Several people have started to renovate their homes during the pandemic, with some of them using it as an outlet for stress and boredom. Others had to make changes into their residences to create working space while stay-at-home orders are in effect. Since many of us are stuck at home with extra time on our hands, it makes sense to put some of it into good use by doing what we can to improve things around the house.
Home renovation can be significant changes done by professional contractors, or they can be minor alterations you can do yourself. Regardless of which you want to do with your house, the following tips should help you complete your renovation with less stress:
Set Up a Budget
Before we proceed any further, it is crucial to set up a fixed budget first. How much you can spend on renovations will dictate what you can do around the house. If you are looking to make a significant change in your house, such as remodeling your bedroom or converting your garage into a home office, you will need to consider labor and permit costs in determining an amount. Inversely, if you will only be making a minor refurbishment on specific rooms, you can focus on the prices of replacement materials and decorative finishes. Either way, do not forget to include a buffer in your computations since there might be price spikes in certain items due to the difficulty of securing supplies in the new normal.
Employ Trusted Contractors
As easy as it might be to find diggers for sale and tear down your garage walls yourself, there are renovation tasks better suited to be done by a professional. Paying for premium services can save you more money in the long run because you will be able to avoid repeat jobs and unscheduled repairs. Having a professional work on complicated features like electric circuits and outlet installations also minimizes the chances of an accident happening.
It does not hurt to be extra careful when hiring a contractor, especially due to the pandemic. You will want to hire a company that you can trust not just with your house but also with your family’s safety. To adapt to the current situation, companies have trained their workers to perform their duties while observing social distancing guidelines. Make sure your contractor has undergone the same safety training to lessen health risks.
If they have a website available, try to evaluate their organizational skills from there before arranging a face to face meeting. A clean and well-maintained worksite can be a direct indication of how they work in real life, which bodes well for everyone. If you still have a lot of unanswered questions after researching them, do not hesitate to give them a call so that they can provide you with the necessary information.
Asking friends and neighbors for advice is also an option in looking for a trustworthy contractor. Using their personal experiences as character references for a company’s employees can save you from the headache of finding out about their issues after signing them.
Build a Temporary Room
According to A.J. Paron-Wildes, a long-time owner of a bath and kitchen remodeling business, a remodeling project affects every room in the house and not just the place being fixed up. This holds true, especially for large-scale renovations, as the loud sounds of buzzing saws and hammers tearing down walls will surely resonate within the entire house.
When a room is getting remodeled, it also loses its function for the remainder of the process. The situation becomes more bothersome if it is a room essential for most parts of the day, like the kitchen. To lessen the inconvenience, build a temporary kitchen away from the construction so you can still do everyday functions like cooking and preparing food. Setting up the makeshift kitchen does not have to include any big actions; you can simply take the refrigerator, microwave oven, or burner stove into the living room or any other area spacious enough.
You can also build a temporary room to serve as a storage space for items originally from the room being renovated. For instance, before contractors begin on a living room extension, they will need to have it cleared first of anything that can be damaged while they work. You can cover immovable fixtures like cabinets and furniture to protect them. However, you will need to move things like appliances, picture frames, ornaments, and other valuables into a separate room. Preparing a temporary room in advance helps save time in construction, which should also lead to fewer expenses in labor.