6 Costly Home Renovation Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

When it comes to home renovation, you have to carefully consider when to save and when to spend. After all, splurging on the wrong things and skimping on the essentials can turn your dream home into a nightmare.

Thankfully, we’re here to help. Avoid these costly home renovation mistakes, and you can complete your project without blowing your budget.

1.  Making renovations that don’t match your current home

Before starting any home renovation project, you have to take a serious look at your existing home. If your vision can’t be supported the existing structure, then it’s going to be difficult or costly to execute.

For example, it’s not advisable to build a rooftop terrace at a heritage home. That’s because local councils are usually strict when it comes to changes that will affect a heritage home’s exterior.

Another mistake is wanting changes that don’t align with your current home’s architectural design. Adding a modern metal carport to a traditional Queenslander house, for example, will make the structure stick out like a sore thumb.

Consider the technical aspects of your home, as well. You wouldn’t want to build an entire laundry room then realise that your washer will exceed the house’s maximum power load.

How to avoid it:

Work with building designers, electricians, plumbers, and draftsmen to avoid these costly mistakes. They will provide helpful advice on what type of changes your current home can handle.

2. Failing to prepare a contingency fund

After getting an estimate from your builder, it’s important to add about 10% to 20% contingency funds. The contingency fund should act as your “reserve” money and should not be allocated to any specific work.

Later, you can use this if ever you find unexpected problems behind the drywall or underneath floorboards. This is especially crucial if you’re renovating an older home.

Note that there’s a difference between contractor contingency and owner contingency. The former refers to the builder’s anticipated price for the project. It’s set aside to account for any issues that may arise on behalf of the builder.

Meanwhile, owner’s contingency is set aside for additions or modifications to the scope of work. If ever you want to revise certain aspects of the construction plan and add items not included in the agreed-upon quote, you’ll need to use this money.

How to avoid it:

Always factor in contingency funds in your construction budget. Some projects get delayed for months or years because owners are no longer able to fund the work.

While you can’t avoid spending your contingency funds for unforeseen issues that require repairs (e.g. seeing wood rot in the house’s framing), you can avoid using your contingency funds for late design modifications.

Before starting the project, ask your building designer or draftsman to create a 3D model of the design. This will help you visualise the end-result easier and avoid making alterations when it’s already too late.

3. Skipping out on things you can’t see

During the planning stages, your building designer or builder may suggest some improvements that won’t affect the aesthetics of your renovated home. For example, they may suggest that you spend extra money making sure that you waterproof your bathroom.

Some people skip this step because they view it as an unnecessary expense. However, this process is actually needed to keep water from spreading throughout the house and causing structural damage.

How to avoid it:

Do research on the additional features that your building designer or builder wants for your home. While they may seem unnecessary, some of these may actually provide long-term value, such as investing in waterproofing, added insulation, and a new HVAC system.

4. Buying cheap materials

Cheaper isn’t always better, especially when it comes to picking materials for construction. For example, some types of cheap tiles are too fragile, while other fixtures corrode or break too easily.

Another regrettable mistake is not buying extra tiles to save money. If ever you need to redo a certain part of your bathroom or your kitchen, you will need the extra tiles to replace the ones you’ve removed.

How to avoid it:

Always ask your building designer regarding items that you can save money on and replace down the road. For example, you can save money by using local tiles instead of imported designer tiles. Prefabricated shower or tub surrounds are also great for building on a budget.

5. Trying to DIY without experience

There are several types of construction work that you can DIY, such as painting, sealing small gaps, installing wallpaper, and light wood staining. However, you should leave any work that requires structural changes to the pros. These include moving load-bearing walls, posts, and beams.

Other types of work that require the assistance of professionals include moving plumbing and electrical wiring.

How to avoid it:

Always research whether or not the home improvement project you wish to tackle can be done by an amateur. Some types of projects may invalidate your home insurance if you do them without a licence, such as moving piping and wiring.

As a rule of thumb, always hire professionals to complete any work that involves plumbing, electrical, and structural changes.

6. Working without a permit

Some types of construction work may seem like they don’t need a permit, but actually do. Examples of these include building tall fences, moving walls, and adding a driveway.

Doing construction work without a permit may cause you to incur huge fines and tear down any new structure you’ve built. Some types of construction work can also void your homeowners’ insurance if done without the a permit.

How to avoid it:

Ask your local council regarding the permits you need to carry out your home renovation project. Regulations vary depending on your state and city, so it’s best to ask your local council for more information.

Conclusion

Every home renovation project requires careful planning. By learning about some of the most common mistakes people do during construction, you’ll know exactly what to watch out for and how to avoid making the same errors.

If you’re looking for professionals for your next home improvement project, we’ve got you covered. We can help you find highly skilled and reliable general contractors, plumbers, carpenters, and more. Get in touch with us for more information!

About Author (optional)

Carmina Caparras is a writer at Superdraft. She spends most of her time nerding out about home renovation and building design trends.