You have to think of aspects such as disturbance in wiring or repositioning of pipes because of any addition. Whatever that you are deciding to reconstruct you must first get in contact with the local authorities so you are well aware of the ruling in your area for any home renovation.
We suggest you get professional consultancy before you plan on making any alterations in your house. You must also ensure that whoever is working in your house has an approved license and the work is certified by an appropriate regulatory body.
House Renovation Checklist
Before you start renovating your house, examine the house thoroughly so you have a complete picture of what needs to be done:
- Check your space
- Work on the budgeting
- Look out for renovation restrictions
- Do a bat survey
- Work on the design
- Work on the timeline
- Find the right resources such as contractors
- Find an appropriate insurance
- Clean your site
- Tell your neighbors
- Look for weather updates
- Get to work
- Keep track of the timeline
Advantages of Renovating Your House
There are several reasons for people to renovate their homes. Sometimes a change of environment is required while sometimes people do it before selling their house to someone else. Let’s have a look at a few advantages of renovating your house:
- Increase the resale value
- Improve your home’s energy efficiency
- Create more space
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Increase the Resale Value
Renovating your house can be a really valued additive for resale purposes. Just by renovating your kitchen, you can increase the value of your house considerably.
Often the houses we are living in look shabby or old-fashioned. Small home renovations like new lights, new counters, and tiles can help uplift the ambiance of your house. This is can be good for people who are looking to sell off their house at a good rate.
- Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
With the passage of time, we are getting improved and better technology which can be used at home to make it more efficient and conserve energy. By renovating your house you can look for more efficient options to help conserve energy.
Now there are several options available that are environmentally friendly and help you reduce your carbon footprint. If you are someone who wants to have an eco-friendly house renovation, there are tons of options such as solar systems for house electric demand, solar-powered lights, ground source, and air source heat pumps to biomass boilers, etc.
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Create More Space
Another advantage of renovating your house is to create more space by redesigning the house. You can make your house more spacious by determining the practicality of each room. Depending upon your needs, you can readjust the design of the house to make it more usable.
For example, if you previously had two bedrooms and now your family is increasing, maybe you can squeeze the hallways and add another room to fulfill the need.
A Step by Step Guide to Home Renovation
Step 1 – Examine the pipework
If you are planning to play around with your kitchen or bathrooms, the first step is to examine your pipework. You must check and determine the quality of existing pipes as well as the exact location. You must also check if the pipes contain lead in them which could cause lead poisoning.
In case of replacement, explore your options for pipes. Plastic pipes are good for use as they are easily available and do not freeze in cold temperatures. Plastic pipes also have a smooth surface that doesn’t rattle and is good for flow and pressure. Plastic plumbing is also less labor-intensive which is why people prefer it over copper pipes.
You must get the pipeline examined by a professional team so they can give you better advice. You will also need to check prices like gas safety check cost from your local authorities to ensure everything comes under your budget.
Step 2 – Consider Your Heating System
Renovating your house and thinking of getting a new boiler? Plumbing for a new boiler can be very costly but it goes a long way. A typical boiler can last up to 10-12 years depending upon the regular maintenance and usage.
Get a professional team to examine your house need and suggest the best possible solution for your requirement. Depending on your need underfloor heating or extra radiators can also be suggested to you.
You must also keep the boiler parts clean and free from debris and dust so that they can stay in a good condition for a long time. For people who want to look for more environmentally friendly options, there are renewable energy sources available as well.
Step 3 – Reviewing the Electric Fittings
Faulty wiring is a common cause of accidents at home including electrical fires. Wiring with PVCu is safer as compared to those cables with rubber, fabric, or even toxic lead.
You must be careful of signs that indicate that your wiring needs to be repaired like unusual smells, flickering lights, discolored sockets, abnormal noises, and an aged fuse box.
While looking for home renovation, you must consider that there are a few rules which must be taken into consideration. Areas that use electricity and water, including kitchen, bathrooms, and other outdoor spaces must be dealt with extra care. There are certain things which you can do yourself while some activities should only get done by professionals to avoid any accidents.
Let’s have a look at a few things that you should only do if you are qualified for it:
- Light switch replacement.
- Make an extension cord or power board.
- Change the location of a PowerPoint.
- Repair appliances such as heaters or electrical kitchen appliances.
- Replace a plug
- Replace a battery holder
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* This is a guest post not written by the websites’ owner