We all have ideas and dreams when it comes to home renovations.
Be it an extension, a loft conversion, or a complete kitchen or bathroom overhaul, renovations are what enable us to turn a house into our dream home – putting our own stamp on a property and adapting it to suit our needs.
Renovations are intrinsically linked with individual lifestyles, meaning that there is no one-size-fits-all renovation plan that can be followed. Perhaps this is why more and more homeowners are attempting DIY renovations – or perhaps it’s because they aren’t fully aware of the benefits that come with hiring a team of professionals.
Regardless, in this blog, we’re considering the benefits of both DIY and professional renovations, with advice on how to choose the right approach for you.
The benefits of DIY renovations – and things to consider
The number one reason why homeowners choose to go down the DIY route when it comes to renovations is cost. But is a DIY renovation actually cheaper?
While it may seem as though foregoing the service charge and cost of a building company’s expertise will bring the cost of your renovation down, it’s important to recognise that going down the DIY route also loses you access to wholesale prices and deals that a professional company could have got.
In short, if you opt for a DIY renovation you take on the brunt of the work yourself and so will cut down your initial costings to within your budget – but you may end up paying more for materials, as a result of not knowing the best place to shop around.
Another benefit of DIY renovation work is the flexibility you have with regards to timeline and to changing your mind as you go. When you undertake your own renovation, you can complete it as quickly or as gradually as you like, personalising every part of the project and ensuring that it is 100% what you want.
Finally, we cannot argue with the sense of achievement that comes from completing your own renovation – and the pride you will have in your new property.
But there are downsides to DIY renovations too. For one thing, the lack of expertise can slow the process down and leave you prone to mistakes. Plus, DIY renovations are stressful and can leave you paying high prices to fix things that may be done incorrectly the first time.
Suffice to say, that while DIY renovations have their benefits, they aren’t always the simplest approach. This is where professional design and build companies like ours come in.
Why opting for a professional design and build team is always the best option
When you engage the services of a professional design and build company like TN Design & Build, your renovation project and dream home scenario is transformed into an actionable plan – complete with timelines, exciting design and finishing choices, and of course an important budget to follow.
Starting with a comprehensive design process, we work with you to understand your renovation plans and work out the best way to do it – before using our sources and contacts to supply the best materials and the most cost-effective contractors to complete the project.
Combining your dream and vision with our expertise and skills, even the most complex of renovations can be turned into a reality with the help of a professional – who will then project manage your renovation from sign-off through to completion and the installation of all those little details and features that make a house a home.
Some of the benefits of working with a professional renovation company include:
· Access to industry know-how and contacts to get the best deals
· Expert advice on how to make certain ideas and visions work
· A comprehensive budget tracking system
· Project management to ensure each task is completed on time
· High-quality finishes throughout the renovation
Yes, professional renovation services come at a cost. But if that means the project is completed to time and without the need to redo parts and reassess budgets, we think it’s worth it!
The value you get from a professional company – and what the value costs
Before we talk more about prices and fee structures, it’s worth noting that if you approach and ask for an estimate from a high-quality company, the chances are they won’t be available to pick up your renovation immediately.
The best companies come with a waitlist. And while it’s worth the wait, you need to be prepared to put your renovation plans on hold until they can pick up your job. Any company that promises instant delivery is more likely to cut corners!
Having said that, here at TN Design & Build, we spend an extra bit of time before starting a project, creating and finessing a detailed estimate based on the renovation that you want to bring to life. The idea here is to work with quantity surveyors to estimate the total cost of the full renovation so that you can book it and proceed safely with the knowledge that there won’t be any unexpected costs or nasty surprises. This is not always the norm, but we believe it enables you to both visualise the design and ensure that it’s something you can afford and are able to pay for.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach to any and every renovation. And it’s this, more than anything else, that we believe makes a professional service that little bit better than the DIY approach.
For more advice on our fees and available services, and to find out our availability, get in touch with the TN Design & Build team directly.
