Whether it’s fixing up a room or two around the house in creative ways or even taking on a much bigger project and overhauling your home entirely there is always something to do for the budding fixer-uppers out there. Thousands of homes up and down the country are either renovated or have extensions added each year in the UK so it’s clear that homeowners are always keen to carry out improvements and here are a few useful tips that should help keep you on the right track.
PICKING THE RIGHT PROJECT
One of the most crucial aspects of any project is often based on necessity. Is it a project
that needs carrying out? And if so, then what is the best way to approach it? If you’re
thinking of adding an extension to your home then try to weigh up all the options before
you rush into the job. Research the best way forward and look at other homes in the area
that may have already had extensions put in. Knowing all the relevant details and plans
relating to any restructuring of this kind is vital.
BUYING AND SELLING
If you happen to be buying or selling a property, especially if it’s an old house, it’s key to
fork out for a full structural survey and you can get some advice on how to go about
surveys via the impartial Money Advice Service. This survey could throw up a number of
things that would need to be addressed and could help guide you in how to proceed with
certain renovation-related tasks. This could include roof repair, upgrading the central
heating, rewiring the home or even taking care of more important structural concerns.
SHOULD YOU REPAIR OR REPLACE?
If you’re are renovating a very old period property then the likelihood is that certain
things around the house will have fallen into disrepair over the years; this particularly
applies to windows and doors.
Many period homes have character features like sash windows and original French doors,
that can become damaged over time. The debate centres around whether or not these
should be restored or replaced and both options should be carefully considered.
It’s no secret that original features can add significant value to your home so unless it’s
unavoidable the best option would be to try and restore them. However, approach with
caution because if you attempt to fix problems yourself then you could cause further
damage.
The best approach would be to hire a specialist like fortishooke.co.uk who offer unique
sash window restoration services or you can find other restoration businesses online.
KEEPING PLANS REALISTIC
More often than not developers can often fall into the trap of over-planning and making
things too complicated. You may have ambitious plans but you need to keep things
realistic. Factor in budgetary requirements and take into consideration how this work
could affect your normal living situation in the home whilst work is being carried out.
