A Step-by-Step guide to planning your home renovation

Planning a home renovation can be an exciting yet daunting task. With the right approach, careful planning, and the right team, you can transform your home into your dream space. Here’s a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you navigate the renovation process from start to finish, specifically tailored for homeowners on the beautiful Sunshine Coast.

Step 1: Define Your Goals and Vision

Before diving into the renovation process, it is crucial to clearly define your goals and vision. Ask yourself the following questions:

– What do you want to achieve with this renovation? (e.g., more space, modern updates, increased property value)

– Which areas of your home need renovation?

– What style and design elements do you envision?

Next, we suggest you create a vision board or a collection of images that inspire you. This will help you communicate your ideas and your preferred style clearly to contractors and designers. Even though you might not know what the style is you are trying to achieve, by collating images of bathrooms, kitchens and other spaces that you love, you’ll start to see a theme coming through.

Step 2: Set a Budget

Establishing a realistic budget is essential. Consider the following:

– Cost of materials and labour: This can be hard to gauge if you have never renovated before. We suggest having a think about what you’re prepared to spend and then have a look at online renovation calculators – we find the realestate.com.au gives a good estimation for simple spaces. Please be mindful that these calculators do not consider non-standard spaces and your quote will vary with various design choices, e.g. gold brass tapware is going to be more expensive than your standard chrome and floor to ceiling tiles is going to be more costly than half-way up the wall etc.

– Permit fees and regulations (specific to the Sunshine Coast area): this is project dependant and might not even factor into your renovations. If you are not sure, speak to your contractor when you are getting your quotes and they will follow up with the certifier to confirm which permits are needed prior to commencement.

Step 3: Research and Hire Professionals

Choose reliable and experienced professionals to bring your vision to life. This includes:

– Contractors/Builder

– Architects or designers

When it comes to choosing your team to bring your vision to life, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, get recommendations from friends, family, or online reviews.

Next, check credentials on the QBCC licence search to make sure the contractor you are meeting with are licenced to do the work and is licenced to engage other trades. If you’re considering engaging contractors rather than a builder, make sure you keep in mind that you will be in charge of project managing the job and scheduling trades as required. This can be extremely time consuming, especially if you need to call multiple contractors and to schedule works in with their schedules.

The upside of engaging a builder is that they already have a pool of contractors on hand that have been vetted to ensure they have the required licences and insurances to undertake the work. The Builder will then schedule, and project manage the project from start to finish.

If you need help with overall design, you can also contact interior designers to help you with layout and colour selections. If you’re enlisting a builder, they will often have contacts for interior designers they have worked with on other projects.

Step 4: Contract

Make sure you are aware of what contracts are needed if you’re working with individuals rather than a builder. The QBCC is a good place to start to check the requirements for your renovations.

If you’re working with a builder, discuss possible starting dates and the expected completion date. The Builder will then produce the necessary contract documents to be signed by both parties.

 Step 5: Prepare Your Home

Before construction begins, prepare your home by:

– Clearing out the renovation area

– Setting up temporary living arrangements if necessary

– Protecting furniture and belongings from dust and damage

If you’re living in your home during the renovation, speak to your contractor regarding staged renovations of the bathrooms so that you always have one functional bathroom available. If you only have one bathroom available, you will need to look at different options such as staying offsite for a few weeks. 

Step 7: Check the Progress

Open communication with your renovation team is key to a smooth project. Speak to your contractor about how and when you will get project updates.

If there are any changes that need to be completed, make sure your contractor prepares a Variation document that outlines the scope and the costs involved and that it is signed off by both parties. This will ensure there are no ‘surprises’ when the final invoice comes through.

Step 8: Finalise and Enjoy

Once the renovation is complete, conduct a final walkthrough with your contractor to ensure everything meets your expectations. Address any remaining touch-ups or issues. Your contractor should have a Defect Document and record any agreed-upon or not-agreed upon defects and be signed off by both parties.

Finally, enjoy your newly renovated space! Host a gathering to show off your beautiful home and relish the satisfaction of seeing your vision come to life. If you’re living in a unit block, we can almost guarantee that your neighbours will want to come by for a stickybeak.

By following these steps and considering the unique aspects of living on the Sunshine Coast, you can ensure a successful and enjoyable home renovation experience. Happy renovating!

And if this post has inspired you to start your renovation journey, contact us to book a consultation with our Estimator.