good architect (Architect and building team if possible) – When searching for an architect, remember to do your research and use the social media sites to review their work and ensure their style would suite your idea for renovation. You can use the RIBA website to find local architects. Construction companies sometimes work alongside architects which saves more research. JVB Construction work with a few architects and are happy to recommend an architect when quoting for a project.
5. Ensure you have planning permission and structural drawings before getting your works costed – Without structural drawings this makes it very difficult to price as there are many questions left unanswered leaving estimate inaccurate. If you look into works to be completed and start organising without planning permission, you may have to change the design if the planning is not approved. The most efficient way is to get planning permission and then find your desired construction/ architect.