Renovating your home helps improve its functionality, make it more durable, and add to its aesthetic appeal. Regardless, renovating on a budget can lead you through a few issues that you must avoid. Home projects can take a big chunk of your budget and still get it all wrong. 

If you can do home renovations better and smoother, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever do. But then again, a lousy renovation can be an annoying experience, especially if you make these five home renovation mistakes you need to avoid. 

Mistake #1: Not Vetting Your Renovation Team 

One crucial home improvement mistake that you need to avoid is going immediately with the first contractor that you find. Improper vetting of your renovation team can result not only in a poor renovation but an expensive one as well. Whether it’s a minor change or significant remodeling, you want the right team for your home. 

Start with the basics when vetting your team. For example, are they adequately insured, bonded, and licensed? Search for these details even before you start talking about the specifics of your renovation. Then, ask them about their experience with the type of renovation that you want for your home. 

What suggestions do they have that improve upon your ideas? Do they have a portfolio that you can look at? How fast can they deliver what you need? 

You want a design team that is efficient, diligent, and knows what they’re doing. It’s also important to put everything into writing, including every detail you expect from the project. By vetting your team, you protect yourself against a potentially bad renovation and from unlicensed professionals. 

Mistake #2: Underestimating Your Budget 

One common mistake that most homeowners make is underestimating the cost of the entire renovation. It’s easy to find dream designs in magazines or online, but it’s another thing to pay for it. For example, that open-concept kitchen design with copper fixtures looks enticing until you get the quote for the renovation bill. 

Consider potential issues in your home, as these will likely increase your renovation bill. Issues like water damage, mold, wind damage, hail, and leaks can destroy some parts of your home. These can drive up the cost of renovation, which is usually not something that a homeowner notices. 

Set a realistic renovation budget that considers what you need, what you want, and what you can afford. You’ll likely rack up expenses with whatever project you have. There will be many ways how a seemingly small project can cost you an unholy amount of money once you find all the problems under the hood. 

Mistake #3: Starting Too Many Projects 

A common issue for homeowners is taking on a big project with too big of scope for them. If you have a primarily new space or you’ve been itching for a renovation, you’ll likely start snowballing. One renovation will roll out to two renovations, two to three, three to four, and so on. 

As you snowball further with tasks and projects, you’ll find your home in disarray. Everything doesn’t look matching, or you don’t have time to finish everything on time. You likely won’t feel the satisfaction you’re looking for either, so you’ll be left with frustrations and a lot of tears. 

Suppose you find yourself taking multiple projects at once, don’t. Start focusing on one project at a time and make sure everything is complete before starting on a new one. Even if you already have a few projects running simultaneously, prioritize one area and complete it to keep your house intact. 

Mistake #4: Bad Scheduling 

Schedules are ultra-hard to synchronize, and this can be a common issue across contractors. Therefore, you want a build team that will work around your schedule, rather than the other way around. A contractor that works around your schedule should be a good service that any renovation team should provide. 

Set a schedule for the project that works conveniently around your work time. Plan out each step of the entire project, from prep work to completion. Ensure you have a detailed timeline of the entire project and get an estimated time from your build team. 

Make sure you have a place to store all the materials the build team will use for the renovation. Make sure to track all the milestones for the duration of the entire process and what every subcontractor needs to complete onsite. 

Adapt your schedule if you can. Make considerations for weather, as well as potential holidays. Detailed scheduling from your build team can give you an idea of where you adjust. In addition, it will separate the true professionals from those who are winging the entire process. 

Mistake #5: Not Securing Appropriate Renovation Permits 

Another common mistake for some people is not securing permits for their renovation projects. Many homeowners think that they don’t need a permit, especially if it’s for their home. However, different states require various permits for home renovations, so you want to keep abreast of such details. 

In most situations, contractors will handle applying and securing permits for a renovation. It’s mostly part of the service and what you pay for with their team. Ultimately, it’s the homeowner’s responsibility to secure permits for any renovations to their home. Make sure that details are clear in the contract that you sign. 

If you don’t secure a permit, local authorities who catch a whiff of the renovation will likely stop the renovation and demand the project be demolished. Permits also help keep everyone onsite safe, which is an essential aspect of renovation. 

Renovating without a permit can also push down the resale value of your property. If a contractor tries to pass off a renovation without the appropriate permits, demand the latter. You will experience a lot of complications, especially if you need to run after their sub-standard work. 

The Bottom Line 

It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re renovating your home. Whether it’s the materials, the contractors, or your budget, it’s hard not to make mistakes. Unfortunately, all you can do is make sure that you are detail-oriented and methodical with your renovation. 

Consider the mistakes we listed above and how to avoid them during your renovation period. Work with a reputable contractor if you’re planning on hiring one. If you’re doing everything yourself, make sure you prepare every step of the way. 

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.