Planning for your home renovation can be exciting, but it can also be an anxious time. Many of our clients come to us a bit scared of making the wrong decision and hiring the wrong person.
There is a lot of money involved, and they feel pressure to get it right, and not get ripped off. Below are some key things to consider on how to approach your home renovation project to minimise risk and stress, and to maximise cost-efficiency.
Know what you want
It’s important to prepare your brief, because changing your mind down the track can be expensive. Do your homework, research what you style you like and decide what your priorities are. If you need to compromise you know what your ‘must-haves’ and ‘nice-to-haves’ are. Often people get excited in the initial design stage and want to add more and more, but then get shocked with the build quotes. So be clear on what you really want.
As a guide, check our Design Brief document on our website to see the sorts of things you should be thinking about and the questions you’ll need to answer when engaging a designer.
Know your budget
As a rough guide for in New Zealand, prepare for build costs of approx. $3000 NZD per square metre, it can be more or it can be less, but this is a mid-ground guide as construction costs vary. You should also add in a contingency budget of approx 10% to 15%.
Choose trustworthy experts
This one is super important. Ask for referrals of good designers and builders and then check their portfolios and referees. Nothing is more telling than previous client’s experiences. Paying more for a quality designer and builder could save you a lot of money and heartache in the long run.
Choose trustworthy experts early in the process
Early involvement of a designer and builder working as a team can dramatically improve the process. Having the designer come up with concept plans that allow for the builder to provide a cost check early-on means, with a smaller up front investment you can be sure that the project is within budget. The builder can also add value to the design process by providing useful ideas on how to make the project more cost-efficient.
Have fun and be nice
Things will probably get a bit stressful, but try to keep it in perspective and treat your building team with respect. Having good relationships with your team can keep the process running smoothly.
Have more questions?
If you want any advice or ideas on your home renovation project, please feel free to contact me any time:
Stefan Beconcini
Email: stefan@conceptdesignsarchitecture.com
Phone: +64 027 3076043
