Mistakes To Avoid When Remodeling Your House

Knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do, and in the world of home renovations, there are a number of pitfalls that homeowners too often fall into. A remodel can successfully make your house into a more beautiful and liveable space that increases your home’s value, but it can also do the opposite, costing you too much, work against your home’s strengths, and create something that in some ways is worse than what was there before.

We’re here to tell you what to avoid when undergoing a remodel, learning from the bad experiences of those who made some unfortunate decisions regarding what to do with their homes and listening to the experts who knew better all along. Read on for four mistakes to avoid when remodeling.

Trying To Do DIY Renovations In Your Basement

If there is one part of your home where you should be wary about going DIY, it is the basement, which really should be left to the professionals. You may have great ideas for the basement, such as adding a bathroom which will not only increase the room’s convenience but also increase your home’s value. However, basement construction is more complex than you realize, and that is especially the case for older houses.

There are many things to take into consideration, such as whether or not your home has a rough-in. The home may require you to set up plumbing vents entirely from scratch, and you may have to do that for drains as well. This would require you to dig up your floors and reroute your pipes. On top of that, you have to have the right gradient to run water to the drain. Don’t forget that you need a permit as well when adding a basement bathroom. With all of this in mind, it is clearly something to leave to the pros.

Getting Overconfident In Thinking Renovations Look Easy

You may look at renovations and think you can do it easily on your own, but many are quite a bit harder than they look and require more planning and equipment than you initially realize. A simple paint job may not be so simple, as a real estate agent in Florida explains. "A lot of people feel painting is pretty simple and that a fresh coat of paint does a lot for the sale of a home and gives it a fresh feel," he says.

Adding to that, the Miami based agent says, "But for a lot of people who don't have experience painting, you can come in and see all the brush strokes. If people don't paint properly, it can look like there are two tones, or you could get paint on the wood floor or countertops..” He cautions against doing it yourself, stating, “They start out with good intentions, but end up damaging the property worse."

Overdoing It Instead Of Keeping It Simple

In many areas of design, “less is more” is a good principle to follow, and this is something you should keep in mind when renovating your home. This is especially true if you plan to move one day. If you are sure you are living in your house for the rest of your life, then you are welcome to go all out with whatever over the top design choices you desire, but if you eventually plan to sell then you do not want to overdo it.

It is better to have your home done up in a way that would please a wide range of potential buyers, and you also want to consider what the market may be like in a decade or two or whenever you may plan to sell. Something may be trendy now, but trends come and go, so consider that a hot look might appear outdated when you finally put your house on the market. Go for neutral tones rather than loud colors, otherwise you limit the number of people who may be interested at your asking price.

Doing DIY Kitchen Renovations

For a lot of people, a large, beautiful kitchen is a key feature of their dream home, and many people renovate their kitchens in hopes of increasing their home’s value. However, they have to keep the costs in mind, calculating what they are spending and what they are getting out of it. Estimates show that a nice kitchen can make a home price shoot up by $40,000, but on average people spend $62,000 renovating their kitchens. This suggests that if you do renovate, you should do it for yourself rather than your home value.

If you do decide to renovate, don’t make the mistake many people do of pinching too many pennies. Too often people decide to save money and install the cabinets on their own, but they end up lowering their home’s value in the process due to the sloppy installations. Stick with professionals, and spend your money wisely. Good ideas such as putting in an island that has pendant lights above it, putting new handles as well as new paint on the cabinets, and putting in a splashback will all add to your home’s value and your own satisfaction with your kitchen. Remember to keep the colors neutral and also keep your appliances matching.