3 DECISIONS TO MAKE EARLY IN YOUR RENO PLANNING
Did you know that one of the most common reasons for budget blowouts in a renovation or building project is just because rookie renovators don’t know any better.? We get it – that was us when we first started out too! Knowledge is power, and we want to share the knowledge that we’ve learnt on the job to give you the power to protect your precious pennies.
Get your pens at the ready, here are three decisions you’ll need to make early in your reno or new build, to avoid a budget blowout (quick, add them to your budget and to-do list RIGHT NOW!):
Window Coverings
Blinds, shutters or shades… whichever you choose, most people leave selecting their window coverings until the very last minute. This kind of makes sense because they’re one of the last things to be installed, but we’ve found that this can be a real missed opportunity. Window coverings can make a huge difference to your comfort levels, in fact, Lana’s Luxaflex window coverings are one of my favourite things in my home.
There are so many gorgeous options available (we’ve used most of them in our renos) and you’ll want to plan for window coverings early in the process for two reasons:
1) These days you can get amazing motorised window shades that open and close automatically with the rising of the sun. If you want motorised blinds (and if you’re anything like Lana, you do!), the electrics for them should ideally be roughed in before the wall linings go on. Leave it until later and you might end up paying twice for a job that can be done once.
2) If you don’t decide on your window coverings until late in your reno, chances are you’ll be out of budget and left with the painter’s drop cloths hanging from your windows as an attempt to block the morning sun. Include them as a line in your budget from the start so that you know they’re accounted for.
And to help keep your budget in check even further, our Reno School students receive 20% off storewide, with our exclusive discount code.
Flooring
Bonnie Sophie and Lana all chose to invest in premium engineered timber flooring in their homes (House 8, 10 and 6 respectively) and are all in love with their Woodcut floors. No matter whether you choose to splurge on timber or save on vinyl, you’ll need to decide on your flooring early on in your planning.
Like window coverings, new flooring is one of the last items to go down in a new house or major renovation, but it’s one of the earliest decisions you need to make because you need to know the EXACT thickness of your floorboards, tiles or carpet in order to ensure you construct the house with these finished floor heights in mind. Being out on that measurement by just a few millimetres can mean having unsightly gaps under doors or, at the other end of the spectrum, doors that drag on the carpet.
Getting those floor heights exactly right will also help you avoid loads of toe-stubbing incidents thanks to uneven floor transitions – a common occurrence between many bedrooms and their ensuites. And fixing these issues after you’ve discovered them is guaranteed to add cost to your budget.
Skirts & Arcs
Skirting (the trim around the base of a wall) and architraves (the trim around windows and doors) are great places to add your own design touch, but if you don’t talk to your builder early on, you may end up with a standard profile and miss that opportunity.
Choosing non-standard skirting and architraves can make a world of difference to the look of your home. There are so many great options out there and they’re not necessarily more expensive than the norm. That said, they will likely be a different width from the standard profile, which will impact where you place your doors and windows.
Once you know the width of your chosen architraves, check your plans to ensure you’ve allowed enough space around your doors and windows to accommodate them. Don’t wait until your builder has started installing standard arcs and skirts to make this decision, it may be too late, or too expensive, to change.
Were those three tips helpful?
They’re just the tip of the iceberg… we’ve got enough budget-saving tips to sink a ship in our online course, Three Birds Reno School. We think you’ll be surprised by how many there are!
Too many rookie renovators get caught out by failing to select things like fixtures and fittings early enough. This can mean they don’t get exactly what they want OR they end up delaying the completion date. Even worse, it can cost more money! So, unless you’ve got a money tree (not the green variety in Bonnie’s garden!) in your garden, you’re going to want to hear these tips to avoid a budget blowout on your reno.
