Home Renovation 101: 30 Do's and Don'ts You Should Know
My wife told me one evening she bought 3 paintings online. She'd found the walls in our apartment plain and wanted to decorate them. “I hope they’re pretty,” I prayed.
The pictures came, and they’re beautiful… however, they’re humungous! Hanging them on the walls would be unsightly. My wife’s forgotten about a renovation rule: Consider scale and proportion. What a waste.
Our home isn’t just a living space, it’s an extension of our personality – when we walk into the house, it’s got to look right, it’s got to feel right. It’s also a place where we spend a great deal of our time in and with our loved ones. What’s more, for many of us, our residential property is the most valuable asset we own. it’s little wonder why we pay close and special attention to how our house is decorated.
However, if a house renovation or remodeling isn’t done thoughtfully, it’ll look a mess. Visualize walking into a residence where the living room is retro style, the kitchen is countryside inspired, and the rooms are Victorian… I guess you get the picture. Such mistakes could be costly to rectify.
Much had been written about interior design, not so for renovation/remodeling works. Therefore, this article’s written to provide you with meaningful renovation tips. Armed with the right knowledge, we hope your home refit would be carried out smoothly, the project can be completed on time, and you may even save some costs.
Actions and Inactions that Spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R
Let’s first identify some common renovation mistakes people tend to make:
Renovation Mistakes
| Possible Consequences
|
|---|---|
1. Not assessing their personal needs before engaging interior design and/or renovation professionals
| Uncomfortable living space; Items out of place
|
2. Not considering how different parts fit together in the grand design
| Eye sore
|
3. Proper design drawings and floor plans/layouts not done, or relying on rough sketches before renovation work commences
| Outcome below expectations; Frequent changes throughout the renovation period; Disputes with the contractors
|
4. Keep changing their mind
| Project delays; Cost overrun
|
5. Unrealistic budget
| Contractors cut corners; Quality of materials used compromised
|
6. Poor or late preparations
| Deadline not met; Existing furniture, fixtures, and/or fittings damaged
|
7. Ignoring issues
| Time wastage causing delays; Rework resulting in unnecessary expenditure
|
8. Having cluttered, uncomfortable spacing in the bathroom or toilet
| Movements restricted; Personal injuries
|
9. Owner playing the role of a general or main contractor by coordinating the schedule of the subcontractors themselves to save costs
| Undesirable outcome; Needless additional expenditure; Project completion delayed
|
10. Choosing a renovation contractor based solely on price, and not considering other important evaluation criteria like skill, experience, and quality of workmanship
| Lower quality workmanship and materials used; Problems start surfacing not long after renovation completed
|
11. Starting work without a contract and a plan
| Potential disputes and disagreements with the contractors
|
12. Not getting appropriate permits
| Fines and penalties imposed by the authorities; Dismantling and rework, resulting in additional costs
|
13. Rushing the renovation or remodelling process
| Poor workmanship; Deliverables below expectations; Additional costs incurred to fix issues
|
So, be thoughtful, careful, and seek the right people for advice, and you’ll be able avoid these mistakes.
Home Renovation 101
What about stuff we should do so that our home reno will be tip-top? That’s what we’ll talk about next…
Essential Renovation Tips
| Positive Outcome
|
|---|---|
14. Ensure proper prep work is done
| Deadline met; Existing items like furniture, fixtures, and fittings remain intact
|
15. Take accurate measurements
| Things fit well in their rightful place
|
16. Have scale and proportion in mind for all aspects of the project – especially for small apartment units
| Balanced, uncluttered, and pleasing décor
|
17. Cater for adequate storage space
| Unsightly items stored out-of-sight; Clutter minimised
|
18. Plan ahead for furniture, custom cabinetry
| Adequate space allocated for customised furniture; Furniture design congruent with the rest of the house
|
19. Choose appropriate flooring and flooring design
| Convenient to move about; Easy maintenance
|
20. Use the right paint
| Longer lifespan of the paint
|
21. Have adequate ventilation
| Need for mechanical ventilation and cooling reduced, thereby saving utility costs
|
22. Consider lighting early; Use proper lighting (ambient, task, and/or accent)
| Appealing lighting design; Adequate lighting
|
23. Don’t buy cheap materials
| Cost of maintenance and replacement reduced
|
24. Order extra flooring and wall covering
| In case supplies no longer exist, there’re materials on hand for repairs in the future
|
25. Don’t skimp on things you can’t see, like waterproofing membranes
| Need for repair due to wear and tear is prolonged
|
26. Cater for space to place the appliances
| Neat, uncluttered layout
|
27. Consider layout before installing electrical, and don’t overload the electrical circuitry
| Adequate electrical outlets within reach for usage
|
28. Use environmentally-friendly products, like LED lighting
| Save the Earth
|
29. Consider ageing residents
| Moving around the house is safe and convenient for them
|
30. Don’t compromise safety for good-looks
| The house is truly a safe haven
|
Back to Our Story
My wife insisted on getting new paintings to be hung on the walls, but I was hesitant. Then one afternoon I had a Eureka moment… I could cut the paintings down to the correct size and re-frame them. If I were to do it myself, I could even save some costs!
So, it became a weekend project. And this was what I did:
- Measured the walls.
- Determined the new length of the painting by multiplying the width of the wall it’d be placed on by a factor of 0.57.
- Hung each painting such that the center of the painting was 160 cm from the floor.
The results turned out better than I had hoped for.
