DIY renovating tips (part 1)

Renovating your house can be a personally and financially rewarding undertaking however is often fraught with frustration and stress. Depending on your time, skill, inclination and budget you may like to DIY. Most DIY renovators are actually DIWT (Do It With Trades). They manage the job, do the demolition, select the colour scheme, source fixtures and fittings, remove and install simple fittings and other simple jobs. However, unless they are really skilled they contract the specialist trades of bricklaying, carpentry, electrics, plumbing and tiling. The following are some general tips that may help to make the process a little easier for you.

Note: Before you get too enthusiastic we recommend you read our Overcapitilising with renovations article.

1. Preparation
Move out of home unless it is a very small job. The renovation will be dirty, dusty noisy. The power and water will go off and when it doesn't you'll have tradesman scrutinizing your breakfast and observing your bathroom habits.

Keep neighbours on your side. This is an impossible task but do what you can by informing them of noise and inconvenience. To pacify them, consider giving them gifts at appropriate times (like earplugs, champagne and a night in a hotel.) If they get really stroppy, just tell them how your renovation will increase their property value.

2. Research
Find out all you can about everything
Troll the internet for advice and researching materials, appliances and fittings. Print out pictures of appliances so you can see how they look. Study home magazines.
Start a neat file of fittings, appliances and design examples that you like.
Draw up a wish list.
Get the household together and discuss the building. Together draw up a wish list in order of preference.
Get advice. Ask architects or builders to look at your site and sketch to give you a ballpark estimate.