8 tips before renovating your home

If you have decided to go ahead with a home renovation, in this article we give you 8 tips to follow that will lead to a successful renovation of your home:

1) Available budget and planning

Before work starts, you should decide how much money you can spend and, at the same time, the look and style you want to achieve with your home renovation. Before the works begin, an architectural study of the space should be carried out, producing floor plans and photorealistic renderings. This determines the final layout and the final look. That way you avoid unpleasant surprises and any delays as the works progress.

2) Choosing a construction company for your home renovation

The company that will carry out the renovation of your space should have experienced, specialised staff. Ideally, the works should also be supervised by an engineer. When removing walls that are load-bearing elements of the structure (stone masonry), any demolition without a study or an engineer's inspection can negatively affect the structural stability of the building.

3) Permits

Discuss with the professional you choose whether the works planned for your home renovation require a permit from the local building authority (YDOM). For example, painting and re-rendering external walls, or replacing railings using scaffolding, require a small-scale works permit.

4) Private agreement

Have you chosen the company you will work with? Sign a contractor agreement that sets out the building works, the exact costs and the completion time.

5) Plumbing & electrical installation

Is your property more than 20–25 years old? Its pipes and wiring should be inspected, and the professional should assess whether they need replacing. Replacing them completely will save you much more money in the event of future damage and spare you hassle (patch repairs, difficulty finding materials identical to the existing ones, etc.).

6) Laying floors

When your home renovation includes replacing the floors, make sure the substrate (cement screed) on which the new tiles or marble will be bonded is in good condition, isn't crumbling and doesn't rub away. Before laying the tiles, the necessary falls and levelling must be done, and the cement screed must be cleaned thoroughly of dust and similar materials.

7) Price comparisons

In this section, we give an indicative comparison of the prices of materials used in a home renovation:

• Window frames: white aluminium frames cost less than those painted in any other colour.
• Floors: tiles are cheaper than wooden floors
• Building elements: metal structures and plasterboard structures are cheaper and quicker to complete.
• Appliances: buying energy class A or B appliances will save you money on electricity consumption.

8) Inspecting the installations

Before the construction company hands over your new home, carry out the necessary checks to make sure all the new installations work properly (electrical, plumbing, kitchen mechanisms, motorised aluminium shutters, etc.).