How to Transform a Property into your Dream Home

After spending more time at home over lockdown, many homeowners are looking to invest in their current property or remodel a fixer-upper house.

In a 2020 report, 63% of respondents said they wanted to renovate their house to enhance its comfort. While in another survey, 80% of British buyers were willing to buy a home in need of major work.

Remodelling an old-fashioned house over time can be an accessible way to achieve your ideal home. However, you’ll likely have a chaotic experience and struggle to attain your goals within your budget and time constraints without implementing a carefully researched plan.

To help make the home of your dreams a reality, continue reading for advice on the factors to consider before undergoing the project.

1) Create a design plan

Before beginning the renovation, you need a clear understanding of your vision. First, look for inspiration on social media, interior design blogs, and magazines. However, remember that the design alterations must suit your property’s available space and existing features, which may differ completely from the researched homes.

Create mood boards, Pinterest boards, or sketches to keep track of your ideas for each room. Then categorize the ideas into ‘must-haves’ and ‘wish lists’ so you know which features to prioritize. If you are confused about what can be done look for advice from someone who does things like Basement Remodeling Denver, who can help you plan for rooms that are oft forgotten in remodelling projects.

2) Work with a professional architect

Completing some aspects of a home renovation yourself is a great way to save some money. However, faults can easily occur if you don’t have the necessary DIY skills to conduct the task properly.

The architectural firm Townscape Architects designs residential properties, bespoke new homes, and property transformations. The team can advise on the feasibility of your ideas and guide you on the most suitable and beneficial renovations for your property.

3) Maximise function and practicality

While the home’s aesthetic is essential to creating a comfortable and inviting home, enhancing each room’s purpose is crucial.

Also, consider any lifestyle changes you plan to make soon, such as having children, which could change your property’s arrangement.

To make a room more practical, you may need to build an extension to add space, knock down an internal wall to form an open-plan layout or add bespoke storage units to use the area efficiently.

As long as the house is liveable, spend some time living in it before renovating so you have a better idea of how to enhance the practicality.

4) Use your time wisely

Renovating a house is often a time-consuming process that can be frustrating. However, it’s important not to cut corners to quicken the process, as this will only compromise the quality and longevity of the projects.

Unless you can live elsewhere until the job is complete, avoid remodelling the entire house at once, as this will be highly disruptive and expensive. Schedule the jobs in priority order and place any time-sensitive jobs at the top of the list.

Create a rough schedule to help you stay on track but remain flexible as aspects of the project likely won’t go to plan or may take longer than expected.

5) Consider the resale value

Before starting the work, consider how the remodelling projects would affect the property’s value, as this might change your renovation priorities.

Some jobs – such as fitting some new beautiful interior doors for your house or a cellar conversion – can add significant value to your home, and in the case of the latter can increase the house price by up to 30%. In contrast, other property changes could devalue your home, including removing the bath, an essential for many buyers. Some luxury additions can also decrease the value, like swimming pools and craft rooms, as they won’t suit a wide range of lifestyles.

However, if you’re transforming a house into your forever home, the property value isn’t likely a priority over tailoring the home to your taste.

Renovating a home is a long and expensive process. Yet, you can make the experience much smoother by working under a budget and schedule, getting advice from a professional, and focusing on your priorities.