Home improvement can be a great way to add some handy extra features to your house, as well as adding a substantial amount to the price tag. However, with all these home improvement horror stories going around in recent years, it can be a scary undertaking. Whilst I fully recommend a home renovation, and the huge benefits that can bring, you should be aware of the various pitfalls that this can carry. Here, I’ll outline these dangers and the points you should seriously consider before starting a job like this.

Cost and Budgeting

When you’re renovating a house, expenditure is the main thing you must take into account. Your level of budget will determine how far you can stretch with money and can be quite restrictive, determining how much work you can do and which materials you can use.One of the biggest mistakes homeowners commit is not leaving cash in reserve in case anything goes wrong. If you’re working too a tight budget and the project isn’t absolutely urgent why not consider waiting a few months and saving some money so you have a safety net to fall back on? In addition, getting cut price materials and hiring cheap workers makes it highly likely that the quality of the work will be compromised and you may end up with something that doesn’t operate properly or looks terrible.

Materials

Your choice of materials is a critical decision, as they can make or break the look and style of your home. The absolute worst thing you can do is choose something on a whim without due consideration. This could result in a colour or style mismatch with the existing features in your home. When shopping for materials in the shops, ask one of the customer service team if you can take a sample home with you. This allows you to directly compare your new materials with the things that are already in your home and allows you to accurately see whether they will work or not in the as a concept. Don’t be shy to ask; things like wallpaper and paint are almost always available in sample form.

Contractors

Arguably the hardest part of any renovation project can be dealing with contractors. Loads of horror stories have been told of contractors who take too long, charge too much or don’t do what you asked them to. It’s important to remember that you’re paying them to get YOUR renovation, so don’t agree to pay them until the job has been completed to your satisfaction.

Another problem that many face when working with contractors is that they don’t want to voice their concerns. Just talk to them. Even if they do get annoyed, which is unlikely, you’re paying significant sums to remodel your home. This is your living space and if you want to inhabit it in comfort and style, you have to speak up and voice your opinion, even if it differs to theirs.

This guest post was written by Kevin Burns, a true home improvement fanatic and an avid blogger on the subject. He writes this on behalf of Bathroom and Kitchen Warehouse, who have a showroom in Worksop full of quality home products.