Home improvement projects in Australia have gotten so popular over the past few years, creating a now multibillion-dollar industry that continues to grow even during tough economic times.
According to experts, it makes sense to invest in making improvements to one’s home. Upgrading your living spaces can make life and work more efficient, allowing you to save time and energy. Proper maintenance of your property saves you from costly repairs and premature replacements. And the market value increase you can enjoy from a good renovation definitely makes the investment worth the cost and trouble.
But before you start digging a hole in your backyard to finally build the pool you’ve always wanted, make sure to avoid the following the following home improvement mistakes that can cost you big time:
Not having a clear picture of the project. You need to have a solid and clear idea of the end result that you want to achieve. This will allow you to determine the budget you will need to allocate for the project. For one, you will know whether the change you want is cosmetic only or more structural. If it’s structural, it will definitely be more expensive and complex. Knowing that beforehand will allow you to narrow your choices, determine your priorities and avoid surprise expenses.
Being too engrossed with the small details. If you want to cut costs, it helps to focus on changes that will have an immediate and strong impact. Hand-creating an intricate mural on the walls of your favourite room may be a work of art and a labour of love, but will be time- and cost-intensive without making a huge impact to the overall property. Meanwhile, outside work such as installing new garden beds or painting your home’s exteriors offer a good ROI for every dollar you spend. Done right, they deliver instant “wow” factor and boost property value at minimum effort and budget.
Negotiating without a strategy. Even the clothes you wear will affect the cost of your renovations. How? According to insiders’ tips, if you go to a hardware store to shop for your tools and supplies or look for contractors wearing high-brand items and expensive pieces, don’t expect them to give you great discounts because you don’t look like you need it. If the sales process and negotiations are too much complicated for you, try going online such as local digital directory. You can research rates and request for quotes with no strings attached, allowing you to compare and shop around before signing a deal.