Renovating or extending your home is something that you might do maybe once or twice in your lifetime, but as an interior designer, I tend to have one or two renovations on the go daily!

They are notoriously stressful, with seemingly endless decisions to be made, inevitable issues and of course budget worries. I’ve compiled the top 10 lessons I’ve learned through experience to help you prepare for your renovation or extension.

1. Identify your budget

Before you do anything at all, work out how much your budget is going to be. I can’t stress this enough. Include everything in this budget - flooring, lighting, paint, furniture, finishing touches, any custom carpentry, white goods, plus the cost of renting if you’re going to be moving out while it’s done. Identifying your budget ahead of time will stop your build from spiralling. I’d also always include a contingency of at least 10% for any unexpected costs.

2. Plan ahead as much as you can

Decision fatigue is a real thing when it comes to renovating, so making as many decisions upfront is going to save you from a lot of stress down the line. By planning ahead how each room is going to look and function, you’ll know the answers ahead of time which also helps you stick to your budget.

I find that builders tend to need flooring, lighting and paint sooner than you’d expect, so having at least those planned, ordered and delivered ahead of time will save you from any last minute decisions

3. Prepare for how you’re going to live

Depending on how intense your building work is going to be, you might choose to live at home during the renovations or somewhere else. If you’re planning to live at home, be aware that renovations are intense and when you’re living in one, it can feel all-consuming. If you can, try and make yourself comfortable elsewhere in the house - set up a make shift kitchen and a comfy area where you can spend time in the evenings.

If you’re renting, make sure to factor this into your budget. If you can live nearby, this is a huge plus to allow you to check in easily.

4. Be on-site often, or easily contactable

If you’re not living at home during the works, I’d recommend being available to check in on-site frequently. At the beginning you might want to go every few days or so, but as the end comes closer you might want to visit daily, if you can. Your builder will inevitably have questions, so being available to answer these whether on-site or via video call is the best way to ensure you’re keeping in the loop with any decisions that are being made.

When you can’t be on-site, having everything documented in a clear format for your builder makes sure they know exactly what you want doing.

5. Document everything

Documentation is going to be key during a renovation, I highly recommend starting up a Google Sheets tracker so that you can keep on top of your budget, any orders you’re making and any other important bits of information.

As well as documentation for yourself, the more documentation you can provide your builder and tradespeople the better - so that you leave nothing uncertain in your absence. Things like lighting and electrics diagrams, paint schedules and any other important details should be written down and shared.

6. Be aware of scope creep

When you’re spending tens of thousands of pounds, it’s very easy to think “oh what’s another £1,000?” when you’re in the middle of the works. A lot of clients say to me “we might as well get this sorted while the house is being renovated” which is a completely fair point - the only thing I would say is that you should keep in touch with your budget, keep updating it based on what you’re spending, and try to identify areas where you can save if you are going to be adding in more expensive work.

7. Check deliveries as soon as they arrive

This tip is going to save you money as well as headaches down the line. It’s so much easier to refuse delivery if something is damaged rather than trying to arrange a return, so make sure that someone checks all deliveries as they arrive, and flags any issues immediately. Things like flooring, tiles and bathroom fittings tend to arrive sooner than you need them, and it can be so frustrating when something has been sat waiting to be installed for weeks, only to find it’s damaged on the day it’s actually needed.

8. Take breaks and keep the end goal in mind

Renovating is stressful, and no matter how organised you are, there are elements that are out of your control and this can be difficult. Make sure to take time away from your renovation if you can, especially if you’re living at home. Even if it’s an evening out or a weekend away, time out reminds you that there’s other things in life and will remind you of normality! I always say to my clients, keep the end-goal in sight and remember that you will get there eventually.

9. Take lots of pictures

Linked to the previous tip, it’s easy to forget how far along you’ve come or the reason that you’re embarking on this renovation or extension in the first place. Take a lot of before photos to remind you how far along you’ve come and what your home used to look like. Take photos during too, so you can see how the work is progressing week to week.

10. Hire a designer!

Finally - consider hiring an interior designer! Obviously a designer is there to help you with the aesthetics and functionality of your home, but they can also act as support during the renovation process. A designer acts as a sounding board for decision making and helps to make those decisions up-front so that you’re prepared, whilst keeping track of your budget as you go. They can also create and organise all the documents you need; lighting and electrical diagrams, technical drawings and paint schedules. Placing orders and sorting out deliveries on your behalf (and fixing anything that goes wrong!) whilst saving you a bit of money with trade discounts is the cherry on the cake!

If you’d like my help with your next project, check out my services to see how we can work together. If you’ve enjoyed this blog, don’t forget to subscribe at the bottom of this page to receive my new post in your inbox every Sunday.