MISTAKE #1
Not Setting a Budget
This one is probably the most obvious but it’s also one of the hardest to evaluate. How are you supposed to know what things cost? You could have an idea in mind and receive quotes twice the amount! There is always the option of contacting a few builders to receive an estimate, this will help give you a rough price guide on what you’ll get for your money.
Otherwise, you can look at your finances and simply cap your spending at a certain amount. It’s important to complete a needs analysis and figure out what your non-negotiables are. Think about the lifestyle you live and how this renovation is going to fit in with that. There may be some things you’re not willing to compromise on so it’s vital to figure these things out before engaging with a designer or builder.
MISTAKE #2
Not Involving a Builder During the Design Process
It’s always important to engage with the right people so you stay on track with your desires and of course, budget. You need to decide whether you want to manage the project yourself or have a project manager run the job for you. We highly recommend hiring someone to run the job for you as it’s less stress and leaves you with the fun things like picking out selections and watching it all come together.
Making sure you involve a builder during the design process will save you money in the long run. Most architects have little knowledge of building costs and will meet your brief rather than your budget, which isn’t always a bad thing, but it’s always handy to have a builder present so they can advise you on what’s more financially viable. They’re able to see the cost implications on architectural features, which means you can reference your needs analysis and decide what to compromise on.
Involving a builder from the beginning will not only help with your budget setting, but will assist in getting the correct approvals necessary to complete your renovation legally which means there’s no risk of potential redesign fees and months of wasted time.
MISTAKE #3
Not Being Realistic on Your Deadline
Do you need to have your renovation completed by Christmas? Or maybe you have a growing family and are running out of room?
If you require your renovation to be completed by a certain date, it’s always best to share this with your builder before you start the design process. Depending on the size of the project, the entire design process can take anywhere from 3 to 12 months to complete, as this includes design approvals (by you), council approvals, building approvals and permit approvals. A professional builder will be able to estimate a timeline once the initial design has been approved by you, so at least this will give you a visualisation on how long the whole process could take.
Another thing to consider is that working with a renovation specialist may limit your available start dates as most dedicated renovation specialists will only take on a limited number of projects per year due to the complexity of such projects and the time and supervision it takes to manage them. With this in mind, it’s always best to contact a builder early (even if you feel you’re not ready to begin) so you can at least get the process started.
MISTAKE #4
Not Discussing Your Living Arrangements During the Project
This all really depends on the size of your renovation, you may be simply renovating your kitchen and bathroom which means you could probably live at home whilst construction is happening. But if you’re completely reforming your house and extending your home, this comes with construction noise, dust and lots of foot traffic through your house which could become tiring after a few weeks. So it may be best to organise other living arrangements during construction.
It’s always a good idea to discuss your options with your builder, they will be able to advise you on what to expect when the construction phase begins and offer some tips on how to manage living at home during the project. Just remember though, during construction, the site is completely cleared out with access strictly controlled by your builder. Legally, you have signed over possession of the site to the builder and your access is restricted for safety and liability reasons. Always agree in advance on the frequency and times that you will be permitted to enter the site.
MISTAKE #5
Not Knowing What You Want for Selections
Whilst you don’t have to decide what colour paint you want during the design process, it’s always best to have an idea on the type of style you’re aiming for. You may not realise but delaying a decision on some selections may delay the completion date of your project.
For example, there are lead times on tiles, certain light fittings, stone benchtops, shower screens and many more. Some of these items need to be ordered up to 4 months in advance so it’s important to have an idea of what you want the end product to look like.
Your builder may provide you with Prime Cost Items in a fixed priced contract which simply means they’ve given an allowance for that section. They may have PC’d your tiles at $30/sqm or given you a $3000 allowance to select your fixtures and fittings for your bathroom. Either way, you’ll have a budget to work towards if you don’t want to raise a variation.
MISTAKE #6
Using Unlicensed Trades
This one sort of relates back to Mistake #2 when involving a builder. It is VERY important that you ask the builder you’re in discussion with for his licenses and insurances. Hiring a professional builder will ensure that the subcontractors he employs to work on your project are also fully licensed and insured.
Using unlicensed trades can cause you costly mistakes which voids your warranties and puts your project at risk if anything occurs during construction. If the project is worth over $12,000 and requires council approval, your builder is required to have what’s called Home Warranty Insurance which covers you if, for example, the builder goes bankrupt, dies or disappears.
To be safe, ask for anyone working on your project for their license and insurance details. It may seem like a trivial thing to do at the time but it’s better to be safe than sorry, and anyone who is completely covered to work on your project shouldn’t have any issue in providing these items.