When you’re all set to move into your first home, there’ll be countless different things on your mind. This is a pretty massive step in your life, and the future ahead is going to feel full of aspirations and worries. If you know you’re going to sell the home at some point in the future, then renovations and DIY is probably something you think about a lot. Before you jump into all this, read some of these common rookie mistakes.
As that old saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. It’s surprisingly common for young couples to move into their first home, wake up one day and say “let’s do some home improvement.” As you can imagine, the results end up pretty expensive and detrimental to the home’s value. Few people even consider doing any renovation when buying a first home, so you’ve already got something of a head-start! Still, if you’re thinking of a complete overhaul, you need to set out a detailed plan with a budget tied to it. I’m sure you don’t want to end up ordering a massive dishwasher unit and realise you’ve only got the space for a slimline one. To avoid frustrating issues like this, make sure you know how the renovation’s going to happen long before it starts.
Next, failing to act when you come across an issue. When you’re going through a full renovation, you’re going to be knocking down a lot of walls and tearing up a lot of floors. In the majority of cases, this means that you’re going to come across some issues that would be otherwise invisible. For people who have never owned a house before, this may throw you a little out of your depth. I’d never even seen plumbing before starting my first renovation! Because you’re not sure what to look for, it’s easy enough to say “that doesn’t look right, but it’s probably fine.” This kind of negligence can cost you thousands further down the line! When you come across anything unexpected, have a contractor take a look, and fix it if needs be.
Finally, using DIY when you really shouldn’t. this isn’t to say you shouldn’t be ambitious. I think it’s great when homeowners embark on massive DIY projects, and make some massive improvements as good as any contractor’s. By the same token, it really gets me down when people sink all their savings into a DIY renovation, and end up doing more harm to the property than good. There’s a time to get your hands dirty and a time to leave it to trained professionals. Painting and installing a simple cabinet is one thing. Complex tile work, carpentry and so on is a totally different story. Before taking a bite out of any job you’re not sure about, have a look at some DIY forums and gauge how tough it’s going to be.
Avoid these three mistakes, and your first home improvement should be nice and smooth. You’re probably raring to go, but a little caution can help a lot!
Image credit:
Image 1 – Diana Parkhouse – https://flic.kr/p/8rf8Ty
Image 2 – pixabay.com
