How To Ensure Your Home Renovation Project Goes As Planned

Table of Contents

1. Performance Bonds
2. Planning the Job
3. Drawing up Blueprints
4. Create a Budget
5. Building Permit
6. Self-management
7. Finding Tradespeople
8. Getting Quotes
9. Payment Plan

Home renovation projects can be a lot of work. They can be very stressful because of this. If you are planning on renovating or repairing your house, then you need to ensure that you’re properly prepared. Proper preparation can ensure that your project goes to plan.

If you have never made home repairs or renovations before, then you probably have no idea how you’re supposed to prepare (or what you’re meant to be looking out for). If this is the case, then this post’s got you covered. Here is how you can ensure your home renovation project goes to plan.

Performance Bonds

Performance bonds are usually used by investors so that they can ensure the contractors they hire are qualified, experienced, and ready to complete the project they’re being contracted for. However, you can use them too. According to the experts from https://axcess-surety.com/performance-bonds/, these bonds will guarantee that the work you are paying for is completed according to the terms of your contract with the contractor. If the individual (or company) you hire doesn’t complete the job to a satisfactory standard, you can claim compensation back from them or demand that they re-do the job.

Planning the Job

Before you can begin looking for contractors (and ask them to take out a performance bond), you need to figure out exactly what you want. You won’t be able to have your home’s renovations undertaken if your vision isn’t clear. A very good way to explain what you want is with images. If a specific magazine or website has images of somebody else’s home and you would like to replicate what’s in these images, then you can give them to the surveyor that you work with.

Drawing up Blueprints

In most places, you will need to have blueprints before you can hire a contractor. Blueprints need to be drawn so that the company you work with knows exactly what you want. To get these, you need to work with a property surveyor. You can show the images of what you want to the surveyor, and they will then be able to create blueprints for you, which you can then give to a contractor to get the work started.

Create a Budget

You won’t be able to have any work undertaken on your home if you don’t have a fixed budget. This is because budgets help you figure out how much you can realistically afford to spend. If you don’t know how much you have to spend, then you won’t be able to hire a contractor effectively. Contractors like to know what budgets they have to work within. If you have an open-ended budget, they could spend a lot of money. To work out a budget, calculate your savings, expenses, and how much you earn each month, then figure out how much you can commit to the project.

Building Permit

Once you have got a blueprint from a surveyor, you can then apply for a building permit. Usually, you apply for building permits from your town’s council or your local municipality. Failing to apply for a permit could result in you having to undo everything that you’ve done and pay a fine. Building permits aren’t free, either, so factor the cost of your permit into your budget. Most contractors won’t undertake any kind of project until they have seen evidence of a building permit, because they too can get into trouble.

Self-management

Before continuing: are you sure you even want to hire a contractor? Some renovations can be performed without a contractor’s help. You only really need contractors if you make structural changes or additions to your house. If you are just redecorating, then you can do everything yourself. It is a much better idea to manage things yourself if the renovations being undertaken are small because you will be able to save a lot of money and have more control. You will still need a clear plan if you manage the project yourself.

Finding Tradespeople

If you don’t want to manage the project yourself or think you will need a contractor, then the next step is to look for them. Going back to performance bonds for a moment, if you decide that you want one, you will need to preface the job listing with this information. You should always tell contractors that a performance bond is required before providing actual information about the job.

This is so that you don’t waste their time (and so they don’t waste yours). Some contractors might not want to go into the trouble of taking out a performance bond if the project is small.

Getting Quotes

When looking for tradespeople, getting quotes from multiple contractors is always a good idea. However, you shouldn’t just select a contractor based on quotes alone. You also need to be sure they are qualified, experienced, and know what they are doing. To determine whether or not a contractor’s worth your time, consider reading their reviews. A contractor’s reviews are a good way of learning whether or not they can be trusted and what their previous customers thought of them.

Payment Plan

Finally, when you have found a contractor you want to work with, paying them in installments is a very good idea. Paying them in installments will mean they will be more likely to complete the job diligently and properly because they want to be paid. Paying them all at once can lead to them taking shortcuts, being lazy, or delaying the project. With that said, a performance bond will provide security against this. If the contractor you hire doesn’t complete the job on time and according to the contract, they will have to compensate you.

If you are planning a home renovation or repair project, you must plan meticulously. Not planning properly can complicate matters considerably. Be sure to take all of the steps outlined here so that you do not encounter any problems or difficulties.

Thank you for reading!